Quotes from Kathy Burke

I used to get defensive when people asked me, 'Is it the control that you like about directing?' I used to say, 'No!' But now I'm older, I say, 'Yeah, it absolutely is!'

Money really is a dirty word.

I had two older brothers who kept dirty mags under their mattresses. They didn't know I knew.

But I don't have any eyebrows.

That's why I won't direct film or telly. I can't do those early mornings anymore. I will only direct theatre because that starts at nine in the morning.

People would think I wouldn't like Noel Coward. I think he was the original punk in a lot of ways. You know. Saucy. Doing his own thing.

But the more successful I became as an actor, the less control I had. I became more of a puppet, really. It certainly felt like that, at least.

Having been a fan of Frantic Assembly for many years I'm really looking forward to working with them as a co-director as it's something I've not done before.

'Walking and Talking' is my love letter to books, '70s television, music and friendship.

Without meaning to sound anti-men, ghastly women are the closest you get to a male role.

I'm a good people manager and I like that fact I can draw out their performances.

With trans people, I just think you can't help the way you are born, though. You know, it's DNA, it's genetics. I'm just glad people can do things about their own happiness. I think this thought process that they're trying to wipe out women is a bit ridiculous - it's a minority of people.

My heart's desire was freedom... 400 years ago they'd have burned me as a witch or dunked me like a big biscuit.

I'd always been dead against therapy. I didn't think you needed to pay someone to talk about yourself.

I'm knocking on 50, and I'm still getting recognized for playing a 14-year-old boy. It makes me think I must still look great!

Harry Enfield and 'Chums' is very family-orientated, but 'Gimme, Gimme, Gimme' isn't for mums and dads.

I find acting so tiring!

2021 is my 40th year working in the industry and I can't think of a better way to celebrate than directing 'Holding.' It's a beautiful piece of writing with a great story and fantastic, full-bodied characters.

When 'Nil By Mouth' was released, people thought that's what we were actually like, that they'd put me and Ray in front of the cameras and filmed what came out. No acting involved.

I love playing grotesques, I relish it.

I had that C.difficile hospital bug that everyone is going on about. It was an experience. There's not much they can do. They just let you get on with it. It's a breakdown of the whole immune system.

'Walking and Talking' is my autobiography. It's best to do it that way, rather than spend months writing a book that then ends up in the bargain bucket with all the other idiots' autobiographies.

I had mates who lived in tower blocks and I always hated seeing them, because of the lifts, y'know? My God, so scary.

There's a great difference between innocence and ignorance.