FUNNY GIRL: Sally Phillips

Sally Phillips is one of the guest stars in tonight’s all-new episode of Midsomer Murders (8pm, ITV). Here’s how she got to where she is now…

Around the world in 13 years… Sally was born in Hong Kong in 1970; her father was an executive with British Airways, so the family lived in various countries – among them Zambia, Australia and Italy – before settling in England when Sally was 13. University of laughs While reading languages at New College, Oxford, Sally began writing and performing for the Oxford Revue with fellow students Al Murray and Stewart Lee. Big break She played receptionist Sophie in I’m Alan Partridge (1997), and was one of the three stars of the Emmy-winning Channel 4 sketch show Smack The Pony (1999-2003), with Fiona Allen and Doon Mackichan.

Perfect best friend material Since 2004, Sally has taken the lead role in 11 series of ongoing Radio 4 comedy

Clare In The Community, but she is probably best known for playing sidekicks – Shazza in Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) and its two sequels, and Tilly in the sitcom Miranda. She’s currently filming

You, Me And Him, with David Tennant, and will soon be seen on GOLD in the TV sitcom Henry IX playing Queen Katerina.

Behind the scenes Now 46, Sally lives in west London and has been married to Andrew Bermejo since 2003; they have three sons – Olly (the focus of her recent BBC documentary about Down’s syndrome), 12, Luke, nine and Tom, four.