Jessica Hynes

(on "Spaced") Jessica: It was important to have it reflect absolutely and intimately our world and experiences and our friends and ourselves. And to have that kind of authenticity it needed to be kind of grubby and sort of . . . real. Because that was our world.

Jessica: To be honest, when the second series of Spaced finished I was quite lost. Simon and Edgar were moving on and wanted to do a film and I think Edgar wanted to write it so that meant they didn't really want me to go along with that. They wanted to write a zombie film, which I would have been very happy to write, but I just think they had ideas about what they wanted to do next and they didn't involve me.

(on the difference between British and American comedy) Jessica Hynes: I think it's aspiration versus inspiration. American culture and humour is aspirational in terms of who the people are - they're all very affluent. British humour doesn't rely on that, it's more inspirational.

(On her attitude to motherhood) Jessica Hynes: There seems to be an epidemic of guilt among mothers. It's not about anything in particular but you just feel guilty. I've made a conscious decision to give all that up because it seemed to really cloud my experience of motherhood. I've given up on guilt like I gave up smoking. It's totally unhealthy, completely counter-productive, has no nutritional value whatsoever and I really don't enjoy it. Guilt is obstructive to love.

(On the disaster that was "According to Bex") Jessica Hynes: I learned a lot from that. I'd much rather be poor doing things I want to do than have a bigger house and doing things I didn't.

(When asked what she could've been if she wasn't a comedian/writer) Jessica Hynes: Stripper or teacher. Teaching stripping would be ideal.

(on playing Cheryl in "The Royle Family) Jessica Hynes: Somebody asked me about how I felt playing someone so unattractive. But I think you could have a real fire in your loins for Cheryl. In some ways I wish I was a bit more like Cheryl, there's no angst about her. It's one of loveliest things - I'm always thanking Caroline for letting me play the part and I'm working with such brilliant actors that I could quite happy just sit on the sofa in silence for a whole episode.

(on women now and as suffragettes) Jessica Hynes: I wondered how women - so enthused, so galvanised, so passionate - could have organised one of the most successful political campaigns in British history. Compare that with now when they are obsessed with scented candles. Not to say that all women are like that but it's still depressing that politicised, sophisticated women are few and far between. It's a direct result of rabid consumerism.

(on being asked to appear in "Doctor Who", Series 3) Jessica Hynes: As an actor, it's the phone call you always dream of getting - it's also one of the few times I can impress my son. He was so chuffed when I asked him if he wanted to come to the set.

(on why she switched to using her married name) Jessica Hynes: It's just that I've been married a few years now and my children are Hynes… I feel like a Hynes.