'Throw me something I think I can’t do - that's what I want' — Celia Imrie’s fearless approach to ambition at 73

Celia Imrie is both a national treasure and acting icon. Even after a long and esteemed career and at the age of 73, she remains fearless in pushing herself within her career and "hustling" to get the roles she covets the most.

From recently appearing as Margaret Roylin in Netflix's The Diplomat (returning for season 3 on October 16,) to Joyce in The Thursday Murder Club, Celia is not slowing down and is never far from a TV screen near you.

She's even lighting up The Celebrity Traitors castle and giving Claudia Winkleman a run for her money in the superstar stakes. The actress's previous credits in the run up to where she is now also make up an endless list that we could talk about for ever.

It's this work ethic that keeps Celia going, and she not only seeks out roles that are interesting to her, but also plenty of exciting experiences outside of work. "Honestly, throw me something I think I can't do," she told The Scotsman, adding, "that's what I want."

It was this hunt for new things and an "addiction" to true crime documentaries, that led Celia to a Psychology of Criminology class. "Very often people react in real life much more extremely than actors are allowed to," she says.

Celia adds, "It's fascinating when something really terrible has happened, you watch somebody and they very rarely cry because it's too shocking. So I'm fascinated by that. That interests me enormously. The real reaction, the hugeness of shock."

Also an established author, Celia wanted somewhere to write from and her spontaneity and pursuit of what she needs, led to a shock apartment purchase - even she was surprised.

"It overlooks the sea and it’s my paradise," she says of her abode on the French Riviera. "I went out for a baguette and came back with the flat, that's the truth. I've never done anything like that in my life," she adds.

When it comes to acting, advancing in years hasn't put Celia off chasing the challenge of getting her hands on gritty roles. She even went to America to nab herself one of her most memorable acting jobs to date.

"Yes, I hustled and got one of my most favourite parts ever in a series called Better Things," she shares. And her role as Pamela Adlon's mother, Phyllis, in the 2016 comedy-drama that ran for five seasons, will be etched in your memory for ever once you've seen it.

It's no wonder she wanted the role so badly, as Better Things is truly one of the most exceptional pieces from television to come from the past decade. If you've yet to let this remarkable show into your head and heart, you can catch all episodes on Disney+.

The star is also grateful that the landscape of her industry is changing, allowing actors to continue to work until they choose to stop, instead of being aged out.

"I seem to be getting a good variety and that's marvellous," Celia says of the scripts coming to her doorstep. She continues, "I suppose it's because we're all living longer and therefore people are being quite adventurous in their old age and there is more to write about."

She's particularly grateful that her age landed her another of her favourite roles, as Celia in Calendar Girls. When she landed the job, she recalls thinking, "thank God I'm the age that I am because had I not been, I wouldn't have been able to be cast, because we had to be of a certain age."

"Around my 50th birthday, I was grateful to be the age I was in order to be cast."