'Hollyoaks' actress Diane Langton won't retire.

Diane Langton as Nana McQueen

Diane Langton as Nana McQueen

The 71-year-old actress - who has played 'Nana' Marlena McQueen on and off since 2007 - "can't live without" her work and admitted the thought of a quiet life at home doesn't sound appealing.

She told Metro.co.uk: "I ask myself every day when I come into work why I still do it, it's a love/hate relationship.

"I have to do it because it's my food. I sound very dramatic, but I actually can't live without it, because when I'm not doing it, I go into, like, a coma.

"I've been doing this since I was six. You'd think I'd be really fed up of it by now! They say to me, when are you going to retire?

"And I say, retire to what? There's only so many times I can go round Sainsburys or do the housework, or make the bed."

The veteran actress loves her job on 'Hollyoaks' but has problems sticking to a routine and getting enough sleep.

She said: "You can't go to bed late here, I go to bed at nine o'clock! And I'm a night owl, and I'm an insomniac as well, so I can't go to bed early. It's hard. But tomorrow I'm in at ten past seven, so I don't know what's going to happen tonight, whether I'll sleep or whether I won't sleep. Ill eventually go into a coma I expect in the early hours!"

Though Diane doesn't think she's very much like outrageous Marlena, she thinks those close to her would disagree - and she admitted they have a similar image.

She said: "I don't really think I have [many similarities], and yet probably a lot of people would say that I am like her! My son says I'm like her!

"I don't steal, and I don't go chasing after men.

"I am a Catholic and I do practice my religion and go to church, I don't then the next day nick a bottle of perfume!

"But I've got her persona I think, you know, I don't put on any airs and graces, I'm down to earth, that's a similarity. And I love wearing outrageous clothes! And this hairstyle today, I like big hair! So I suppose so, the image side is similar."