SIXTY SECONDS
THE FORMER ‘ALLO ‘ALLO! STAR, 69, ON POLITICAL CORRECTNESS, DANCING ON ICE AND WHY SHE’S BACKING WETNOSE DAY
Thursday, September 17, 2020
What is Wetnose Day?
It’s a bit like Red Nose Day but for animals. We’re trying to get everyone across the county to buy a black nose, wear it and then pose for a picture with their pet. It’s to raise money for Wetnose Animal Aid, which raises funds for the smaller animal rescue centres across the country. They help pay vets’ bills and buy animal feed and equipment. For example, a blind, pregnant horse had been left wandering along the road. A sanctuary took it in and Wetnose helped pay for the vet’s bills. It’s a great charity. I’ve been involved for 20 years.
Are you an animal lover yourself?
We always had cats and then we got a Maltese dog. He was just like a baby. We had him for 12 years. We lost him a couple of years ago and I haven’t been able to get another one yet. It’s such a wrench when you lose an animal and I didn’t get over him very well – he just made the whole house happy.
Has lockdown made it harder for animal rescue centres?
A lot of them would have charity shops or they’d arrange fundraising functions but that all stopped. All the bills are still coming in and these places are really struggling. Also, during lockdown, people bought animals – cats, dogs, rabbits, chickens and horses. They thought it would be nice to get a pet for the kids. Now people are going back to work they can’t look after these animals, so the rescue centres are overwhelmed.
What are your thoughts on people who ill-treat animals?
I think there should be bigger sentences for animal abuse. Trophy hunting is horrendous and should be banned. I say we should have trips going out to hunt the hunter!
You’ve been spotted coming out of the auditions for the next series of Dancing On Ice...
It’s scary! I don’t know what’s happening with it but if I end up doing it, I’ll need a lot of coaching; I just went round and round, that was it! I skated when I was a child but not very well.
At 69 you’d be one of the oldest contestants...
No, because I’m only 35 in my head. When I was young I thought 70 was so old, but I don’t do old. I’ll never retire. If you think ‘old’ you become old, but if you think of your perfect age you stay young. I’m an eternal optimist as well, so I don’t do ‘down’. From every negative I’ve learnt something.
Trophy hunting is horrendous and should be banned... we should hunt the hunters!
You’re best remembered for your ten years on ‘Allo ‘Allo! Why was it so popular?
It was a family show with laugh-outloud comedy. I’m watching it now because it’s on the Drama channel every night and on Yesterday every Sunday. My husband goes, ‘This is so funny!’ And it is. I take myself out of it and watch it as a whole. I think, ‘There’s that girl, it’s not me’.
It’s not politically correctrect by today’s standards is it? t?
The writers once described how they wrote. They said,
‘The French are randy, the Germans are kinky and the British are stupid.’ You couldn’t take aversion to it, because they sent everyone up. I watch it and I go, ‘Oh! You wouldn’t get away with that one now!’ They hey probably wouldn’t do the sexy exy waitresses; it was titillating.
But it’s funny. I think political correctness has gone bonkers – let’s have a sense of humour.
Mum’s the word:
Your character Yvette was very sexy. Do you still get lusted after by men of a certain age?
I’m not sure they lust after me but quite a few men on Twitter say, ‘Oh you look lovely Vicki’. And I still get flattered by young ones as well, which is nice!
Why did you take part in I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here?
I enjoy a challenge. I didn’t think I was competitive but I’ve realised I am. When you’re in the jungle you think you’ve got to do the challenges and win food. I was braver than I thought. When we first got in we walked for hours. I remember Carl Fogarty and Jimmy Bullard saying, ‘Look at Vicki, she’s not even tired.’ I’ve got quite good stamina.
How do you stay in shape?
I live near Epping Forest. I like walking in the forest, I swim and do yoga. I also enjoy healthy food and don’t like cakes.
You wwere in Emmerdale. Surely Su EastEnders would be a natural soap for you?
It would and I’ve just never done it. Everyone that comes up to me says, ‘Why haven’t you been in E EastEnders?’ I would have th thought I’d be perfect for it – Quee Queen Vick for the Queen Vic!
You worked with Danny Dyer before, didn’t you?
Danny’s great but I had to tell him off for his swearing! It’s effing this and effing that. He played my son in the film All In The Game, so I said, ‘Don’t swear in front of your mother!’ He went, ‘Sorry, Mum!’
Buy your noses for £5 from wetnose animalaid.com and #posewithanose for Wetnose Day tomorrow