Ask the 65-year-old actress what most people have recognised her from and she says: "Mostly from Judge John Deed, even though that ended in 2007. Every now and then in the past people would say to me: 'Oh, I loved you in The Railway Children' which cracked me up. I think that's because I'm called Jenny and considered an English rose actress."
Jennifer Ann Seagrove was actually born and raised in Malaysia - where her dad Derek ran an import and export business - and her initial aim was to be a vet. "I was sent at nine to St Hilary's prep school in Godalming where the headmistress introduced me to poetry speaking. My interest in that led me to write and direct and star in my own plays. When I went on to Queen Anne's public school in Caversham, as I had short hair, I used to be the male leads in plays.
"But it was a very academic school and I was all set to become a vet having grown up with pet dogs and having a passion for animals. I got my science A-levels and I thought: 'I don't want to be a vet. I'd be a rotten vet because I'm far too sentimental, I'd just burst into tears if somebody asks me to put an animal down. What am I going to do?' I quite fancied being an actress, and I got into the Bristol Old Vic theatre school."
Things happened very quickly for Jenny. Her on-screen break was the 1981 television mini-series The Woman in White and the 1983 hit British film Local Hero of which she says: "That was important in putting me 'out there! I played Marina, a marine researcher and mystical character not of this world, maybe a mermaid, but the sea was so cold we had to redo one sequence because I turned blue.
Denne historien er fra March 2023-utgaven av Best of British.
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Denne historien er fra March 2023-utgaven av Best of British.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Animal Magic
Hilary Middleton recalls a children's author whose tales are still enjoyed today
BACK IN TIME WITH COLIN BAKER
BoB's very own Time Lord prepares for an alternative to panto, recalls his early reading choices and having his scenes cut from two cutting edge comedies
Marvels in Miniature
Claire Saul learns about the exquisite works on display at a new exhibition being held at a historic Georgian mansion
The Last Post
Michael Foley witnessed the end of an era
The Box of Delights
Chris Hallam remembers how his Christmas 40 years ago was lit up by a magical television drama
The Queen of Stage and Screen
Chris Hallam pays tribute to actress Dame Maggie Smith
Other 07
Jonathan Sothcott looks at the seven Sir Roger Moore films that you should have in your collection
In the Best Possible Taste
Derek Lamb remembers the wireless wizardry of Kenny Everett
POSTCARD FROM BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
Bob Barton remembers a ghostly train journey, enjoys some wassailing and fulfils a long-held ambition of attending a lawnmower festival
MERCY MISSION
John Greeves recounts the remarkable exploits of Sunderland flying boat T9114