Helen Lederer admits that raiding her mini bar after filming Hollyoaks scenes means that she has "never been fatter".
Helen Lederer as Mariam
The comedienne joked about having to "give up her vanity" to reprise the role of midwife Mariam, as she sought solace in a gin and tonic and some popcorn at her hotel following the shooting of hard-hitting scenes on the Channel 4 soap.
When asked what she did to relax after filming emotional scenes, she exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "I've been staying in a hotel up there which is all very jolly for me but I probably would have had a mini bar gin and tonic and some popcorn, I have to say. I think I've never been fatter so I've given up my vanity for this.
"No make-up, you just go, 'Look, I look like an old bag, it's fine, just do it.' Because it's not about that anymore, it's about this character who has actually had a spell in psychiatric ward.
"My character had a lot of issues going on so she wasn't functioning 100 per cent."
The 60-year-old star was delighted to have been offered the chance to return to the show as Mariam - who accidentally swaps the baby tags of Diane O'Connor (Alex Fletcher) and Tegan Lomax's (Jessica Ellis) daughters - and admitted she thought it was "random" that executive producer Bryan Kirkwood wanted her on the programme.
She added: "I said, 'Are you sure? You want me for 'Hollyoaks'? It seems a bit random, but delightful.' He said he'd been a fan.
"If people say that then I'm there. I even turned up early."
As well as appearing in 'Hollyoaks', Helen has been very busy writing her new novel 'Losing It', which is published by PanMacmillan and available on www.helenlederer.com now.
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