“My nickname is Bondy. But not because of the Bond films - it was my su...” — Samantha Bond Quote

My nickname is Bondy. But not because of the Bond films - it was my surname a long time before I did those.

When women's parts are being written, they are more and more for under 30s who are nubile and beautiful. Actresses over 40 are finding very little happening.

The middle-aged woman is the ground bed of the audience that watches television, and yet they are absolutely invisible.

Not a lot of people know this, but I'm very good at mathematics. When I was an angry teenager, I used to sit in my room and do quadratic equations to calm myself down.

As a child, I always remember our home, which was a flat just on the Barnes side of Hammersmith Bridge in London, buzzing with actors such as Patrick McGee and Peter Bowles. We were a family who were always on the go.

Nothing was ever easy in Memphis and I think that's why the fans were drawn to our team so much. It's because the way we played and the way we got overlooked and the respect that we didn't get most of the time was very similar to how the city felt and how the locals felt about life in general. It was an easy bond.

In our 'Strictly' group, we really did bond. It's seemingly disappointing to some that we had no diva meltdowns. I made true friends during the experience, which is surprising because I'm not a new-pals sort of person.

I was worried about being the nut that ruined 40 years of Bond history.

It was different being in a billet home, living with other families. At first, I was really shy, but then when you start connecting and talking to your family, you develop a bond with them and they make it easier for you.