Lucy Davis: 'I'm learning how to live my life with kindness and grace'

Davis says: 'I've been anorexic for many years now but I only became bulimic shortly after my marriage ended. It was quite shocking how quickly it took a hold of me.' (Justin Sutcliffe)

I've lived in Los Angeles for eight years Who'd have thought it? But I love it. You can be anyone you want in LA: the person who goes out drinking until four o'clock in the morning; the one that goes trekking in the hills; the beach bum. People think it's a very shallow place, but there is actually so much more to it than that. You just have to find it.

I miss the British seasons Well, sort of. My favourite season is autumn, and I love walking through woods. But you do get used to waking up to blue California skies every day, to warmth and sunshine.

I think I always wanted to be an actor I'm the oldest of four children, and when I was young, I used to get the blackboard out and make my brothers and sisters sit in front of me while I taught class. They all thought I wanted to be a teacher, but I didn't. I was impersonating my teachers.

I used to love watching dad on television and always thought he [the comedian Jasper Carrott] was very funny. I have a memory of watching him on TV, waving at him, and getting very upset when he didn't wave back.

'The Office' changed my life Before Ricky Gervais came along, I was a jobbing actress, and perfectly content if a little unfulfilled: I'd just done an advert for Imodium. That year, 1999, I auditioned for four parts. The Office was the only one I got. What its success gave me was freedom of choice.

You should never Google yourself The internet is full of half-truths, lies. I read online that I turned down In Her Shoes because I didn't want to be Cameron Diaz's "fat, ugly sister". Not true. I auditioned for the part but didn't get it. And Cameron Diaz, contrary to what you hear about a lot of A-listers, was unbelievably nice to me.

I've just written a TV pilot Me! Somebody who never even kept a diary! I was so thrilled, I wanted somebody to cheer me.

I've been anorexic for many years now but I only became bulimic shortly after my marriage ended [last year]. It was quite shocking how quickly it took a hold of me. There's been a lot of speculation about my weight [in the media] over the years, and lots of inaccurate things written about me. That's fine, but I'm talking about it now because I want the truth out there.

For a long time, I thought I was just weak-willed but now I know that it's essentially an addiction. I'm learning how to live my life with kindness and grace, and no one can make me feel ashamed of myself any more.

I have been in recovery for just over a year I've been attending Overeaters Anonymous, and haven't binged or purged myself in 12 months. I hope there might be some message of hope for others in this.

Lucy Davis stars in 'Some Guy who Kills People', which is out on DVD and for download now