I would say that I’ve had a relatively normal life.

Normal in the sense that I went to a normal school, had normal hobbies and had (relatively) normal friends.

One subtle abnormality is that both of my parents are actors.

My mum, Kathy, has spent time acting on stage and screen (with a great singing voice to boot) and my dad much the same, more well known for playing Billy Corkhill in scouse soap-opera Brookside and a variety of police dramas.

Now, this is probably where my ‘normal’ upbringing deviated slightly from exactly that, ‘normal’.

The thing is, it always seemed normal to me, as I didn’t know any different.

Of course, when I was a child I didn’t always understand, especially when seeing one of my parents randomly pop up on the screen and having to check behind the TV to see how they got in there.

But as I grew up, I started to adjust to it.

Although, it is funny the assumptions people have about actors.

Being seen on the telly means people assume you live in lavish mansions with palm trees and tigers lounging around a pool.

When once stood in the queue at Tesco’s, my mum overheard two people behind us saying “D’you see her? ‘Er ‘usband’s Billy Corkhill off Brookside. They only live in a terrace ‘ouse up Briercliffe Road!”.

The number of times I’ve been clueless to otherwise noteworthy situations is ridiculous.

Such as my parents’ good mate Sue Johnston (or as I saw her, Barbara Royle!) lending me a jumper because I was too cold at her birthday party.

Well she had been my dad’s onscreen wife on Brookie for a while so is part of the family, kind of.

Malcolm Hebden, who hails from East Lancashire, coming over for Christmas dinner before I boasted to my Corrie-loving pals that I got to pass Norris the gravy jug for his Yorkshire puds.

My favourite being the time I answered the phone to hear the words. “Hi there, can I please speak to John?” “Yeah course, who’s calling?” “It’s Patrick Stewart” before walking up to my dad, buzzing off the fact I’d just had a minor phone conversation with Professor Xavier from X-Men and saying “Dad, Patrick Stewart’s on the phone.”

He looked at me perplexed before answering it like he was speaking to an old friend. “oh hiya Patrick!”.

I could talk all day about the situations I’ve found myself in because of my parents’ profession, but alas, I only have so much space on the page.

In which case, I’ll save some for next week.

Tara cockers.