How I stay IN SHAPE: Jane Leeves

She was once the saucy sidekick to comedy king Benny Hill but went on to become a star in her own right, playing Daphne Moon, the kooky but warm-hearted girl from Manchester who takes care of Dr Frasier Crane in Frasier.

Actually, 37-year-old Jane was brought up in East Grinstead – that Mancunian accent is for American consumption – and she’s now set up her own production company, Bristol Cities.

Framework: She’s bigger than she looks on television – 5ft 10in and size 6. ‘People think I’m shorter and broader and are quite surprised when they meet me,’ she says.

The part of her body she doesn’t like is her feet – they’re big. And because of that, she says, she wound up with the wimps at school.

‘Our all-girl school held dances with the local boys’ school. To match up partners, the girls took their shoes off and left them on the dance floor. The boys rushed to pick up the pair of shoes they liked – and then danced all night with the owner.

‘I had big boats for feet, so nobody ever went for my shoes except the little guy who couldn’t make it to the front of the pile.’

Exercise: Because she was originally a dancer, she is reasonably muscular, but she says she does try to do something active four or five times a week.

‘I try to vary my activities so I don’t get bored. It can be anything from weight training, swimming, walking, cycling, aerobatics, treadmills – anything.’

Diet: ‘I don’t need to diet to keep slim, because I had my thyroid gland removed a few years ago and I now take medicine to regulate my metabolism. In fact, I have to be sure to eat enough so that my weight stays constant.

‘My favourite meal is traditional English shepherd’s pie. I can’t get enough of it and I’ve introduced many of my American friends to it now. I also drink at least eight glasses of water every day to keep my skin smooth.’

Love-life: After years of searching for Mr Right, Jane finally found love with Marshall Coben, a programming director with Frasier producers Paramount Television. They married in 1996 after Jane spent nearly five years without a steady beau. They met at the 1995 Frasier Christmas party and it was, says Jane, love at first sight.