Sheila has worked extensively as an actor in theatre, television, radio and films, and was the first woman Artistic Director with the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Company's tour, as well as being the first woman to direct in the National’s Olivier Theatre.  Her most recent work as an actor includes the films Edie and The More You Ignore Me; three series of Delicious as Mimi Vincent (Sky), and the Tim Firth musical This is My Family at the Chichester Festival Theatre. She won Author of the Year for her autobiography The Two of Us which she followed with Just Me; and then, aged 81, with her debut novel Miss Carter's War (Political Fiction Awards Nomination).