Helen Baxendale's 'boring' Friends role

Helen Baxendale found starring in high-profile TV shows "boring".

The 40-year-old actress shot to fame playing Rachel Bradley in 'Cold Feet' and appeared as David Schwimmer's on-screen wife Emily Waltham in 'Friends', and while the shows gave her huge success on both sides of the Atlantic, she admits it was not as glamorous as it seemed.

She said: "I am really glad I did those shows but it was a different life and not one I'm desperate to return to. Ultimately it is actually a very boring one in terms of your life. You go shopping, people are really nice to you all the time - but it is just not normal.

"Those people in 'Friends' could not go out without being hounded, shouted at or followed. Who wants that? I don't want that."

However, Helen - who is now starring in new ITV1 drama 'Kidnap and Ransom' - says she didn't have any sympathy for the show's stars because they were paid so well.

She added to the Daily Mirror newspaper: "People have a glazed look half the time and they don't respond to you directly. I never felt sorry for the people in 'Friends' though. They had enormous wealth and they were very funny, creative people who gave a lot of people happiness."