I’ve never met actor Hugh Laurie, but I’m a fan of his work. I heard him talking once in an interview about his battle with clinical depression and I could relate to a lot of what he said as a sufferer myself.

Clinical depression is a debilitating condition which is often completely misunderstood. It’s not about feeling fed up and it’s not cured by going on a shopping trip to buy a new wardrobe.

I used to say that I wish everybody in the world could experience it for 30 seconds so they could understand how agonising it feels.

The blackness is overwhelming and it doesn’t care how much money you have or how nice your house is.

It can affect anyone at any time and can often lead to suicide, as that sometimes feels the only way out.

Many years ago I had an episode that was so bad, the depression was so thick, I couldn’t even move my hands and my face locked almost as though I had Bell’s palsy.

It’s such an awful condition and no-one can see it, so many people suffer in silence as they feel that people may think they are being indulgent.

I’m lucky that 25 years on my episodes are much less frequent and, with time and the right medication, I’m able to deal with them more efficiently when the blackness descends.

I was therefore stunned this week to see some journalists taking what Hugh Laurie has said out of context.

He said that he spent a long time during the filming of the hugely successful TV series House feeling desperately tired and alone.

He wished that he could escape the toil of endless 18-hour filming days. He even admitted to wanting to crash his car so he could be taken into hospital and be looked after for just a few days.

Mr Laurie (who appeared at the weekend in ITV’s Perspectives) is without doubt an intelligent man who knows how powerful his words can be. I’m sure he knows that bemoaning the lot of a successful actor and £250,000 an episode will cause upset and anger a lot of people. But he has an illness!

I for one know that if I had a choice between a life free from mental illness or millions of pounds in the bank it would be a no-brainer.

We can all relate to being tired or p****d off – even those with perfect lives – it’s human nature, but not everyone can relate to living with clinical depression. Winston Churchill referred to his illness as the “black dog”.

At the risk of offending animal lovers, I wish mine would run away and never come back.

You’ve got to love Dame Helen Mirren

I love Helen Mirren. I love everything about her.

I love the fact that although she has never been conventionally beautiful at 68 she is knocking spots off everyone each time she sashays down the red carpet.

Actresses decades younger are eclipsed by her sense of style and in awe of her talent which sees her win a clutch of awards seemingly at every ceremony she attends.

Not satisfied with her film success she decided this year to take to the stage even though she was beset with nerves. I can testify the older you get the more nervous you get!

She opened in The Audience, again playing the Queen, in London’s West End and again became the darling of the critics.

However, she is acutely aware that tickets for seeing Dame Helen on stage cost a fortune.

That’s why I love the story that she took to the streets during the interval to berate a parade of drummers advertising a festival.

Apparently the first half of the play was ruined by the non-stop banging.

Imagine the conductor’s surprise/horror as Queen Elizabeth turned up delivering a stream of expletives that Gordon Ramsay would have been proud of.

She then returned to the stage informing the audience that Ringo and his pals have moved on and naturally received a longer and louder standing ovation than she normally receives. I want to be Helen Mirren when I grow up.

David Essex is still stealing hearts

I have just finished Loose Women with the one and only David Essex.

I sat next to him and chatted about his forthcoming tour, Nights On Broadway, and what a lovely feller he is.

Although he is still gorgeous at 65, it’s hard to believe that years ago the thought of being in the same room as him would have possibly brought on a heart attack or at least I would have needed some smelling salts.

When I watched him in That’ll Be The Day I was convinced I would marry him... when his divorce came through. I’m ashamed to say I married my first husband because I met him when he was playing the lead in Godspell and sounded and looked like Mr Essex.

However, there’s no question David is just too late! I’m happily engaged to my gorgeous Lincoln. For me the only way was Essex.

Brave Bernie’s battle with cancer is an inspiration

It breaks my heart that Bernie Nolan is in the final stages of her brave battle against cancer.

I have known Bernie for several years and she is one of the loveliest people in the business.

She is spending whatever time she has left with her devoted husband Steve and her daughter Erin.

She is fighting this battle without an ounce of self-pity and she is an inspiration to us all.

Keep fighting Bernie!