Tara's affair with Biff and it's resulting problems brought Anna centre-stage in
Emmerdale's unfolding dramas. "When I first came in I just wore short dresses and acted a bit dense," she laughs. "I was only really tagged on the side of Lord Alex. As you can imagine, it was great to be built up into this major character.
"I knew Tara must be heading for a romantic liaison. After all, I had been in the series for six months and they only married me off once!
"I thought it would be Steve who'd get together with her, so I was surprised to hear it was Biff. But I was pleased it was. Stuart Wade is a wonderful actor and we had a lot of fun."
Anna modelled Tara in part on 'It girls' such as Tara Palmer-Tomkinson and Tamara Beckwith. However, there is another influence who occasionally shines through.
"I find myself becoming my mum in scenes where I have to be angry or forceful," she laughs. "She'll probably kill me for saying it. It's strange because my mum is not a forceful person at all, but I guess she must be my idea of authority." Although based in London, Anna spent most of her week filming in Yorkshire. Weekends were a frantic rush of meeting up with friends and sorting out her house-hold affairs.
She admits her hectic schedule leaves little time for romance.
"I'm just so busy with everything that there hasn't been a lot of time to devote to it," she sighs. "It's been enough of a struggle to keep up with my friends for the last few months, let alone a relationship."
However, all that has changed. Anna quit
Emmerdale in 1998 to move on to other projects.
"It was my decision," says Anna. "It was sad because the people there couldn't be lovelier and it was such a great job.
"But I don't need the security of long-term work at this time in my life. If I had children or was settled down then things might be different, but for the moment I just want to try out other things."
The first of those 'other things' was a short holiday. "I stayed in Yorkshire for a few days, to unwind and to do some painting," she says.
"I originally trained to be a painter, so it was only right that I take advantage of the beautiful Yorkshire Dales." Anna returned to Emmerdale as Lady Tara in June 2000.