Tamzin Outhwaite has revealed she is planning to take at least a year off work to spend time with her daughters. The New Tricks actress, who filed for divorce from husband Tom Ellis in 2013, said her children are "much more important" than her career.
"I'm taking some time out, having the gap year I've never had," she told The Mirror. "I'll have as much time off as it takes to hang out with the girls because it feels like they need me at the moment."
The 44-year-old added that due to her filming and theatre commitments it got to the point where she was unable to spend much time with daughters Florence, seven, and Marnie, three, so something had to change.
Tamzin Outhwaite has revealed she is taking a year off work
"They love having me around and I'm loving spending time with them, seeing their relationship with each other, and I just want to see a bit more of it," she explained, adding that she also has some other ambitions for her career sabbatical.
"I also want to experience a bit more of the world, see more of life, and give my body a really good cleansing - eat well, exercise more and be good to myself."
The former EastEnders actress is also learning Italian, has taken up yoga, roller skating and horse riding as well as enrolling on a first-aid course "in case something happens to the children".
Tamzin divorced husband Tom Ellis in 2014
Tamzin has vowed not to take any calls from her agent for at least 12 months but she isn't worried about it jeopardising her career.
"I used to worry that people would forget me or I won't work again after," she confided. "But now I realise it doesn't even matter; it's much more important to be with my children. My kids are much more important than my career."
Tamzin was granted a divorce from her husband of seven years, Miranda star Tom Ellis, in April 2014 after he admitted committing adultery.
While she has previously admitted that she was dating again following the split, she tells The Mirror she is no longer going to talk about her love life.
"I'll spare people the details. But all I will say is that it is very boring. But then, everything can change in a day."