Michelle Collins not scared of growing older

Actress Michelle Collins has revealed she looks up to stars like Dame Helen Mirren and Julie Walters and said she is “not scared” of getting older.

The 48-year-old former EastEnders star said she had nothing against Botox but refused to say if she had ever used it.

She told Hello! magazine: “It’s a woman’s prerogative not to tell. But I have nothing against Botox. Why not have it if it makes you feel and look better?”

The star, who is about to be back on television screens in Casualty, admitted she used to knock a year off her real age but then accidentally added an extra year.

She said: “I must be the only actress who’s done that. How blonde is that?”

And she revealed the trick to keeping a career going is to constantly reinvent yourself.

She said: “I’m not scared of getting older. Dames Helen Mirren and Judi Dench, and Julie Walters are my role models. Julie is the only actress I now who can get away with doing an Asda commercial and then winning a BAFTA. Now that’s what I call a class act.”

It was announced last week that Ms Collins is to join the tour of Calendar Girls, replacing Bernie Nolan.