Patricia Hodge: all the best roles go to Judi Dench They are a band of angels up there who are ascending to heaven and are untouchable. But for everyone else there is not nearly enough representation - but you can't create it overnight. Even if you asked every playwright in the country to write a play for older women it still wouldn't be enough. I think it needs to grow, that realisation that there is a whole section ot our community which is under represented. She said she was fortunate that she had landed such a good role in Miranda, which is an example of what can be achieved by women in the world of drama. "It has broken the mould," she said. We have got four very strong roles for women. It is directed by a woman and produced by a woman and the executive director is a woman. I think the BBC feel a little bit proud of it because they can hold it up as 'We are doing our bit trying to change the balance of power.' Patricia said she and the rest of the cast are currently in the last week of filming Miranda series 3 and she is then looking forward to a break for the rest of the year. Of her role as Miranda's mum, she said the character is nothing like the comedy star's real mother. Her mother is really the most charming, gentle and helpful woman and she would never talk to Miranda like that monster does! The only things about my character which are based on her real mum are that she does say 'Just fun' all the time - and she does love Christmas! She drives me mad with what she does at Christmas. Other than that, it is not her. People often run up to me in the street and say 'What fun' and I don't like to tell them 'You've got it wrong!' Patricia said she and the rest of the cast have enormous fun filming the award winning comedy in front of live studio audiences and she often shakes with silent laughter hoping the camera does not see. Asked if she was anything like Miranda's TV mum herself, Patricia added "I certainly hope I'm not!"