I prefer panto to potties

HIDE-HI! star Su Pollard says she was born to entertain and loves it so much she never regretted not becoming a mum.

- BY SUE CRAWFORD

The star, 75, shot to fame in the 1980s holiday camp sitcom and has appeared everywhere since.

Now she is marking half a century in showbiz with a nationwide tour.

Single Su says: "I wasn't as passionate about having a family as I was about being in a pantomime. Performing is part of me." And she reveals she would rather "drop dead on stage than retire".

She adds: "While I can I would like to carry on doing what brings me joy."

Here, Su shares the highlights of her showbusiness career...

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS, 1974

Aged 25 she made her TV debut singing on the BBC talent show.

Su recalls: "I sang I Don't Know How to Love Him.

"They said they enjoyed it, but they said I had a funny face so could I sing a funny song instead?

"I was beaten by a singing Jack Russell, I couldn't believe it. And he didn't even sing, he just yelped."

TWO UP, TWO DOWN, 1979

This was her first TV comedy and the actress played a hippy opposite Paul Nicholas.

She recalls: "The director said 'Su, you're not on stage, you need to bring your volume down'.

"I looked dreadful, but I learned a lot."

HIDE-HI!, 1980

Su became a household name playing chalet maid Peggy Ollerenshaw in the hit BBC show set at Maplin's Holiday Camp.