Born in Manchester, Paula Wilcox, 76, moved to London aged 17 to join the National Youth Theatre and was cast in Jack Rosenthal’s 1970 television sitcom The Lovers, which ran for two series and became a film. She also appeared in The Liver Birds, Man About the House and Miss Jones and Son, and she played two characters in Coronation Street. On stage she starred in Shirley Valentine, Great Expectations and Canary. Her recent TV work includes Trying, The Cleaner, Avoidance and Channel 5’s new drama The Fortune. She is married and lives in London.
What is your greatest fear?
Being run over by a cyclist on a pavement or pedestrian crossing, because it’s nearly happened too frequently.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
I’m very impatient – next question.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Complaining about the weather, because there’s nothing you can do about it. There’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.
Describe yourself in three words
Impatient, funny, worrier.
What would your superpower be?
To be able to fly. When I played Peter Pan I flew in a harness, and that’s a fantastic feeling.
What makes you unhappy?
Having nothing to do.
What scares you about getting older?
Not to be able to do the things that you take for granted, like running up the tube steps or going somewhere under your own steam.
What is the worst thing anyone’s said to you?
We’ve run out of champagne.
Would you choose fame or anonymity?
Anonymity. The fame thing was such a shock when I was first in Coronation Street. I played Janice Langton – she was 17 and had run away from borstal – and the day after the first episode went out, I was at the shops and people started shouting my Coronation Street name, and I didn’t know what to do.
What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Bovril.
What does love feel like?
Wow.
What is the worst job you’ve done?
I don’t think I’ve ever done a job that I hate. I worked as a temp briefly when I was out of work and it was fun.
If not yourself, who would you most like to be?
An interpreter. Acting is a kind of interpretation. I used to speak Spanish, French and German.
When did you last cry and why?
I cry a lot at films; my mother and I were champion criers at Meet Me in St Louis.
When’s the last time you changed your mind about something significant?
I’m trying to write my will and I keep changing my mind.
What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
A driver or a helicopter.
What keeps you awake at night?
Anything, because I’m a worrier. Also, if I’m working on a really exciting project, I can be awake like an excited child looking forward to going on holiday.
Would you rather have more sex, money or fame?
How sad to have to choose. Let’s have it all.
How would you like to be remembered?
As good fun.
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
Keep going.
What happens when we die?
Who cares?
