After an upbringing in New Zealand and a spell acting in her own country,Nyree Dawn Porter made London her home.Interview by Alan O'Kelly.

Nyree Dawn Porter made her first stage appearance at the age of 3.Playing the part of a ladybird in an amateur production of Noah's Ark,she walked onto the stage and into the lights to delighted applause and laughter.

'It stopped me dead and instead of joining the other performers I walked down to the front of the stage to find out what that noise was.'

'That noise' has charmed her ever since and in a long,successful career,both on the theatre stage and on television,she has received plenty of it.

Nyree was born on the north island of New Zealand.Her father was a butcher who later became a developer and a businessman.She was given the Maori name of Ngaire which was later changed to its present English form as nobody could pronounce it.

Nyree speaks lovingly of her father Ken,who was warm and affectionate and loved music passionately.For a long time she was an only child,but when her sister,Merle Isabel,came along,the happy family should have been complete.

Sadly,that didn't happen.'My parents were like oil and water,'explains Nyree.'They simply couldn't live together.My father's work kept him away from home but I think it was partly because he found it difficult to live with my mother.'

As a result,Nyree remembers her childhood as being sad but productive.She has a nervous stammer and was so shy and quiet that her teachers became extremely worried about her.She found her release through books,paiting and ballet.

'I didn't like school and I spent most of my time in my head.One of the teachers noticed that.She'd say,'I'm not going to repeat that for Nyree Porter because she's not listening anyway.No doubt she'll let me have the sketch she's doing under the desk.'

A teacher named Jim Goodall came to her rescue by encouraging her to do well and by making her president of the drama club.A second influential person was another teacher,who had spent a lot of time in England and France.The teacher's enthusiasm helped Nyree to use her natural gift for French and she also encouraged Nyree to act.

By the time she left school,Nyree has passed all the required exams for teaching ballet.She had her own dance studio and enjoyed her work.But something told her that at some stage she would have to leave New Zealand to find full satisfaction.

'I was acting in a local amateur production when a woman came to my dressing room and asked me if I had ever considered acting as a career.She was the wife of a leading actor at the New Zealand National Theatre.Her car had broken down outside and that was the only reason she had come it.She arranged for me to try for a role in an American comedy called The Solid Gold Cadillac.'

Against hundreds of other actors,Nyree was given the part.She had no hesitation in giving up everything to act and within 2 years had been brought to England by a famous film producer.

'I love London and my lucky break came when I was given a letter of introduction to Hazel Vincent Wallace at the Leatherhead Theatre.I got a job in a Chrismas show,both acting and dancing.'

Nyree Dawn Porter has adopted England,and England has adopted her,too.She has lived in England ever since,although she does visit her old home and regularly works in Australia.