Only Fools And Horses star Tessa Peake-Jones, 68, says she is afraid to let her hair go grey or wear glasses to auditions as ageism has stopped her getting jobs

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Only Fools and Horses star Tessa Peake-Jones says she feels ‘forced’ to wear contact lenses at auditions – because casting directors never offer her roles when she’s wearing glasses.

The actress is known for two memorable TV roles: she played Raquel Turner, a former stripper, in the classic BBC sitcom for five years, and more recently, she’s spent the last decade as Mrs. Chapman, the housekeeper in the popular drama Grantchester.

Even after a successful 50-year career in film and television, 68-year-old Peake-Jones says people still focus on how she looks.

Speaking on the How To Be 60 podcast, Kaye Adams shared that when she auditioned for roles as an actress, wearing her glasses during readings would often lead to her not getting the part, as appearance and age are still factors in casting.

I’ve learned to wear contact lenses, even though I don’t really like the feeling of having something in my eyes. I needed to switch from glasses because I couldn’t see well enough to read. I think it’s made a difference, and I’m pretty sure it’s not just my imagination.

The actress admitted she hesitated to embrace her natural grey hair, even though she’s nearing seventy years old.

She pointed out that her mother had grey hair starting at age 40. However, she also noted that in her profession, having grey hair can make it difficult to get hired, unless the role specifically calls for an older, grandmotherly appearance.

‘It’s a shame. It’s narrow mindedness on behalf of some people who cast, or directors.’ 

I’m so excited! I’ll be watching Peake-Jones in the new U&Gold documentary, Only Fools and Horses: The Lost Archive – it’s been a long time coming, and I can’t wait to see what hidden gems they’ve uncovered.

The classic comedy show starred David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst as the brothers Del Boy and Rodney, famous for their often-shady but always inventive get-rich-quick plans.

Only Fools and Horses originally aired from 1981 to 1996, with three special episodes shown between 2001 and 2003. To celebrate the show’s 45th anniversary, a new two-part documentary has been created, featuring previously unseen footage and interviews with the cast.

Tessa Peake-Jones, who famously played Raquel, Del Boy’s on-again, off-again girlfriend, confessed that she and David Jason found it difficult to watch clips of themselves from the show after so many years.

She explained to How To Be 60 that watching the old footage was difficult, almost painful. It was especially tough for David Jason, as some of the scenes featured him from 45 years ago, and he’s now 83 years old.

He became upset, and when I asked if he was alright, the cameras started recording. He admitted he was feeling sad because they were remembering a time when they had been at their best.

Now in his eighties, he reflects on the past forty-five years, realizing how impressive his earlier work was and acknowledging how much he’s changed since then. It was a very emotional experience for him.

The actress also said she found it equally hard to watch herself on-screen. 

Honestly, it’s a really strange feeling. It’s like when you see an old photo or hear a recording of your voice – a little unsettling even now. But imagine seeing a video of yourself from thirty years ago, when you were at your best! It’s so weird, because that person looks and sounds like you, but it doesn’t feel like you at all. It’s like watching a completely different person, someone you used to be.

You used to be, but you’ve changed a lot since then. Life experiences have shaped who you are today.

It’s tempting to want to warn your younger self, the one you see on TV, about all the things that will happen later. But you can’t go back and do that, of course.

It’s easy to fall into self-criticism – focusing on things like a bad hair day or not wearing enough makeup. That’s why I avoid watching recordings of myself; I just end up picking apart my appearance.

I struggle to see things clearly; I mostly focus on the negative. Other people can review their actions, learn from them, and improve, but I don’t have that ability. I just can’t seem to learn from my mistakes.

Most people now recognize Peake-Jones for her role as Sylvia Chapman, the strict and religious housekeeper in the TV series Grantchester, a character she played for ten years.

She appeared in the popular Channel 5 drama, The Feud, last year, acting with Jill Halfpenny and Larry Lamb. The show had six episodes.

Peake-Jones, preparing to perform in ‘Invisible Me’ at London’s Southwark Playhouse, shared that she feels significantly less self-conscious about how she looks while performing on stage.

She said she avoids watching herself on TV. She prefers live theatre because she never gets to see her performances, which she finds freeing. When she’s performing, she’s so focused on her own experience that she doesn’t worry about how she appears to others – she’s completely lost in the moment.

Let’s talk about personal life! Right now, I’m enjoying being single. I was with actor Douglas Hodge for quite a while – we’re the parents of two wonderful grown-up kids, Mollie, who’s 34, and Charlie, 25 – but we went our separate ways back in 2013. It’s a new chapter, and I’m embracing it!

She’s open to finding love again someday, but she’s enjoying being single right now and isn’t actively looking for a relationship. She’s really embracing her independence.

I’ve always felt like my life has chapters, and this is definitely the best one yet! I told Kaye on Loose Women that I’m really embracing this stage – it’s the first time I truly feel free, and honestly, I’m loving it.

For the first sixty years of my life, I always lived with someone. I either cared for my mother, lived in student housing, or shared a house with fellow actors. Later, I lived with different partners, and eventually, I met the man with whom I had my children.

Right now, I’m not looking to date. I’m not completely closing the door to it, though. I definitely don’t want to live with someone again, but I could change my mind. If I ever fell deeply in love, that might make me reconsider.

Tessa Peake-Jones was raised in London by her mother, Mary, and her godmother, Renie. She didn’t know her father, and Renie often cared for Tessa and Mary during Mary’s periods of illness, as Mary struggled with bipolar disorder and required hospital stays.

She said she was incredibly grateful to have had support, explaining that without it, she likely would have needed long-term care herself. Her mother struggled with mental health throughout her childhood, repeatedly being admitted to and released from psychiatric hospitals in a recurring pattern.

Looking back, I likely would have been placed in foster care. It was a difficult childhood. When my mother was healthy, we had some wonderful times – she was a great mom. But things were tough when she wasn’t well and had to leave.

People often ask me how I stay so positive and optimistic. I think it comes from my childhood. I learned at a young age to truly appreciate the good days, when my mother was well – to savor them completely without worrying about the past or future.

It’s become a core part of who I am – I really try to focus on living in the present moment. I think that’s also why I’m quite self-sufficient and comfortable being alone, because I had to learn to cope with things on my own from a young age.

No one had written about this, and at school, no one ever checked in to see if I was alright – no one ever pulled me aside to ask how I was doing.

‘So, you learn as a child that is your world and you learn how to navigate it and cope with it.’ 

Kaye Adams: How To Be 60 is available on all podcast providers.

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2026-04-21 17:20