Monday 3 November 2008

Interview With Su Pollard

Wacky, comical, eccentric; but daft is one thing Su Pollard certainly isn't.

Su Pollard exudes an infectious energy that keeps her constantly in motion; in fact, she finds it extremely hard to keep still. Her hands gesticulate as she talks, seemingly conducting the chinking coming from the plethora of faux diamond necklaces, cascading down her chest.

It's a warm day, she's wearing shorts and a plain white t-shirt, marguerite rimmed glasses and dangling diamond clusters from her ears. Strangely it's only her odd socks that look out of place as she puts the kettle on in her North London home.

"I've always liked things like this," she says whilst tugging at her necklace. "And I mean this is just to wear round the house!"

"When I went to the interview for Peggy, I met Jimmy Perry at his house in Westminster. He opened the door and said; ‘No thank you.’”

“I thought I looked fabulous but I must have looked a right sight covered in patchouli oil, scarves tied round my wrists - because I liked all that at the time, and a bowler hat with a feather in it. That's quite imaginative I suppose. I just have an eye for the bizarre; even if it doesn't look fabulous, I don't care."

Su is inevitably remembered as dithery chalet maid "Peggy" from the 1980s sit-com Hi De Hi, but the show which ran for 58 episodes represents just a fraction of her thirty year career. Since the show ended in 1988 she has recorded two albums, written a book, made a video, toured with her one-woman show and starred in countless theatre productions up and down the country.

"I'm definitely a perfectionist. I always think if you can get 100% that's fabulous, but you must try for 110%. I do like to prepare though, preparation is everything," she says, waving her hand towards an extensively tagged script.

For the past month Su has been in Lincoln starring as the wicked queen in the pantomime Snow White, and earlier in the year played ‘Miss Hannigan’ in Annie, and Ruth in The Pirates Of Penzance.

She prefers the theatre to television because there is more artistic freedom, and as a work in progress, the stage offers the chance to improve on previous performances. There has been talk of her returning to our television screens, but Su has turned down numerous sit-coms because the scripts aren't up to scratch.

"I just like to do what I feel is a good vehicle, it doesn't necessarily have to be a star vehicle but it's got to be good work. I don't like doing rubbish. I still get offered things I did thirty years ago and I think; I've been there, done that, what satisfaction am I going to get?"

Now 53 but looking much younger, Su takes care of herself by skipping and taking vitamins, although this doesn't account for her boundless energy.

"I've been dead lucky. I've always had a zest for life simply because I've always lived for the now. It's no good getting excited about something that's happening in November if it's only August. I've got to enjoy every single day I have because they don't come again."

Su is equally unequivocal when it comes to her work-life balance.

"Work hard, play hard in equal measures and be responsible for yourself. If you feel you've done everything that you could for yourself in your own life, you're doing a good job.”

“But you do have to establish some sort of route or growth with yourself, otherwise you just dither. If you don't stretch yourself you don't know how you will tackle things and you won't know your own strength or what you're capable of."

When asked about whether she has ever regretted her decision not to have children, she laughs.

"Absolutely not; would drive me nuts!”

“I know people say you can have it all if you plan, but being a mother is a full-time job. You've got to give that child all the support and security, and let's face it, if you have a funny childhood, you're stuffed up. So many people are dysfunctional.”

“I didn't want that sort of responsibility, I wanted a career. I don't think it’s being selfish, I'm just trying to realise my potential with the talent I've been given. More and more people get divorced and then what happens to the kids? It’s too hard and I think, no thanks. I would baby-sit anytime because I enjoy that, but that's all the involvement I want."

It won’t come as surprise to hear that Su's life has been full of capers. Her stage debut in a school nativity play saw her fall through the box she was standing on, as she announced the arrival of Angel Gabriel. She came second to a singing Jack Russell in her first television appearance on Opportunity Knocks, and her ex-husband, Peter Keogh proposed to her whilst she was dressed as an insect, filming an episode of Hi De Hi.

"When he asked me to marry him I said, "Don't be so ridiculous!" Then I had to go straight on, dressed as a centipede, banging a pair of bongos. I came back and said, "What did you say?" It was weird, but it was great. Bless, I thought, that's a funny proposal.”

"I'm glad I got married. It's one of those things isn't it, sometimes they last, sometimes they don't."

When it comes to men, Su says she hasn't had much luck.

"I'm hopeless, hopeless, hopeless at choosing blokes. I always have been. Suddenly I think to myself, what am I doing with him, this is ridiculous. So I've decided to give myself a break and maybe I'll suddenly meet somebody marvelous."

"I don't seem to have met anybody whom I feel is equal enough, in terms of liking the same things. It's very difficult to meet somebody unless they're an actor and I've never gone out with actors because their egos are right out here. But at the moment it's nice not to have any involvement that takes me away from my focus, especially when I'm touring."

"I've been very unfortunate with the chaps I've met. Sadly, two of them have kissed and told which I can't bear. I just hate that, so I think I've got to be really careful, but you'll be the first to know if I get ensconced in a romance. I might stick it on my website and say hey, guess what guys! Mind you, I might just keep him under wraps."

You can read more about Su on her website www.supollard.co.uk

Rachael Hannan: Interview 2003

Published in Viva magazine and 50connect.co.uk

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