Q is for the Queen Vic, the pub in EastEnders. When I joined the show I felt I was floundering, but when they put me behind the bar at the Queen Vic, I knew I'd be all right. I felt completely at home. When I had a real pub, with my second husband, I was useless. I kept dropping the glasses.
R is for royalty.
I love the Queen Mum, I love Prince Charles - and, of course, I'm one of the family. When I started out in the business, Deeks was not a good stage name. Aida Foster, who ran the theatre school I went to, said you've got to change it, either to Ellis, my mum's maiden name, or to Windsor, my Auntie Dolly's name. It was Coronation Year, so that settled it. S IS FOR Shakespeare.