Don't believe your own hype “I don’t read reviews. I used to and either you over-believe the great ones or lose confidence because of the bad ones. I am tempted sometimes, particularly if someone says, ‘That was a great review in The Independent.’ Then afterwards I wish I hadn’t because they pick out things you don’t want to know about yourself and, I don’t want to sound w*nky, but it makes you self-conscious instead of being in the moment.”

See the world “I haven’t travelled that much and filming Indian Summers in Malaysia has given me a hunger to see more of Southeast Asia. Malaysia is so interesting – there are streets with a church, a mosque and a Buddhist temple all living quite happily, and it’s a mix of old and new – you get ancient temples and then shopping centres that make Westfield look like the Arndale Centre in 1974. And the food, oh my god! Time speeds up as you get older because you don’t experience as many new things. Travelling gives you new experiences and broadens your imagination.”

Tell people how you feel “My friends will say to me, ‘I really love you’, and I’ll say, ‘I really love you, too’. If someone is important to you, it’s important to say it, but it’s hard for some people and you know they love you whether they say it or not.”

When things go wrong, think small “If I’m having a bad day, I’ll think, ‘Why didn’t I feel good about today?’ And it’s usually because things haven’t worked out or I haven’t achieved anything. So I tell myself, ‘It’s just one of those days’, and give myself something I can achieve, even if it’s just replying to some mail or sorting out the recycling. That’s a great task, actually; getting rid of all of Grant’s [Julie’s farmer husband] Pig World magazines is quite therapeutic.”

Don't diss soaps “I don’t like people being snobbish about soaps. They miss the point – there’s a lot of very good acting and lot of issues are addressed. Mick Carter [Danny Dyer] in EastEnders is a big favourite. He’s very attractive and l love his daughter Nancy [Maddy Hill]. Sean Tully [Antony Cotton] in Coronation Street always makes me laugh, too. I love Mondays as you’ve got Coronation Street, EastEnders and then Coronation Street again. And I love that Emmerdale is on every night.”

Indian Summers continues on Channel 4 on Sundays at 9pm

Julie Walters shares her greatest wisdom and life advice