Motherhood has calmed me down, says Patsy

Former EastEnders actress Patsy Palmer is adamant that motherhood has calmed her down.

She told The Sunday Mirror Magazine that she spends most of her time at home in Chigwell, Essex, with her children, Charley, 10, Fenton, two and Emilia, one.

The former EastEnders actress said: “I go out occasionally, but I’m at home most of the time looking after the kids.

“I had a few wild years, but motherhood has calmed me down.”

Palmer, who is launching a new range of self-tanning products with her best friend, said marriage to taxi driver husband Richard Merkell would not fall apart in the way relationships like that of Zoe Ball and Norman Cook.

“I love my husband too much. If ever I felt I wanted to go off with someone else I’d have to tell him first, but I’d do everything to stop it happening. I want my kids to grow up in a stable family unit,” she said.

The 30-year-old, who quit EastEnders in 1999 and is set to star in Mum’s The Word at London’s Albery Theatre, says some inspiration for her tanning products came from people in her neighbourhood.

“I live in Essex, so I see about 200 streaky tans a day. Also it’s hard to find one that doesn’t have a strong smell. My husband couldn’t bear me lying next to him when I’d had a self-tan,” she said.

She revealed she was not that happy with her own features, saying: “If I had my way I would change everything about my face.”