AS the nation mourned the passing of Ken Dodd this week, actress Nicola McAuliffe, was among those in the showbiz world left truly devastated by the loss of the comedy legend.

The beloved Liverpudlian comedian was Nicola’s inspiration, her mentor and good friend. In fact, he was the reason she got into acting… but more on that later.

Nicola, 62, is about to take to the stage at the atmospheric Palace Theatre as a new touring production of Charles Dickens’ masterpiece, Great Expectations, comes to Southend next week.

The Olivier Award-winning actress leads the cast as Miss Havisham - the wealthy, eccentric spinster who has worn her wedding dress since the day that she was jilted at the altar by her fiancé.

But is Miss Havisham misunderstood? Is she more miserable misandrist or heartbroken hermit? Is she malevolent or benevolent?

“It’s hard to say, probably both. She is very complex. You have to feel for her,” said Nicola. “She’s someone who has given up on life and love.”

Nicola certainly makes a stunning entrance in her ‘corpse bride’ Miss Havisham costume. I’m thinking the make- up must take a long time to apply?

“Actually it takes about three minutes now as I’ve got it down to a fine art,” explained Nicola.

“I use a brilliant body paint which gives a chalky effect for the face and hands and for the eyes I use real charcoal because Charles Dickens made a point of describing how dark Miss Havisham’s eyes are in the novel.

Indeed he does, when Pip first claps eyes on Miss Havisham he says: “I saw that the bride within the bridal dress had withered like the dress, and like the flowers, and had no brightness left but the brightness of her sunken eyes.”

Nicola is perhaps best known for her role in the long running TV series, Surgical Spirit and for starring in Coronation Street, where she played Anita Scott, the chair of the Weatherfield Historical Society who took a shine to Ken Barlow.

She also starred - well her voice did - in a James Bond movie. Remember Pierce Brosnan’s remote-controlled talking BMW in Tomorrow Never Dies? Well the car’s voice is Nicola’s!

But the theatre is where Nicola’s loyalties really lie and she has won numerous accolades and awards for her work treading the boards.

Her co-stars have included the likes of Michael Sheen and Hollywood mega star Woody Harrelson, with whom she appeared in the 2005 West End production of Night of the Iguana.

“Woody Harrelson is absolutely hilarious and a lovely person. I’d so love to work with him again one day,” said Nicola.

She has also won a coveted Olivier Award for her performance in Kiss Me Kate in 1988.

One of the central themes of Great Expectations is of course love - un-requited love, devotional love, lost love, vengeful love- you name it.

Miss Havisham may have been unlucky in this area but Nicola says she herself has been blessed. She married fleet street crime and war correspondent Don MacKay in 1996 and the couple were devoted to each other until MacKay’s death in 2016.

Hailed as a legendary reporter, MacKay was involved in some of the biggest stories in British journalism history. He was close friends with Prince Charles and was the only tabloid journalist invited to attend Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles’ wedding.

“The ironic thing is Miss Havisham hates men where as I love men,” said Nicola.

“And I was lucky enough to be married to the most wonderful man I could ever have wished for.

“I couldn’t have been luckier. I can honestly say we were happy every day we were together.”

The other inspirational man in Nicola’s life was Ken Dodd. From seeing him on stage when she was a star-struck child, the pair ended up becoming pals.

Nicola explained: “When I was eight-years-old I went to see Ken Dodd perform at the London Palladium.

“I was just blown away. I was only a child at the time but it was like he really knew how to connect with you. He was a comedy god and from that moment it made me want to be a performer.”

Years later, where she was an established actress herself Nicola took her husband to see Ken on stage.

“My husband was sitting there with his arms crossed determined not to enjoy it as it ‘wasn’t his thing’ but within two minutes he was literally falling off his chair with laughter,” Nicola recalled.

The couple become friends with Ken and his wife Anne and in 2001 when Nicola was cast as Baroness Bomburst in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium, she not only invited Sir Ken and Anne along to watch, she made sure she got him the exact same seats she had sat in as that eight year old girl.

“It was an incredibly special night. We had such a great time afterwards. Ken gave me a signed Diddymen clock which is one of my most treasured possessions.”

After the Great Expectations tour Nicola will be focusing on taking her latest play- entitled ‘Revenant’ -to the Edinburgh festival. She adores writing and has won critical kudos for several of her own works.

Any spare time she has is taken up with writing and watching films.

“I’m such a film buff, I love the escapism of films and good TV shows,” she said.

At the moment I’m really into Game of Thrones. I’m up to series six and I literally can’t wait to catch up,” she said.

“During every performance of Great Expectations I get an hour off so I’m in my dressing room backstage watching Game of Thrones- or maybe the Sopranos!”

Great Expectations is being brought to the stage by Tilted Wig Productions. The cast also features Séan Aydon as Pip, Isla Carter as Estella, Edward Ferrow as Joe Gargery and and Richard Earl as Jaggers/Pumblechook.

It runs at the Palace Theatre from Monday March 19 - Saturday March 24.

Tickets are are priced at £23-£32. Call the box office on 01702 351135 or visit southendtheatres.org.uk to book.