Helen Lederer admits the worst thing about being a mum is the worry.
Helen Lederer
The 65-year-old comedian - who has 29-year-old daughter Hannah with first husband Roger Alton - has learned to accept her constant agonising over her daughter as she gets older as she has learned it's important to let children be "who they are".
She exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "The worst thing is the worry, but I've had to just accept that you can't control people in what they do and allow the person to be who they are.
"I worried a lot when she went to university. I worried the most about her then, and then she travelled and I thought, 'Oh my god, she's in Thailand' but you have to go, 'I can't do anything and we're still here'. But the worry is part of it - you just have to accept that you'll worry."
The 'Absolutely Fabulous' star welcomed Hannah during her brief marriage to 72-year-old journalist Roger, but despite not being able to offer her a "nuclear family", Helen was determined to give her daughter a happy life.
She explained: "I knew I wanted a child. There comes a point in your life when you want a child - some people don't but I knew I really wanted to have a child.
"I had a short marriage but it was right for us both to have Hannah, so that part of it was great. I was very lucky that happened.
"I can't imagine not having Hannah, but we got divorced and didn't have that kind of life other people have. But you just kind of suck it up and get on with it. It doesn't take away that you're both parents just because you're no longer a nuclear family."
Now, she and Hannah have a "unique connection" where they can be completely themselves around one enough and can be "as good or as bad as you want".
Helen added: "The best thing about being a mum is that you've got this connection - this unique connection. That's wonderful to have something in your life that no one else has. In your own family that's the one place where you don't have to be impressed by each other. You can be bad, you can be anything because it's family.
"My mum used to say she was putting her face on and it was her lipstick, which was her face for the world, but when you're with family only then can you be a good or as bad as you want to be."
Helen is patron of Bath Comedy Festival that will be taking place later this year, and the new festival dates be will be published at www.bathcomedy.com in the coming weeks.
She will also be appearing on BBC Radio Four on Tuesday (24.03.20) in 'A Good Read'.
Tagged in Helen Lederer