By Pam Francis

PUBLISHED: 15:28 EST, 16 August 2013 | UPDATED: 15:28 EST, 16 August 2013

The day that changed my life completely was when I was working as a secretary for British Rail at Euston station. I was about 23, and supporting my then husband Alan, who was on a graphic design course. A woman walked into my office and asked if I could help her out.

The Euston Players – the British Rail am-dram group – were entering a drama competition at the Lesser Trade Hall in Manchester, and would I play the maid. I said, ‘Don’t be daft. Me? On stage? No way.’

It was only one line, she said. I can still remember it: ‘It’s a real dirty old night. Evans the post says the mist is right down to the path, quite thick it was.’ I’d never done anything like it before, except for a couple of school plays, but they were desperate, so I agreed. 

I’d worked out that if I was a maid I’d probably be cleaning the grate, so I was brushing down my imaginary apron when the director said, ‘What are you doing?’ I said, ‘I’m just about to clear out the grate.’ And she said, ‘Just stand still dear.’ So I was terrible, obviously. We didn’t win.

But what I loved was that you had someone making the costumes, fixing the lights, drawing a poster, and there were all these different skills coming into play to make this one thing work. So I decided to join.

I ended up playing the lead in a couple of plays at the Rudolf Steiner Theatre near Regent’s Park, and the more I did it, the more I loved it. When the Young Vic Theatre press office needed a volunteer to type thousands of envelopes, I offered my services.

I found I could sneak out and watch The Taming Of The Shrew with Jim Dale, Jane Lapotaire and Nicky Henson from the balcony. How could I possibly know that just six years later I’d be performing there as Cassandra in Troilus and Cressida?

When Alan got a job with an advertising agency, we moved to Chichester, where I joined the Chichester Players. The artistic director, Norman Siviter, insisted I take up acting professionally, which got me thinking.

The nearest drama school was the Guildford School of Acting so, in 1972, I applied and was accepted. It still all seemed a bit far-fetched to me, but Alan was very supportive, and we moved nearer to Guildford so I could go to drama school.

Sadly, during that time my marriage broke up. Alan had befriended a beautiful neighbour called Tricia, who announced one night in the pub that she was in love with my husband. I didn’t immediately take her comment seriously.

But I asked her over and said, ‘If I wasn’t around would you and Alan be together?’ and she said, ‘Yes.’ I was devastated, but my brother Bill and his wife Fran lived in Guildford and took me in, so I was able to carry on with my plans. And Alan gave me all the proceeds of the house to see me through drama school.

The Guildford School of Acting (now GSA Conservatoire) was the making of me. One of my tutors, Ian Ricketts, who’s still there, is a wonderful man who inspires everyone.

He gave me the confidence to feel worthwhile. I never dreamed I’d be in a film or on TV, but I often think back to that day at Euston – if I hadn’t done that good turn I might not be doing this today.

Brenda Blethyn returns as Vera on ITV1 from 25 August.