Lasting love: The star with husband Grant Roffey . Having forged a career starring in Hollywood blockbusters and packed theatres, people might assume Julie Walters to be brimming with confidence. But the veteran star has revealed that when it came to romance in her younger years, she relied on a helping hand from alcohol to bring her out of her shell. The mother-of-one, 65, has admitted that before meeting her husband Grant Roffey, 57, thirty years ago, she had never had sex while sober. However, now she has been diagnosed with a yeast allergy she almost never drinks and, on the rare occasions she does, hates the effect it has on her health. In a candid interview, she also reveals she is finding it increasingly difficult to learn her lines, a problem she has increasingly found as she stars in new series Indian Summers. The Mamma Mia! star met Mr Roffey while she was starring in a production of Macbeth and began a whirlwind romance almost immediately but they only married in 1997, 11 years into their relationship. Talking to Saga magazine, she has said how their first encounter ended with a drunken tryst and that, at that time in her life, she always needed to drink before being able to have sex. She described how she and a friend had drunk three bottles of champagne before bumping into her future husband at a bar in Leicester. She said: ‘It was full of Hooray Henries. I remember saying, “I bet nobody here’s a member of the Labour Party.” And he turned round and said, “Well I am, actually.” ‘“Cor, you’re massive! Look at this bloke’s neck. God, it’s as big as my thigh!” I was so embarrassing. We started talking about God knows what, and when Ros [her friend] and I left he said, “I’ll see you home.” And we staggered out with him. ‘So we walked Ros home, then he walked me home. I said, “Come in!” He said, “No, it’s all right.” I said, “Come iiiiinnn! I’ve got a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau!” He moved in and never moved out. It was instant for me. ‘I remember saying, “Do you want my children?” That first night – terrible things! – it was driven by alcohol. I was shy like that. Who’d have sex without alcohol? Especially the first time. He was really sweet about it. Before we were together, I don’t think I’d ever done it sober.’ While she might owe her happy marriage to alcohol, she now hardly touches a drop due to a yeast allergy. She explains that she had always felt ill after drinking but assumed it was the same for everyone. It was only well into adulthood that a doctor suggested an allergy test that revealed the true cause. The actress met her husband in 1986 and began a whirlwind romance almost immediately. Pictured, Julie flaunts her sexy side that same year in comedy Car Trouble . She said: ‘If I were to have Marmite, it would just take the roof of my mouth right off. Anything with yeast makes my eyes go funny, makes me a bit wheezy. ‘And before, when I’d had a few drinks, the next day I’d always have these flu-like symptoms. I thought everybody had those, and I was telling this gynaecologist … and she suggested a skin test to see if I was allergic to anything. And the yeast went, whoo! So now I know.’ Even so, she still occasionally has the odd glass of champagne if she needs a quick boost of confidence. She said she never drinks, ‘except, say, if I got on Graham Norton where you have to be jolly with people you’ve not met before, and I have a glass of champagne. But I don’t like the effect on my body.’ This is not the only problem alcohol has caused for her health. Ever since she entered menopause at the age of 50, she had been unable to sleep after drinking. She has spoken before of her struggles with menopause and again said how she continues to suffer with hot flushes after 15 years. She said: ‘It was like a chimney and came from the base of my spine. I was doing this TV called Murder, and every take there’d be, “Stop, she’s having a flush!” The actress also revealed she is finding it difficult to learn the lines for current Channel 4 series Indian Summers, in which she plays Cynthia (pictured) ‘At the National I’d come off stage for a quick change and have to shout, “Garth, the tray!” And this guy would come with this big tin tray and fan me. Harry Potter, I was in a wig and padding, and they had to put this big tube of air conditioning in my face.’ A more pressing issue caused by her advancing years is a difficulty with learning her lines. Veteran star Michael Gambon, 74, recently announced his retirement from the stage because of his fading memory and Dame Judi Dench, 80, has previously revealed she takes supplements to help her memory. While still perfectly capable of working, Miss Walters said it has started to become a concern, especially for her part in Channel 4 series Indian Summers. She revealed she flew out a week early to the set to give herself time to commit her role to memory. She said: ‘I’m too old now to just go out there and start shooting. I worked out how many days and hours of jet lag. Otherwise I’d never remember the lines. ‘I have to learn things ahead of time now, which I’ve never had to do in my life. The night before, I’d just have a look and lie in the bath and think, “Oh yes, right”. The next day I would hardly look at my lines, and they’d be there. Now? I’m going through them, going through them.’
Star says she relied on alcohol when it came to romance in younger years . Mother-of-one admitted that before meeting her husband Grant Roffey thirty years ago, she had never had sex while sober . She also reveals she is finding it increasingly difficult to learn her lines .