Dementia is often regarded as an embarrassing condition that should be hushed up and not spoken about. But I feel passionately that more needs to be done to raise awareness, which is why I became an ambassador for the Alzheimer's Society.

Before my mother's diagnosis with Alzheimer's, I had heard of the disease, but hadn't known anyone who had suffered from it.

My mum Mary was always a bright, confident and fiercely independent lady.

I wanted to be a stage actor but I got stuck on television. It took a couple of years to get used to.

I never have liked detective dramas. I try to watch all of them to see what's going on, but I don't like them.

My family have been around Northumberland for five generations.

I'm fascinated by politicians, because I suspect the huge majority of them go into it full of ideas and for the best possible reasons but end up being hijacked.