Paula Wilcox, the 76-year-old actor best known for roles in Coronation Street, The Lovers, and Man About the House, has shared her candid thoughts on fame, aging, and life's pleasures in a recent interview. Born in Manchester, Wilcox moved to London at 17 to join the National Youth Theatre and later starred in Jack Rosenthal's 1970 sitcom The Lovers, which ran for two series and became a film. Her extensive career includes stage performances in Shirley Valentine, Great Expectations, and Canary, as well as recent TV work in Trying, The Cleaner, Avoidance, and Channel 5's new drama The Fortune.
Fame and Anonymity
When asked whether she would choose fame or anonymity, Wilcox firmly stated, 'Anonymity. The fame thing was such a shock when I was first in Coronation Street. I played Janice Langton – she was 17 and had run away from borstal – and the day after the first episode went out, I was at the shops and people started shouting my Coronation Street name, and I didn't know what to do.'
Fears and Pet Peeves
Wilcox revealed her greatest fear is 'being run over by a cyclist on a pavement or pedestrian crossing, because it's nearly happened too frequently.' She deplores impatience in herself and complaining about the weather in others, adding, 'There's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.' Describing herself in three words, she said: 'Impatient, funny, worrier.'
Superpowers and Guilty Pleasures
Her desired superpower is the ability to fly, recalling her role as Peter Pan: 'I flew in a harness, and that's a fantastic feeling.' Her guiltiest pleasure is Bovril, and when asked what love feels like, she simply replied, 'Wow.'
Aging and Mortality
What scares her about getting older is 'not to be able to do the things that you take for granted, like running up the tube steps or going somewhere under your own steam.' On death, she remarked, 'Who cares?'
Life Lessons and Regrets
The most important lesson life has taught her is to 'keep going.' When asked about the worst thing anyone has said to her, she joked, 'We've run out of champagne.' She would like to be remembered as 'good fun.'
Improving Quality of Life
To improve her quality of life, Wilcox would want 'a driver or a helicopter.' She keeps awake at night by worrying or, conversely, by excitement over a project: 'if I'm working on a really exciting project, I can be awake like an excited child looking forward to going on holiday.'
Sex, Money, or Fame?
When asked to choose between more sex, money, or fame, she responded, 'How sad to have to choose. Let's have it all.'
