As the Wham!-loving owner of the Edge of Heaven guesthouse, Judy has her work cut out as she tries to run the family household and be a shoulder to cry on when her son is jilted at the alter. And for the actress who plays Judy, Camille Coduri, it really is a role that she has relished getting her teeth into.

"She is the kind of character you want as your best friend", explains the bubbly actress. "You can do anything with her. She is protective, loyal and she fights battles for you. I love her. She is the matriarch of the family and Judy loves her children so much and she will do anything for them."

"Ann-Marie, being a soldier is able to stand on her own two feet, but Judy knows Alfie may stumble - especially in his love life when he is dumped at the alter which is a huge thing for a mother. She is wonderful and it's just been such a joy to do."

As the family's strong mother, Camille laughs as she admits her own motherly instincts even rubbed off when the cameras stopped filming. "The rest of the cast are like my second family," she admits. "I know that sounds corny but they totally are. I play the role in real life for them. I would absolutely fight for them and be loyal to them. It is weird to see how you do stick with your character."

The actress confesses she can relate to Judy a lot because she loves her own family so much. "As Camille, I am very maternal as a person," she reveals. "I love my children and I would die for my children. They give me such pleasure and they are a massive part of who I am. With Judy, the great thing is she is gobby and gets away with it! That is a fantastic licence for me."

As a working mum, Camille - who is also famous for her roles in Doctor Who and Him & Her - found juggling her role with family life at home perfect because her own children are now much older. "My daughter is nearly 21 and my son is nearly 18. They have their own lives to lead and this has all worked out brilliantly. To be honest, I am amazed I am still working. I have been working for nearly 30 years now and every role has been so diverse."

Reflecting on her role as Jackie Tyler in Doctor Who, she says she feels immensely proud to have been part of a show that has so much TV heritage. "Doctor Who was such a fantastic journey to go on. It was really special how it hit the public after so many years of absence. I loved it and I am pleased I was in it. I am also pleased I have had lots of different roles."

She thinks one of the great things about playing Judy in Edge Of Heaven is it is such a great part for a female actress - even if her character is older than she actually is. "Roles are harder to get," she admits. "I am a fat middle-aged 40 something. You have to know your place!

"There is stuff out there and this is one of the most colourful characters I have ever played. I am so grateful for that. But she is 50 and who, as a woman, wants to play someone older than you?! You totally want to play people who are younger! I do like her so much though.

"I am still hugely ambitious. I want to do really well. A huge part of my own life was spent watching television with my family and I have wanted to do what they did for me - to give enjoyment to others. I want to do well for my family too."

Unlike her character, Camille has been very happily married and she is just about to celebrate her 22nd wedding anniversary. "We were mates first and we just get on so well," she says of her husband. "He is in the business too and he is hugely supportive."

Camille admits she would love it if Edge Of Heaven turned into a big hit. "This might be my retirement. I think it will go down well and I am sure people will love it. There is a big gap in television for a show like this, times are hard and everyone is down. What we need is a nice family comedy drama like this..."