ME…. AND MY HOUSEKEEPING!

Actor Tracy-ann Oberman on becoming a domestic goddess, entertaining witty women and the joy of talking to her plants

Meet actor Tracy-ann Oberman

I get so much joy from lying on my kitchen sofa with a good book

Tracy-ann Oberman, 54, lives in London with her music producer husband, Rob Cowan, and their daughter, Anoushka, 14.

How would you describe your

home? It’s an old Victorian house with a Scandinavian vibe inside. A Danish friend taught me about hygge recently. It means warmth, envelopment and a feeling of contentment – and she said our house has that.

How tidy is it? My husband is obsessed with tidiness. If there’s anything that’s out of place, he has to do something about it. He’s the perfect companion for someone chaotic like me! What are your kitchen cupboard must-haves? Chestnuts and shallots – I roast all my vegetables with them. I like to have some anchovies and eggs in there, too. Would you rather cook for friends or eat out? Cook for friends. I’m not a natural homemaker – I only peeled the plastic protector off my oven the day I brought my daughter home from hospital – but lockdown finally released the domestic goddess in me.

What is your signature dish? I do a pretty good roast beef. I slow cook it with mustard powder on top, plus anchovies, onion, garlic and shallots. What do you always have in your fridge?

Lactose-free milk, oat milk and Square Mile’s Red Brick coffee. I limit myself to one double espresso a day. Who are your dream dinner party guests? I would love to have my idol, the writer and poet Dorothy Parker. She was the queen of wit and took no prisoners. And actress Bette Davis, too, another brilliantly sharp woman. What is your best time-saving tip? Marry somebody who’s tidy!

Are you a saver or a spender? A bit of both. Growing up, my dad would say, ‘Spend 99p and put a penny in the bank,’ and I’ve always kept that in mind. What is the best bargain you’ve ever

found? A Vivienne Westwood coat that I’ve had for 20 years. It’s a red fitted number with a big faux-fur collar and cuffs, and it was reduced from £900 to £150 in a Selfridges sale. What is your biggest extravagance?

Getting my hair cut and coloured; without it, I feel like I have no power. When I was in Eastenders, they sent

me to Daniel Galvin and I’ve been going there ever since… only I pay for it myself now! What did your parents teach you?

To stand up for what I believe in, to be moral and to work hard. They also made me feel like I could do anything that I wanted. What advice will you hand down?

Know who you are, along with all your strengths and weaknesses, and accept yourself. By doing that, no one can ever knock you down. Are you a hoarder or a chucker?

A hoarder – I find it hard to let go of anything. I think I’ve held on to just about everything from birth! What is your favourite household task? Watering my plants. I’ve filled the house with succulents, and I take great pleasure in talking to them as if they’re people. What a mood? always Seeing lifts my you dog’s out of face. He’s a miniature schnauzer called Scruffy and he’s the sweetest thing. What keeps you awake at night? What doesn’t keep me awake at night? The economy, the future of climate change, the effects of the pandemic… All of it! What is your favourite home comfort?

My green velvet sofa from Made.com, which sits in my kitchen. I get so much joy from lying on it with a good book while I’m waiting for things to cook. What simple things spark joy for you?

Getting out in nature and noticing the seasons change. I’ve always been such a workaholic that I’ve never really had time to stop and appreciate things like that – until last year.

What is your health motto? Balance is everything. Don’t eat in excess and don’t exercise in excess, either.

 Tracy-ann Oberman is starring in It’s A Sin, which airs on Channel 4 and is available to stream on All 4