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

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

When I look in the mirror, I sometimes think I'm getting old, but then I have two generations behind me so that helps puts things into perspective. I am a grandmother now, but at least my nine-year-old grandson Jude calls me Glamma and not Granny.

I think the deafness affects me more than I realise I think it makes me more tired. I loathe parties. I attend, smile and leave.

I'm the one by the backdoor - I am not the one in the middle of the party.

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

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.