This year, Love Actually, one of the most popular Christmas movies ever, is celebrating the 20th anniversary since it was filmed. However, not everyone believes it has aged well – including its director Richard Curtis, who last month confessed, “The lack of diversity makes me feel uncomfortable and a bit stupid.”

As times have changed, some viewers have also called out the “sexist fat-shaming” of Martine McCutcheon’s character Natalie, with the script poking fun at her “sizeable arse and huge thighs”.

Yet in our exclusive cover interview, the actress explains why she isn’t the least bit offended.

“First of all, it’s another woman [Annie] that mentions Natalie’s weight and Natalie herself,” says Martine.

“I understand where Richard is coming from. Of course, it’s easy to say now, ‘We would have done this, we would have done that’, but I also think that the characters weren’t being PC.

“They weren’t perfect humans – they were talking about their insecurities, their affairs. Natalie, bless her, is so innocent in telling the prime minister about her insecurities. I think that’s part of what made it so charming and real.

"There are a lot of things that you’re not allowed to say now, but I think that in a film that covers so much emotion and so much love, you need a little bit of reality in there – it’s not always about ticking all the boxes.”

Martine’s love for the film is as strong today as it was when she was cast in the role in 2002. The actress, who grew up in Hackney, east London, and rose to fame as Tiffany in EastEnders in the 1990s, was about to quit showbiz for good.

She was suffering major burn-out following her Laurence Olivier award-winning performance as Eliza Doolittle in the stage production of My Fair Lady when she got the call from Curtis. He’d written the part of Natalie, Hugh Grant’s love interest, especially for Martine after she caught his eye.

Recalling the life-changing moment, the 46-year-old says, “At that time, I’d decided to give up the business. I’d worked from the age of 17 playing Tiffany – it was a relentless schedule of 22 scenes a day, six days a week, alongside my pop career. There was a lot of pressure, a lot of touring and I battled with exhaustion and felt unwell.

"Then there was the press scrutiny. I had paparazzi running after me. I was only 23 and lived on my own – it was scary. I just thought, ‘I love what I do but I don’t love what comes with it’, so I called my agent and gave up the industry. I remember thinking, ‘If I’m meant to stay in it I’ll get a big sign.’”

Martine, who made her children’s TV debut aged 13, was taking time out at a friend’s house in Spain where she “slept for three days straight” and got the unexpected call.

“He said, ‘Richard Curtis has called and he wants you to star opposite Hugh Grant in a film called Love Actually and it starts next week – can you fly back?’” she says. “I literally dropped the phone. That film completely changed my life because I wouldn’t have been in the industry any more. When I first saw Four Weddings And A Funeral it was my absolute dream to work with Hugh Grant and Richard Curtis – I fell in love with the writing and I fell in love with Hugh.”

The Love Actually cast and crew, including Bill Nighy and Emma Thompson, reunited for a 20th anniversary special with American broadcaster Diane Sawyer last month. Martine tells us she’s still friends with Hugh, who turned 62 in September, and was invited to his birthday.

Their friendship has come a long way with Martine admitting she was shaking with nerves on their first day of filming.

“The first scene we shot was the last scene at the airport,” she reveals. “It’s when I run and jump on Hugh at the airport – I was shaking, I was so nervous. I was just petrified! He was like, ‘Just go for it, it’s fine!’”

Despite her love for the film, Martine, who has seven-year-old son Rafferty with her singer-songwriter husband Jack McManus, 38, admits she can’t watch herself on screen without cringing. “Whenever Love Actually comes on, my mum goes, ‘Babe! You’re on.’ I’m like, ‘Mum, when are you going to get that I can’t bear to watch myself back on TV?’

“When we were at the premiere most of us were squirming in our seats. We were in our frocks and suits going, ‘Oh God!’ at this huge screen. It’s the mannerisms you pull and the expressions you make and there’s this massive screen with your face!”

She won’t be watching the drama unfold on the EastEnders Christmas Day special either.

“I haven’t watched EastEnders in so many years because I know how it works and I keep thinking about everything behind the scenes,” she says.

Martine played the iconic role of Tiffany Mitchell for four years before her character was killed off when she ran into a car driven by Frank Butcher, an episode watched by 22 million. And her portrayal wasn’t just a hit with viewers – a certain Britpop star was a member of the Tiffany fan club too.

“I loved that time in my life,” says Martine. “As it was the 90s we had huge stars coming in because of the Top Of The Pops studio. We’d finish filming and go into the bar for a drink afterwards and in would pop Bono from U2, Cher, Diana Ross, Oasis or Blur. I remember Liam Gallagher came bowling up to me and I thought, ‘What’s he going to say?’ and he said, ‘I bloody love you in the show – all the family love you!’”

Since then, she has scaled back her film and TV career to focus on raising Rafferty. She has partnered with One4all Gift Cards for its Christmas campaign and is also concentrating on her lifestyle brand and modelling career, as well as writing an album to be released next year.

“I’m a big believer in doing things slowly and not apologising for that,” she says. “You don’t have to be mega busy all the time in order to be successful. We have a rule in our house, and there have been massive sacrifices along the way, but we’ve always said, ‘family first’.

“Rafferty is precious to us and what’s the point of me having him if I’m not there for the key moments in his life? With movies, I’ve been offered a couple of cameo roles which I’m happy to do, but when you’re filming a movie you’re there 17 hours a day when you could be with your child. And I just literally pine for him.”

Martine says she’s about to host Christmas for 12 relatives. “We’re a crazy mix of Italian, Irish and English,” she says. “We get really dressed up and then on Boxing Day it’s silly Christmas jumpers and slippers. My mum is supposed to be sous chef and Jack is the main chef because he’s an amazing cook. But as she has more pink gin she’ll put the roast potatoes in the oven and not tell him – so they have their little niggles!”

Martine has partnered with One4all Gift Cards for its Christmas campaign. For more details, see one4all.com

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