Joely Richardson struggled to find an agent after she turned 50

Speaking on UK TV show 'This Morning', she said: "My agent that I'd worked with for many years,she retired early to be with her mum and I went to get another agent. No one wanted me! Even though I'd had Golden Globe nominations and blah blah blah, zero people wanted a woman over 50. So then what we did, my new agency, we just started finding little ins wherever we could, doing 'The Sandman', Lady Chatterley playing the northern housekeeper Mrs Bolton, just trying to get through the door so people would consider me for roles. Then they started to come."

'Nip/Tuck' focused on a controversial plastic surgery in Los Angeles and whilst Joely - whose sister Natasha died at the age of 45 in 2009 following a skiing accident - thought it was a "dream job" at the time, she was later thrilled to head back to the theatrical scene because she ended up spending time with her nephews Micheál, 28, and Daniel, 27 shortly after the family tragedy.

She said: "I think after the 'Nip/Tuck' years, I just wanted to do something else. 'Nip/Tuck' was a dream job but my sister's boys were in America and I did lots of Off-Broadway productions, so it was like going back to my roots. It was really fun, it was like a lovely bridge."