No matter how much Irn-Bru I drink from the specialist shop, LA will never feel like home

Karen has just recently moved from Los Angeles to New York, but she still misses home despite spending almost half her life away from the Highland capital.

“I’m constantly homesick. I love exploring new parts of the world but of course I miss home,” she admitted.

“I feel healthier when I’m there – I think it’s the clean air.

“No matter how much Irn-Bru I drink from the specialist shops over there, I’m still homesick. I’ve just tried the new recipe and it’s really good!

“I come home about twice a year, but really as much as possible. It’s really healthy for me to do that because everything is go go go and it’s a relief when I can come back here – it makes me feel calm and tranquil and back to normal almost, and that just is really good for me to do.

“I always come home for Christmas. My mother would kill me if I didn’t!”

Ironically, though, both her parents, Marie and Raymond, missed last night’s Glasgow premiere of her debut as director and writer as they were on holiday in the States.

“They’re actually in LA enjoying the sunshine, which is so funny, but they’ve already seen it anyway.”

But she has loved getting the chance to catch up with old pals.

“When I’m back it’s exactly the same, nothing has changed since I was 16 and I still do the same things,” said the former Doctor Who favourite.

“I’ll go round to my friends’ houses and some of them have kids now, which is the only difference.

“I realise then we’re adults now and get confused – when did this happen?”