Sheila Hancock is still unable to watch her late husband John Thaw on screen.

The actress spoke about her experience of widowhood since Thaw's death in 2002 while appearing on ITV1's Parkinson.

"I can't quite face seeing him walking and talking, not yet. I should, it's four years come on pull yourself together, occasionally there's been a trailer and I've gone 'oh no, don't want to look'. I'm a great one for putting my head in the sand," Sheila explained.

She added: "One of the things you miss when you're a widow is sensuality, you miss flesh, you miss skin, you miss cuddles. In fact my grandchildren suffer dreadfully because I spend my whole time biting their bums!"

Parkinson airs at 10.35pm tonight on ITV1.