I'm lucky that most of the time I'm on location in amazing places. Most of the time, I don't need holidays, I just stop working.

I can not remember even thinking that I was deaf when I was dancing.

I have to concentrate more intently when people speak. I always have to position myself on their right side so that I can hear out of my left ear. I sometimes get a crick in my neck from listening. But I don't there's too much else.

I genuinely enjoy talking one-to-one. I have no shyness about that.

But as far as my work is concerned, I see no impediment, and various advantages, to being deaf.

When I got into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, a doctor told me to give up the course as I'd be totally deaf within a couple of years. But I refused to give in.

My worst holiday was in Athens when I was a young drama student at Rada in 1965. I ran out of money. I had my things stolen and I wasn't able to speak a word of the language.