What do you think of the newly rebuilt café?

It’s very different and very Christian, considering he designed it. It’s very apt. It’s different to what we were used to before, and certainly more colourful! The colour on the old café was a bit draining on the complexion, so we all look a bit better in there, so that’s got to be good!

It has a retro 1950s feel, doesn’t it?

Yes, what with Ian and his leather jacket - it’s a bit like Happy Days!

Did you have any input into the design process, as your character part-owns it?

Not really. We asked for a few things to be different - just practical things. We did ask for a really nice, proper cooking oven and just wanted it to be a bit more practical in there, so we could do more with props.

There’s not much you can do with the layout though, because of the camera angles. The counter had to stay where it was. Adam (Woodyatt) had a lot more input than I did. I just asked for things like; “a different colour apron.” And that was about it really! It certainly looks a lot better, and a lot more hygienic.

Jane juggles the café, Masala Queen, being a mum and even stand-up comedy - how does she do it?

I think she does it the same as every other working mum really. They are the unsung heroes of this country! Jane fits it all in, as she’s got to. She gets up early and gets the kids to school. She has got two teenagers now, so they’re pretty self-sufficient. Little Bobby’s at school (when he’s not upstairs playing). She works in the café, but Bianca’s there a lot, so that gives her more opportunity to go off to the Masala Queen unit when she needs to.

She’s just a busy working mum. She just does it like every other woman and just gets on with it.

You’ve had a colourful career; from a bouncer to a magician’s assistant - would you ever attempt stand-up?

Yes. What I didn’t know before I did the stand-up story was that most stand-up comedians have writers for them as well. A lot of people write their own material, but a lot also collaborate with other writers. It’s not a burning desire. I wouldn’t say it’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but would I fancy having a go at it? Possibly.

It’s very scary, as there’s no character to hide behind, although a lot of comedians do play characters, like Jane plays Mrs Beale - she was an exaggeration. But, yes, something maybe in the future. I may turn up in the Royal Variety Performance one night! It’s not something I wouldn’t be so afraid of.

There seems to be more comedy between Ian and Jane too - would you like to see more humour brought in?

We get what we call the ‘sitcom scripts’. We do tend to get quite a lot of writing for us where people can chuckle at it. But, I’m sure we sometimes play it that way and it's not supposed to be humorous!

We’ve had quite a bit of humour, so I think we’re due some weighty dramatic scenes in the next year. There hasn’t been much drama since Jane being shot, except for her throwing Ian out at Christmas!

What’s all this about a 'Teenie Weenie' contest?

It’s a talent contest for young kids and there’s quite a large cash prize, which of course Ian finds quite tantalising. Him and quite a few others like Bianca and Janine are in it for the prize. Jane doesn’t really like the idea of it to begin with and she’s got a bee in her bonnet about kids and pageants.

However, she ends up being asked to be a judge on the show. Obviously, Ian wants to enter Bobby and win that money any way he can. It causes a bit of conflict between him and Jane, as always, but Ian’s very focussed on the cash situation. Obviously, we’ve just rebuilt the café and we owe the Masala Queen quite a bit of money.

Do you have any input on where to take your character or on future storylines?

Jo Joyner and I have been asking for years for a Thelma and Louise style weekend where we go off somewhere fabulous in a car! But, I don’t think that’s going to happen.

I think that whatever is written for Jane I just try and make it work. If there is something where I think; ‘there's no way’ that she’d go in a certain direction, then I’d probably say something. But as it is, the writers are great with Jane and Ian. My job is to act it and their job is to write it. That creative process is all there’s and not mine.

What’s been your favourite ‘Jane’ storyline to date?

I’ve had so many! One of my favourites is when Jane’s former husband had Huntington’s Disease when Jane first arrived. It was great to highlight that terminal illness. It hadn’t been done on television before I don’t think, and the researchers did a fantastic job, and the writing team wrote it brilliantly. I also loved it when Ian was kidnapped and Steven came back. I really enjoyed a lot of that. It was great to do. But, I’m sure my favourite is yet to come!

What about your favourite ‘Jane Moment’?

There are too numerous to mention. My favourite scene ever was one that was put in a long time ago. It was just dropped in, as the episode was under in time. Sarah Phelps wrote it and it was just Jane, Ian and Garry in the café. Garry was reading a newspaper about a couple that had been married in a shark cage under water. It was a scene about nothing, but it was just really good banter and just people chatting. We had to learn it really quickly. It was really good.

Jane once had a fling with Grant Mitchell, do you think she could ever have an affair again? If so, who?

It’s very possible with the way that Ian acts most of the time. I do think she learnt a lot from the Grant affair. It was a hell of a sexual thing, but there is a difference between lust and love. She certainly loves Ian, if she didn’t love Ian then she would not have gone through all these years with him. It would have to be something pretty special, or Ian to be extremely lackadaisical with her.

I would hope that she wouldn’t, but you don’t know. She’s got a really good friendship with Masood, but whether that would go anywhere, who knows.

Does she fancy Masood?

I think there’s an attraction there. They have a chemistry, but it’s not like fireworks - it’s not like Titanic or anything. They’ve got a really good friendship and a really good understanding. All the elements are there for an affair to occur, but he’s in love with Zainab and Jane’s in love with Ian. It’s a lovely little friendship and I think they should be meeting in a year’s time chatting about their families. I don’t see why it should have to go down the affair route.

Jane and Tanya have such a great friendship. Will there be much opportunity for them to let their hair down in the future?

I certainly hope so. Jane and Tanya’s relationship is one of those friendships that will last forever. They will grow old together and be bitching like Dot and Pauline in the Vic in 10 or 20 years time. We are still pushing for that Thelma and Louise weekend, so you never know what could happen!