I despise shows that present friendship where you're always there for each other and really strong because I don't know anyone like that. I mean, I've got great friends, but I can go months without seeing them because I think, 'I just can't deal with having to give you anything.'

The thing is, I love a celebrity interview. Doesn’t matter how big or how small. It could be Hillary Clinton or the guy who made it to the third round of ‘Popstars,’ I’ll read it.

I’ll cry anywhere because I can do it quite subtly. Walking, that’s a good time to have a cry.

Hackney gets a bit of a bad rap, but it’s the only place I’ve ever lived that felt like a community. I know my neighbours.

I’ve never for a second felt like my job has been more of a struggle because I’m a woman.

I think the best comedy is tragicomic. Yeah, I suppose if you were to look at everything I’ve done, there is a bit of a black streak through all of it. It’s not deliberate: it’s what makes me laugh, and there’s a fine tradition of it, especially in Ireland.

I’m the person who will go to a wedding and switch the place cards around because I don’t want to sit next to someone I don’t know, because I’m so bad at chatting to strangers.

You’ve only got a short shelf-life as an actor, and I want to make the most of it while I can.

I started writing sketches with Dennis Kelly, who I ended up writing ‘Pulling’ with. We entered a BBC competition and did quite well, then started writing bits for other people’s shows. You wheedle your way in, write pilots and eventually you end up writing a sitcom.

I’m a massive scaredy cat. I’m scared of being in a fast car, I’m scared of being on a rollercoaster, I would never go skiing, I would never do anything that had the possibility of endangering my life in any way. I should get some therapy, really.