Hello I'm Kirsty Young and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Discs archive.

For rights reasons, we've had to shorten the music.

The program was originally broadcast in 1988 and the presenter was Sue Lawley. My cast away this week is an East Ender, not simply by birth but also by repute. Aest

way this week is an Eastender, not simply by birth, but also by repute. Had fame not come her way,

she might have been spending her days pulling pints in a cockney pub.

As it is, she's made her name as the brassy but tender land lady of the

Queen Vic in Albert Square. She is of course Anita Dobson.

Aneas, do you sometimes think that you might have been quite happy pulling those pints in blissful anonymity?

There may have been a moment in my youth where I thought I could have been, but I know most definitely now that no I couldn't have been happy.

I did work in a pub in the East End for a short period when I was at drama school in between terms,

and I loved it. It was fun, but I couldn't have spent the rest of my life just doing that. You like being famous? I like being an actress and I'm very proud that I've been

recognized because of my ability however small. I never wanted

to be famous. I wanted to become well known for being an actress which was slightly different

because being famous you can just be famous for no reason at all.

The spotlight of stardom can be a bit fierce sometimes

can't it?

Yes it feels a bit as if you've walked into a room where there's lots of light and then suddenly all the

arc lamps are turned on you and it becomes very brilliant and everybody's sort of watching

you and it is a bit of a shock until you get used to it.

Well we're going to cast you well out of it

onto a beautiful peaceful island with only yourself for company.

Can you bear there?

...