11:28am Tuesday 3rd June 2003
By Will Scott
Liza Goddard, who stars in psychological thriller, The Edge of Darkness, at the Orchard, has stunned the leisure desk with revelations of her extra curricula activities. WILL SCOTT reports.
When leisure caught up with the former Bergerac star in sunny Sheffield, we discussed not only the play, but the devastating effect breast cancer had on her life, old friend John Nettles, Oscar Wilde, the disgraceful state of British television, and ahem, all we need to know about dog sex!
Once married to 70s' glam rock star Alvin Stardust, Goddard denied her former husband ever sang My Coo Ca Choo to her but did reveal she is studying a K9 psychology course when not acting.
"It is absolutely fascinating and there is nothing I don't know about dog sex at the moment," laughed the 50-year-old actress.
So what does the animal lover know that we don't about doing it doggy style?
"They only do it when the girls want to so no difference at all really," she laughed.
Goddard is best known for her daring role as jewel thief Phillipa Vale, in Bergerac, something she says was brilliantly written and a joy to do.
She said: "To be in Jersey with John Nettles, what more could a girl want?"
Goddard was quick to squash any dormant suspicions regarding a past dalliance with her
co-star, something she holds the press responsible for.
"It was all hyped by the press but I adored him and loved working with him we got on incredibly well. I wish I could say more but that is all there was to it," she said.
In contrast to the wonderfully-written shows she has appeared in, in the past, the bubbly blonde says the quality of TV at the moment is a disgrace.
She said: "There's nothing worth watching on TV at the moment if you ask me.
"There's the odd thing like The State of Play with John Simm, David Morrissey and Bill Nighy, but that is like a shining light in a sea full of dross."
Three years ago Goddard was diagnosed with breast cancer, a type of non-invasive tumour called, ductal carcinoma in situ, which resulted in a mastectomy something she is quite philosophical about.
She said: "I had a breast removed and then a reconstruction which was a major operation.
"It was a very major life event, as they say, which took six months to recover from, but you just have to move on."
Following the trauma of a
life-threatening ordeal the talented actress threw herself into her work and landed roles in plays by her favourite writers.
She said: "I did An Ideal Husband, by Oscar Wilde, after my convalescence and then most of last year I did Single Spies, by Alan Bennett, with Robert Powell, and a comedy with Dawn French for the BBC.
"Oscar Wilde and Alan Bennett write the best parts for women.
"Some people are frightened of Wilde's epigrams and cut them out saying we don't need this line here, which is a shame because his epigram's are an extraordinary way of telling you all about the character."
The mum-of-two is now excited about performing in Brian Clemens' good old-fashioned Victorian gothic thriller.
She said: "It has all the attributes of a good thriller, keeping people on their feet and guessing right until the end when all is revealed in true Agatha Christie style.
The Bill's Tony Scannell and Coronation Street's Clare McGlinn also appear in the edge-of-the-seat thriller, but who did it?
"I'm not going to tell you what happens. The audience have all the clues and have to work them all out," she laughed.
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