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TV TIMES, 25 February 1995

My Weekend:  Wendy Richard

After a week filming EastEnders, Wendy just wants to relax, sleep -- and play the odd game of crib

After work on Friday night I have a quick drink in my local in Marble Arch with friends I've known for years.  Generally it's a bottle of bubbly shared around before I head home about 9.30 pm.

After a tiring week, it's nice to shut the front door and relax.  I listen to the radio or catch up on things I've missed on the box but managed to video.  I hardly ever go out late at weekends, but I'll often pop out to eat.

I lead a boring life really, often in bed by 9.30 pm -- but not before taking my dog Shirley, a cairn terrier, for a walk.  Then I'll have a cuppa and read until I nod off.

On Saturdays I listen to Sounds of the Sixties while doing the housework, then it's a quick food raid on M&S and Selfridges.  I support the street markets, too.  I love the one in Church Street near Edgeware Road -- I'm seen there so often now that no one takes any notice.

Sometimes I take a break from shopping and have lunch with a friend -- that tends to make up for not going out late at night.  Hardly any of my mates are in show business.  The last thing I want to talk about when I leave the studio is work.

Learning my lines takes up some of Saturday -- but not much!  I do half an hour and then go off and do something else and get back to them later.

After church on Sunday morning I always listen to The Archers while baking.  Everyone knows not to call me between 10 and 11.15 am.

Later I meet my friend Charlie at a pub for a game of crib.  When she leaves around 1.45 pm, I might stay on and have another drink.  The rest of the afternoon is fairly relaxed -- I could read, take a nap, flop in front of the TV or treat Shirley to a long stroll in Regent's Park before a late lunch.

Lastly, I take a final look at my scripts for Monday.  Lights are out by 9 pm if I'm on the set at 6.30 the next morning.

My TV Heaven

I love Columbo -- it's great how he gets all the baddies to admit their crimes.  The Generation game would come next because Bruce Forsyth is so good at handling people.  For more laughs I'd go for Open All Hours, which is Ronnie Barker at his best.  Then it would be Morecambe and Wise -- they're the funniest men ever.  If I'm in for a night of laughs, I might as well end up with Dad's Army and Steptoe and Son.  They're both timeless and I could watch them over and over.

Wendy Richard / unknown