I have to keep Dune perfume in my dressing room, because I always wear it, but I must never put it on in case it makes me choke.

I was always the one in the background or the donkey. I was never a star, I never got to be the main part.

One fella went on the internet and got lots of photos of me in Love Actually, topless and naked and stuff, printed them off, stuck them on A4 paper, laminated them and sent them to me for me to sign. I was away and asked my husband to open all my mail for me, so he got quite a shock. And another man sent me a picture of a face where the nose was a willy.

I couldn't give a sh*t what they have to say. As soon as I go home and see my husband James Thornton of Holby Blue fame and pick up my dog and cuddle him, that's all that matters. I couldn't care if some theatre reviewer thinks my American accent sounds a bit Welsh.

I worked in Bhs, but I was only there for a couple of weeks before I got fired because I needed the Saturday off to go to drama club. I was useless - I was so bored. There was nothing to do, so I'd go and do a circuit of the store, throwing jumpers on the floor, then go and pick them up. It wasn't rock 'n' roll rebellion, it was just to look busy. They tried to teach me how to work the till and I'm useless with numbers, so I was making it all up as I went along. I must have lost them tons of money.

And people are so het up about the fact I'm in the theatre - it's like, 'Ooh these telly names, can they be any good?' I came out of RADA and my first job was at the National Theatre, but everyone wonders if I can cope. It makes me laugh.

He's always been absolutely gorgeous and had that charm, but he was in a steady relationship until quite recently, so it's only of late that all the girls are like, 'Oh my God, oh my God'.