Gavin and Stacey legend Alison Steadman vows to keep acting
Gavin and Stacey icon Alison Steadman does not want to retire from acting because she wants to avoid being bored at home.
Alison Steadman will not retire.
The 79-year-old actress' illustrious career spans almost 60 years, and despite the star taking on fewer projects, she wants to keep working to dodge boredom at home.
Appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain on Wednesday (17.12.25), Alison told anchors Richard Madeley, 69, and 55 year old Susanna Reid: "I don't want to retire. I mean, I'm doing less.
"But the idea of just being at home, having a cup of coffee, it's fine, but I want to be busy. I love being with other actors, and we have a laugh together, and it's just good to get up in the morning and get out."
However, the Gavin and Stacey legend has retired from performing on stage because she fears forgetting her lines.
Richard asked Alison: "Given that you love acting, do you prefer live stage work because the thing about TV is we see the cut version. There's a lot of hanging about to deliver the line."
Alison - who won an Olivier Award for her performance as Mari Hoff in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice in 1993 - replied: "There's a lot, yes, but I am not doing stage anymore. I suddenly got really nervous about it. I think it's retaining all those lines.
"And it's quite stressful. I mean, there was a time in my career when it was my favourite thing to be on stage. I absolutely loved it for many, many years.
"But suddenly, it was about 15 years ago, I was doing a play, I was getting more and more anxious, and I thought, 'No.'"
Earlier this year, Alison temporarily had to use mobility aids, including a wheelchair, after she broke her metatarsal bones in her right foot.
But now, she can walk again after a lengthy recovery period.
The Here We Go star said: "I broke my metatarsal bones in my right foot. It's not very pleasant, and it takes a long time to heal.
"And so I was in a wheelchair, and then I was on crutches, and I was with a stick. But now I can walk again!"
