Billy is a funny cheeky lovely boy and I love being with him. Parenthood is terrifying though. I can barely walk past a building without panicking that it's going to collapse on his head.

I know I had my equivalents in Adrian Lester and Lenny James when I was at drama school. I remember David Harewood doing 'Othello' at the National and Adrian Lester having done Cheek by Jowl's famous 'As You Like It and Company' at the Donmar. Not necessarily performances I saw but just the fact they happened was massively encouraging.

I'm cute - and God I hate that. Because that's not cool. I'm like your niece and nobody wants to date their niece. It's the chubby cheeks. The whole reason people voted for me on American Idol is because I'm an everyday normal girl.

We should tell our kids to just have fun participate and not get bent on winning or losing. But every coach when they say that they say it tongue in cheek 'Don't worry about winning': If you win I'll get you ice cream but if you lose I'm going to pout in the car.

One of my favorite beauty products is Vincent Longo Water Canvas creamy blush. I have it in every color and I've been using it for 5 years and that's all I put on when I leave the house. It looks so natural I just put a little bit on my cheeks to give them some color.

Look up laugh loud talk big keep the color in your cheek and the fire in your eye adorn your person maintain your health your beauty and your animal spirits.

Let age not envy draw wrinkles on thy cheeks.