Keeley Hawes is one of those British actresses that everyone adores. She has been part of some of UK’s most loved TV series such as Spooks, Ashes to Ashes, Upstairs, Downstairs to name just a few. Her roles in films like Death at a Funeral and A Cock and Bull Story, have established her as one of the nation’s acting gems that is here to stay. But it is not only a successful career that keeps Keeley smiling.

Married to her Spooks co-star Matthew Macfadyen and looking after their two sons and daughter, this is one lucky lady who enjoys life without any concerns of people’s opinions. We chatted to Keeley about the food temptations she can’t resist, her new-found passion for home-grown vegetables and the reverse roles in their family kitchen…

What are your food guilty pleasures?

Keeley Hawes: Wine, I suppose. I really like scones and jam and cream…things like cream cheese which is very bad! I just don’t know when to stop but that’s one of my favourite things and it’s a very guilty pleasure. I like things with cream which is so wrong but so right. A glass of champagne with it is even better! It’s the kind of thing you have to indulge in, you can’t feel guilty about. You can’t beat yourself up, you just got to go for it.

You grow your own vegetables at home. Can you tell us more about that?

Keeley Hawes: I just kind of throw everything in and hope for the best. But that seems to be working quite well. I had a very urban childhood, I grew up in the centre of London and I have no experience of it, so it’s been really lovely. Especially for the children to see how cucumbers develop. Everyone goes: ‘Whoa!’ It’s really exciting! I really enjoy it and you don’t have to know a lot about it. You don’t need very much space either, it’s for free, gets you outside. It’s nice to stand with a glass of wine and do the watering, it’s good fun.

What kind of food do you get while filming?

Keeley Hawes: You usually have to eat on set because you are always somewhere remote or have a very strict schedule for the day, so people can’t just go somewhere to have lunch. It can range from anything, sometimes the food can be quite heavy, so it’s quite easy to just try and stick to salads, fish and chicken. Because the hours are so long, you need a lot of energy. You have to try to be sensible, not picking sandwiches or grabbing a bar of chocolate.

You were born and raised in London, what is your favourite British food?

Keeley Hawes: My favourite British meal is fish and chips or a cream tea.

Is your husband good at cooking?

Keeley Hawes: He’s brilliant at it, he’s cooking as we speak. He makes amazing curry and lamb. And he really enjoys it as well, he loves to cook.

What about you? Do you enjoy cooking?

Keeley Hawes: I don’t mind it but it’s not a hobby. And with my husband it’s more like a hobby, I’ll do it if I have to. I’m not too bad but I’m not great. I quite like baking with the children, making cakes…But the pressure of having a dinner party and me being the chef is not something I want. He (my husband) can do that and I can just make the cocktails. That’s the best part!

So what kind of cocktails do you like?

Keeley Hawes: I love a Cosmo. My favourite is a Kir Royale which is just champagne with cassis. I quite like vodka with tonic as well.

What is your favourite place to eat out?

Keeley Hawes: One of my favourite restaurants is this place called HIX. There’s also an Italian called Locanda Locatelli, it’s amazing! I usually have a chocolate soup when I go there, it’s so good. But then I also like going to Pizza Express with the children just as much. There are such great places to eat out in London.

What is the one thing in your fridge that you can’t live without?

Keeley Hawes: Jam! Strawberry jam.