AS an experienced actress Lesley Joseph is a household name but she said her age has not stopped work coming her way and is preparing to drop her clothes for a new run of Calendar Girls.

Joseph, best known of course, for playing Dorien Green in Birds of a Feather, is currently rehearsing with an impressive cast, for the show which opens in High Wycombe in April.

Also starring is Sue Holderness (Marlene from Only Fools and Horses), former Strictly Come Dancing star, Camilla Dallerup and Deena Payner, former star of Emmerdale, to name a few.

Joseph was asked to take on the role of Chris by producer David Pugh.

She said: “It is funny because things have changed a lot theatrically. I was in The Vagina Monologues and then Hot Flush.

“A lot of these plays deal with female issues and invited a different audience into the theatres.

“I think theatre has found a whole new audience which is fantastic.”

She said there was no problem taking her clothes off as “you really don't see anything.”

She said: “It is a flash and then it is gone behind teacups and buns. The funny thing is when you meet the rest of the cast for the curtain call and suddenly you are naked behind a sheet thinking this is barking mad.

“In a way it is ridiculous and in a way it is liberating.”

Older women in showbiz have been very much in the spotlight in the last year as former Countryfile presenter Miriam O'Reilly won her case against the BBC for age discrimination.

But Joseph said she has not found this to be a problem, especially when you think of actresses like Julie Walters. She said: “There might be fewer parts but it doesn't seem that way at the moment. I think there has been a renaissance for older women- I really do.”

Calendar Girls hit the spotlight in 2003 when the true story was made into a film. It follows a Women's Institute in Yorkshire which raises money for a local hospital by posing nude for a calendar which then becomes a media sensation.

The film starred Helen Mirren as Chris and Julie Walters as best friend Annie.

Joseph said: “It is a bit like Susan Boyle. It is such a simple idea- why did no-one do it before? It is a fantastic true story.”

Joseph starred in Birds of a Feather with Pauline Quirke, who lives near Beaconsfield, and Linda Robson and recorded more than 100 episodes over a period of nine years.

She said they are still very close and although Robson will be coming to see the show she is not sure if Quirke will be able to as she is filming Emmerdale in the Dales.

She said: “It is a very weird thing. When they did 'This Is Your Life' years ago they were the only people I cried over. We went through a very pivotal point of our lives together.”

She will have to give up her radio show on BBC London as the tour takes up her time but she said she enjoyed every minute of it.

She said: “I thought I can't turn down something like this for three hours on a radio show.”

And of course, who could forget Joseph as she starred on popular TV show, Celebrity Come Dine With Me, when she tried to cook slow roasted lamb which was very pink after four and a half hours cooking.

She said: “I made roast lamb and roast potatoes on Sunday. On Come Dine With Me it started to go wrong and I put my comedy hat on. It was ridiculous.

“I have a great ability to screw something up and then go on.

“Everyone remembers it. You don't remember the ones that go well.”

Lesley Joseph will be in Calendar Girls from April 19-23 at the Wycombe Swan at 7.30pm with Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm. Tickets range from £13 to £29.50. Call 01494512000 or go www.wycombeswan.co.uk