Ugly Betty star: Britain a more brutal place

Jensen warns against closing youth centres

ASHLEY Jensen, the Scottish star of Ugly Betty and Extras, says Britain has become a more harsh and brutal country and has warned of the danger to society of cutting vital community services such as youth centres.

The actress, who was in Glasgow yesterday to talk about her new film All Stars, which tackles the cost of austerity in Britain, has just returned to live in Britain after six years in Los Angeles. She said she was struck by how much the country had changed in her absence.

“It’s a tough time in Britain,” she said. “I haven’t been here long so I’m still finding my feet, but it feels like a different place. It’s more of a struggle. It’s a harsher place, more brutal and cut-throat.”

Jensen said she was particularly worried about government cuts to services for young people and said she had similar views to her character in her new film, a social worker called Gina who fights against the closure of a youth club.

“I worry about youth clubs being cut,” said Jensen. “What kind of country are we leaving to the next generation? Youth centres are desperately needed but everything is about cuts.

“[Youth centres] can nip a problem in the bud before the problem happens. If young people are about to go down one path, you can direct them somewhere else and give them hope, and self-worth.”