SARAH Smart would like to think that she's not very similar to the character she plays in At Home With The Braithwaites, the award-winning drama returning to ITV screens tonight.

For Virginia, one of the sisters in the mother of dysfunctional families, is a crazy, bitter and twisted lesbian who embezzled her mother's lottery winnings while under the spell of a seductress neighbour.

Snow White she clearly isn't. And yet, the public seem prepared to overlook Virginia's faults. "Everyone absolutely adores her," says Smart, bright and chirpy the morning after celebrating her 25th birthday with a champagne breakfast followed by family outing to a Chinese restaurant.

"It's crazy but I think they like the way she gets away with everything. She does all the things other people think of doing, but daren't. They want to see what she does next."

As the new series opens, Virginia's behaviour is as shocking as ever - she announces she's going to become a father as girlfriend Tamsin is pregnant (don't ask how, it's complicated).

The actress's own happy family life could hardly be more different to that of the Braithwaites. She still lives at home, the eldest of four children. Her two sisters and brother were all born on the same day in different years, something that led to them being featured in the local newspaper in their home city of Birmingham.

Sarah's first taste of fame came early too. She's been working in TV for 14 years, including leading roles in the children's series Woof and Bliss. She can thank her sister Donna, who is two years younger, for that. "She had a real lack of confidence and my parents thought it would be good if she went to drama classes. I went with her and just really enjoyed it," she recalls.

"I was getting really good comments from people when I was five. I thought, 'this is good' and decided I wanted to act."

Joining Central Television's junior drama workshop led to being spotted by a casting director. The role in Woof followed, then she acquired an agent and has rarely been out of work since.

"When Virginia came along I was ready for my transition period. I'd always played a child or the teenage daughter before. Virginia is a real character," says Smart.

"The trouble is everyone says I still look about 15. I have been turned away from nightclubs, even quite recently, because of my baby face. And viewers think I'm really massive when they see me on TV and when they meet me say, 'I can't believe you're the little bird you are'."

Most of her studying was done not at school but on a TV set where she had a tutor. If she wasn't filming, she was doing classes. "I worked quite hard as a child," she says. "I got good GSE results because I really had to knuckle down as the school wouldn't let me have any time off."

Her schedule is pretty busy now too. Another series of the Braithwaites is a possibility, depending on ratings for this new one. One definite date in her diary is the lead in a new drama series called Sparkhouse, from Braithwaites writer Sally Wainwright. She'll play a female Heathcliff in this loose modern-day version of Wuthering Heights.

As she's a farm girl, Smart is off to spend next weekend on a farm near Hebden Bridge to get used to the animals. She doesn't sound overjoyed at the prospect. "I'm not absolutely crazy about animals but I don't mind," she says.

Returning to Virginia, she admits that one aspect of her character she does share is a head in the clouds attitude. She drifts off into fantasies. "I've dreamt since I was little of being an actress. My dream now is getting a house with my boyfriend."

This is the boyfriend, law student Paul, who says he doesn't mind her doing kissing scenes in the Braithwaites because he knows she is not going to run off with anyone. She scoffs at the idea of marriage - although admits she thinks he's "the one" - and says they'll live together first to see how it goes.

Three series of the Braithwaites have given her a degree of financial security to let her afford to buy her own place. Until then, she's happy to live at home without the expense of a mortgage and household bills. "That shows I'm much more sensible than Virginia," she points out.

* At Home With The Braithwaites returns to ITV tonight at 9pm.