What did my parents say when I told them I wanted to be an actor? 'Be a plumber.'

I am a coward, basically, but one of the things about acting is that you are always putting yourself through yet another test.

I did start reading quite young but I was always read to by my parents, who are both actors. Bedtime stories from when I was about two/three to when I was about 15. In fact they didn't stop until I eventually kind of kicked them out of my bedroom.

At heart, this job is about continuing to make great theatre for the people of Sheffield - a city I've known and loved since childhood.

I'm rather proud of having been a trainspotter.

If you play a part that's been done before, on stage for instance, you feel like you're carrying a torch and staggering under the weight of it for a bit and then passing it on to somebody else.

My one remaining professional ambition is to read the shipping forecast. I live in hope.