Helena Bonham Carter said she no longer needs to pay for therapy sessions because she has discovered the power of housework.

The actress, recently nominated for a Golden Globe for her role as the Queen Mother in The King’s Speech, also said acting allowed her to “dream every day, scream, and get lots of tensions out”.

She told the Radio Times: “I’ve discovered the therapy of cleaning. I used to be retarded domestically, but now I understand that if you put your house in order it gets your head in order as well.”

The star, who does not like watching herself in films, admitted she had managed to sit through her latest movie.

She said: “I don’t normally watch myself, but I’m only a supporting actor in this, so it wasn’t that painful.”