The middle-aged woman is the ground bed of the audience that watches television and yet they are absolutely invisible..

Inside my heart, there's a 12-year-old girl who has always wanted to be Ginger Rogers..

When I got on stage, I would have a rush of adrenaline; everybody gets it. Normally after the first night it becomes more controllable, and as long a….

The bravest thing I've ever done is fly to New York. I'm simply terrified of aeroplanes - I am the woman you see weeping at the airport..

I adore acting; it's in my blood - quite literally - but I can honestly say the most creative thing in the world for me is being a mother..

Nobody can prepare you for the loss of a parent..

My best friend is my husband..

I've always had this sneaking suspicion that I get a kick out of the insecurity..

Filming is quite exciting because every day is different, but it can involve long hours standing around in chilly locations. Theatre is a very differ….

It's one of the oldest theatrical adages: never work with children or animals..

I'm an appalling flyer. I get very tense, although I no longer weep uncontrollably for no reason - I just sob if there's turbulence..

I always have bananas with me for energy..

My father Philip was an actor and appeared in everything from 'The Onedin Line' to 'Hedda Gabler' with Dame Diana Rigg..

One of my earliest memories is of being about three and a half, climbing through the legs of a man who I didn't know was the famous actor, Patrick Ma….

Something like 'Sex And The City' was insulting - women all clawing on to their youth when there's such ripe territory in honestly exploring women's ….

Sometimes I'll work through the crossword sections of three separate papers..

Not a lot of people know this, but I'm very good at mathematics. When I was an angry teenager, I used to sit in my room and do quadratic equations to….

I have to be careful what I eat before going onstage, to avoid an upset stomach..

I've been married to the same man - even after the separation - longer than most people in this business. I'm sick to death of people mentioning it..

I had absolutely no idea of the scale of its following and the globalness of 'Bond'..

When women's parts are being written, they are more and more for under 30s who are nubile and beautiful. Actresses over 40 are finding very little ha….