One of the nicest people in ‘the business’ is 32 year old British actress Jemima Rooper. She apparently wrote “I want to act” in lipstick on her bed at the age of nine, so got an agent and had her first professional role in the 1993 film The Higher Mortals. Three years later she was George – a regular cast member in Enid Blyton’s The Famous Five while still at school. Her spirited approach to her acting may have been due to being an only child. She just wanted to “play imaginary games… dress up and be weird”.

Her busy career proves it’s no dead end job, but she has ventured into the afterlife for a few roles. She played the loveable lesbian ghost Thelma Bates in Sky’s occult-themed drama Hex for two seasons 2004-2005 and the mythological monster Medusa in the TV series Atlantis last year.

Currently she is in Blythe Spirit alongside theatre icon Dame Angela Lansbury during its run at London’s Gielgud Theatre. Playing the annoying and temperamental deceased first wife Elvira, Jemima is conjured on stage each performance by Angel’s Madame Arcati’s wayward seance.

I caught up with her between shows on Saturday as she floated out to get some tea. She’s always in high spirits and has was more than happy to sign the sketches.