成人快手

At the end of the last series, it looked like ’s love life might have been heading in a positive direction. Do we find her in a new relationship in series 12?

The record shop romance from last series doesn’t quite work out - instead she’s thrown herself into her one true love this time around - her work. She’s completely focused on her commitment to the job and keeping the boys on track so there’s not much time left for romance and dating, though that won’t stop the boys from trying to set her up on occasion. She’s also still getting to grips with being a single working mum to her son Alex, who is supposed to be getting his head down at university. Focus isn’t his strong point and he isn’t particularly good at looking after himself so she has quite a job on her hands there!

The first two episodes focus on the departure of from UCOS. What was it like saying goodbye to Dennis?

It was wonderful working with Dennis - he is such a legend, both on and off set. Dennis was the last remaining original cast member so it definitely felt like the end of an era, and it was difficult to see him go. I think his final two episodes are fantastic though. When we heard that Julian Simpson was going to be writing and directing Gerry’s double-bill exit episode, we knew that he would give him a fitting farewell and I hope the fans enjoy it as much as we did.

We also welcome Larry Lamb as , a new member of the team. How has Larry fit in and does Sasha get on with Ted?

When I suggested Larry for the role, I knew it’d be great to get him involved - he’s a lovely man with great comic timing and I loved working with him. Ted arrives while Sasha is away so when she comes back to find that he's practically moved into her office - with all his little knickknacks on her desk - she isn’t best pleased. She feels a little put out because he’s already won over the boys with the introduction of a daily dose of sweet treats, and they’ve cottoned on to all his little rituals that she doesn’t understand. But she'll soon come to realise that he’s a great detective with a keen eye for liars and a unique sensitivity to the job, so he’ll become part of the furniture in no time.

Sasha has an accident this series, do you think this changes the way she approaches the job or her life in general?

Sasha has an incident during this series but it only made her more committed and determined to do her job well. I love Sasha for her tenacity – it’s rare to see a strong, driven woman who has been through a lot, but who has used her experiences to her spurn herself on, rather than hold herself back. She’s at an age where her work has become more central to her than her personal life and all she wants to do is speed up – but it’s sometimes up to the boys to remind her to slow down a little, especially in light of what she ends up going through.

She also has to deal with the joys of juggling a full time job, studying and a teenage son - can you relate to her?

I can relate to the single mum, loving my job and keeping everything juggling to make it all work. I don’t feel quite old enough to have a teenage son though! I can understand her drive but unlike Sasha, I know when to take a step back and slow down.

With a run of 12 series, why do you think has been such a successful show?

The longevity of the show is down to the original cast members and their chemistry and camaraderie, which shines through on screen. Every person who has joined the show since has brought their own unique qualities to it, adding to the continued success. All good things undoubtedly must come to an end – I was just delighted I was able to be a part of it.

What have been your favourite moments filming the show over the last couple of years?

It’s hard to pick out specific moments, as there have been so many. I really loved working with who played my husband. I really enjoyed all the scenes I did with and when wrote or directed an episode it was always great fun. We’ve had a fantastic guest cast this series too – , and all have great roles and were so much fun to work with.

Will you miss playing ?

There are definite elements of playing Sasha that I’ll miss – one is working alongside (Nicholas) Lyndhurst, (Denis) Lawson and (Larry) Lamb - the triple L’s! I'll also miss my days chatting with the girls in make-up and finishing off the boy’s leftovers at lunch!

What’s next for you?

I’m having the gap year I’ve never had – for 20 years I’ve worked solidly and am looking forward to spending time with the girls and recharging my batteries.