“After filming, I can't wait to shake off all that '50s primness. I'll go out to a gig and dance ridiculously. I love to lose myself in music. Just letting go - it's dead important.”

“For any role, I pretty much always go to the script, first and foremost.”

“I always knew that the only thing I wanted to do was act, but it took me a long time to say it out loud to anyone, let alone myself. I am surprised by how dogged I have been in wanting to make a living as a respected actress.”

“I am not posh. I went to a comprehensive school.”

“I don't want to sound too bleeding heart, because I know how lucky I've been, but I never knew how hard it was to be the lead in a television show.”

“I find that women want to tell me about their birthing experiences. In the most excruciating detail. It's not put me off having children, but I do feel like I know too much.”

“I hadn't realised what an institution 'Doctor Who' is.”

“I have a gorgeous coat that I found at a vintage fair - it's just so elegant. Unfortunately, it has a massive hole underneath the arm, as I think I may have worn it to death!”

“I have a lot of Breton striped top and silk shirts that always feel good. I also like things with a masculine edge and dislike anything too girly.”

“I have a really adaptable face, but when I am just being me, people always think I am younger than I am.”

“I have always appreciated vintage clothing, but after working on 'Call the Midwife' for six months, I love moving away from vintage in my day-to-day wear.”

“I think my dream would be to move into film, purely because there's a definite beginning, middle and end to a project. I struggle a bit with such a big series that's going all the time.”

“I was always told at school I was posh, then I came to London, and here I'm told I have a country accent.”

“I would like to explore comedy, I want to do more theatre, and I definitely want a future in film.”

“I would like to explore comedy, I want to do more theatre, and I definitely want a future in film. I love science-fiction.”

“I'm certainly not squeamish at all. The countryside makes you very aware of birth and death.”

“It's amazing what it opens up in women when you tell them you've just played a midwife.”

“I've been thinking recently about all the qualities you need in order to be an actor. First and foremost, you've got to have a thick skin and give out an 'I don't give a monkey's what you think' kind of vibe, while at the same time really caring what everyone thinks. You've got to be tough and sensitive at the same time.”

“I've not stopped going on public transport. I love going on it.”

“My first acting experience was a non-speaking role as a robot. My costume was a cardboard box covered in tinfoil, but I was so shy I refused to go on stage.”

“My principal at RADA once told me, 'You'll know you're a professional when you don't feel like doing it but you have to do it.'”

“Schedules on TV are so tight, and it feels like they get tighter and tighter with every passing year. The idea of asking where your character's come from or where they grew up - you would just get a little bit laughed at.”

“Shoes are a good starting point. I've become quite fussy about them! A patent pair of Sonia Rykiel oxfords have become invaluable.”

“The first time I had to hold a baby, I was really nervous, but I soon grew in confidence.”

“The most common place I get stopped by fans is the ladies'.”

“You know that book 'Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking', by Susan Cain? That's like my manifesto. The older I get, the more I think I could be a hermit.”