SASSY television actress Zoe Lucker has spoken exclusively to the Examiner about her most exciting role yet.

And it is a role away from the pressures of TV and film.

Zoe, 30, is the new patron of the Laura Crane Trust, which pays for research into cancers affecting young people.

The charity was founded in 1996, five months after 17-year-old Laura, who had just started A Levels at Greenhead College, died following a 14-month battle with cancer.

At that time Lindley-born Zoe was a student at Huddersfield New College.

She said: "I knew Laura and used to hang out with her older brothers, Dan and Patrick.

"I knew Laura very briefly, but what I knew of her was that she was an absolutely gorgeous, lively and happy girl. It wasn't until quite late on through her cancer that I realised she was very poorly."

The actress said Laura's untimely death had a huge effect.

She added: "We lost her and everyone was just absolutely devastated.

"It had a really, really profound effect. A young person's funeral is an experience which you never forget."

Zoe was initially contacted by Laura's mother, Jacqui Roeder, about attending an event.

Zoe said: "I got a letter asking me to go to a ball, but I couldn't go due to work.

"I said sorry and asked if there was anything else I could do. Jacqui said that comedian Jack Dee, who had been patron for a couple of years, was unable to do it, and would I consider it?

"I was absolutely honoured and thought of course. This one was close to my heart.

"I want to help raise as much awareness and as much money as possible for a brilliant cause."

Zoe, who won the TVQuick best actress award last year, said 2004 was a hectic year.

She added: "We finished the series of Footballer's Wives, then I went on to Bad Girls and did three episodes as the same character, Tanya Turner.

"Then I went straight to filming the fourth series of Footballer's Wives. I filmed four episodes of that and did a couple of other bits and piece.

"I finished Footballers Wives on the Thursday, then filmed Bootcamp on the Sunday until Wednesdays.

"Then I started work on the new series, Bombshell, on the Monday and did seven episodes of that and finished in December.

"It's been a very busy year."

The TV beauty said she was still a down-to-earth Yorkshire lass.

"You only notice when you go out to a function and the paparazzi are there or when you are pulling in numbers because you there," she said.

Zoe still spends many weekends in Huddersfield.

She said: "My family live here and my best friends are here. We do the same things any family would do.

"We go our for dinner or stay in and watch TV. We talk and I'll be saying I'm shattered, then we talk about what everyone else is doing."

Despite the hard work Zoe, said she enjoyed her new life.

She added: "I've been so lucky in the last year. Most actresses spend a lot of time out of work. That's much harder.

"I spent eight months out of work just before I got Footballer's Wives. That was far, far harder than working every day.

"Acting is like any job; you are tired.

But it's a job I love and I wouldn't change it for anything."