Being an actor is inherently embarrassing. You have to embrace it.

I’ve shat myself in public three times. It’s never quite as bad as you fear.

Eight or nine years ago, I disgraced myself in the Japanese ambassador’s home in Dublin, at a celebration for my late mother-in-law’s book about living in Japan. Afterwards, when I had to apologise, she told me it was the worst night of her life and, because I was drunk enough not to remember the details, it will never not be the most embarrassing night of my life. People are filling in details even now – “Remember when you fell under the table during the first course?”

Also my most triumphant: 2017 at the Royal Court. Julie Hesmondhalgh reads my psychologist’s report over two hours. Every excruciating intimate word of it. Extreme verbatim theatre. One night only.

Do not take life too seriously, this is all a sham.

My health anxiety. I am a bit of a hypochondriac. I hate that about myself and I’ve worked extensively in therapy on changing it.

My children, because I spent the majority of their youth away from them as I’m the breadwinner and I had to pay the bills.

Madonna, she is a trailblazer. She changed the face of pop music for women. She did so much for the Aids movement, encouraging people to vote and the voices of LGBTQIA+ people. Fashion icon, music icon – she deserves all the credit.

By my kindness.

I’ve heard it all: too fat, too short, no talent. Those are the things that cut me deep when I was younger, but now they drive me.