Quotes from Lesley Sharp

There is something quintessentially northern in my DNA, even though I've lived in London since I was 18.

The police genre is capable of holding and shaping many forms of storytelling.

That conversation about 'roles for women,' generally - 'roles for older women.' It's like, let's please not dig into that one any more, you know?

All the Enid Blyton books - they opened my eyes to a bunch of kids living a life that was so far away from mine.

I really think it would be useful if society stopped vilifying older women.

I met my birth mother as an adult, but she was always quite vague about my birth father. I knew he had been married to someone else, that he'd had children, but that was about it.

Male actors don't get asked about playing strong men; they're just men.

I'm very controlling. It's my worst habit. I'm also over organized, which means I end up telling my family what I want them to do at certain times, like when to get up, where to put their clothes and when they should have their breakfast.

You might be able to mimic other styles but what's important is that you are true to who you are. You have to find your own voice.

I'd love to be beyond beautiful, for it to be acknowledged that my face was a wonder - like Monica Bellucci or Sophia Loren.

What I've done is I've started writing a novel, so that's my big adventure.

My first idol was Dick Emery, this man on the telly who was a sexpot one minute, then a vicar with dodgy teeth. Transformation - I think that's what he represented to me.

Just because I'm older, I'm not ready to ease off. I'm interested, I want to do stuff.

I love euro TV drama, there's some fantastic shows.

Andrew Lincoln is an amazing actor and turned into a great friend.

Being on stage is like running a marathon every night.