Tell us about your character in the show?

Diane is a wife and mother with a strong personality who loves her kids. She hasn’t really had her own career but supports Martin with his and is ambitious for their children. She likes the financial security that Martin provides so she can have a lovely house, kids at private school, a nice car and smart clothes.

She isn’t very happily married as she is bullied by Martin and undermined by him on a daily basis. She is fond of her father Dougie but is embarrassed by his shabby appearance. She wants everything ‘just so’ but ultimately her life is a bit empty and she knows it. She has buried the past and her feud with Kath and doesn’t want to face up to the truth.

Despite her pride and upwardly mobile intentions she has a kind heart and is very funny.

Do you have a highlight from filming?

I loved every day of filming. The first scene of episode 2 was tough to film as we couldn’t stop laughing. It was impossible to get through the very funny and surreal scene. Conleth and Sian are both hilarious, bubbling hysteria was always lurking; I basically spent most of the shoot laughing. I also loved the dinner party scenes in episode five, we had lots of brilliant actors in that day and all the costumes and the set were so ‘80s, it was a trip down memory lane and I felt like I was in an episode of Howards' Way!

Is there any similarity between you and your character?

I think Diane and I are both a bit OCD and self-doubting, but also loving.

What is your favourite thing from the late 80s/early 90s?

My favourite thing about that era was probably the clothes and the music and being young and free.

What were you doing in 1990?

In 1990 I was at drama school in London, making lifelong friends. I’d finished my degree at Manchester University and was doing my post grad year training to be a proper actor, whatever that is!

Have you ever done anything in a moment of revenge?

I remember cracking an egg over my poor little sister’s head before tearing down her Shakin’ Stevens posters. I can’t remember what she’d done for me to take out such cruel revenge but she likes to remind me of it every few years. She is still traumatised.