Julie Walters has been described as the nation’s most popular actress and comedienne. She has been delighting us on screen and on stage for over 25 years and we have taken her to our hearts. Now she tells us her own story, in her own words.

Born in fifties Birmingham, daughter of an Irish Catholic mother, Julie was sent to a convent school. She always wanted to be an actress but first went into nursing to appease her mother before leaving to join the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool. West End success followed, and she quickly replicated her success on film, earning an Academy Award nomination for her role in Educating Rita.

Julie’s collaborations with Victoria Wood have given us the unforgettable Mrs Overall in ‘Acorn Antiques’ and Petula in ‘Dinnerladies’, and she’s found a new generation of fans playing Mrs Weasley in the Harry Potter films and starring in the record-break hit film ‘Mamma Mia!’.