Quotes from Anita Dobson

You don't get everything in life. You make decisions and have to live by them. If you make the right decisions, at the time you have no regrets.

Something devastating can happen to you, and it can have positive consequences. By the same token, something fantastic can happen, and it can bring a lot of trouble. That's life.

I refused to describe myself as an actress until 'EastEnders' because, until then, I couldn't support myself without doing other jobs.

I am very glad I did 'EastEnders,' and I'm flattered that people still remember me in it.

'Silver Street' was a very happy time for me.

I'm a great believer that you should always tell people they are wonderful, as we're all insecure at heart, especially in our industry.

I first got engaged when I was 19, but I just knew there was more of life out there for me. I called it off six weeks before the wedding. I felt terribly guilty because he was such a nice boy, and I was in love with him. But it was the wrong time.

I think when I started out, when I was very young, I wanted to be an actor and do the great epic tragedies.

To be playing Joan Crawford is as good as it gets.

Radio means you can play parts that aren't based on your looks or your age. It's a lot of fun. You can do tremendous things - play more diverse characters - that you wouldn't get to do in theatre or TV.

If I had to live on a desert island, and somebody gave me a chicken, there's no way I'd kill it - I'd call it Henry and make it my friend.

Usually, I'm asleep by midnight.

We learn by misfortune.

Going to drama school was the start of my journey of discovery and getting to know myself.

Even people who aren't pleasant to deal with - it's often because they're unhappy, and something's still not resolved for them.

Brian and I have ups and downs like every marriage does. Although he's a legend, he's still, inside, an ordinary man, and I have got to remember that once we get inside the door, it's just us two.

You can't stop getting older; you just have to keep going and laugh a lot.

I've been working in radio on and off for most of my career. There's a restfulness about it. It's more focused on the voice, so you don't have to worry about extraneous things like sound effects, as there's someone there to look after that.

I love to chit-chat and used to be the first to arrive at a party and the last to leave.

If you're a good actor, you should be able to do soap, comedy, Shakespeare, musicals, pantomime, and something like 'Frozen.' Of course, you will be better at some things, but who says you can't do them all? The intent should always be to stretch yourself and broaden your horizons.

I think you can do as much damage to yourself going to the gym and running as you do good. So my mission in life is just to keep myself 'good' - in good health, as fit as I can be, a little bit of stretching, and just think positive and enjoy life.

I got extremely fit and slim on 'Strictly,' but I did find that, each week, a different part of my body hurt. It really makes you realise the hard work dancers have to put in and how fit they have to be.

The reason I wanted to do 'Strictly' in the end is that you come out of it having learned something.

I've got a great life - my friends, my marriage, my career, my health - and I'm on 'Strictly,' and I'm learning to dance.