Roxanne Pallett is on a mission.

Having racked up a number of award nominations during her three-year stint as Jo Sugden in Emmerdale, then wowed the nation with her skills on ITV’s Dancing On Ice, one could be forgiven for thinking the 26-year-old would be happy resting on her laurels.

But nothing could be further from the truth.

Pallett will be making her stage debut in the British Shakespeare Company’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Rose this week, and she cannot wait to get started.

“I guess you could say I’m doing things back to front”, Pallett says.

“For me I was thrown straight into television and very quickly I was being watched by six million people every week.

“I always felt a bit guilty about that as there are these tremendous actors that tread the boards for years trying to get to that point, and I achieved it very early.

“So this was something I feel really strongly about.

“It really is a case of getting back to basics and I’m loving it.”

The Carlisle-born actress takes on the role of Cobweb in the fantastical comedy, and she admits there was a definite desire to steer away from Shakespeare’s tragedies.

Pallett adds: “I did so much tragedy in Emmerdale it is nice to have some light relief!

“In fact, I think I was crying every day for about six months on set.

“I absolutely loved my time in the soap but it was time to move on.

“Originally I only signed a three-week contract to play the vet’s receptionist and suddenly I had all these huge storylines.

“It was more than I could have ever hoped for and it was a real privilege.”

Pallett is joined in the production by fellow television favourite Gabriel Thompson (Michael in My Family) and she hopes the fresh-faced cast can breath new life into the traditional classic.

She explains: “Hopefully we can open Shakespeare up to a new generation.

“I know a lot of people get quite prudish about it, and the kids think that they will never understand it, but that is not the case.

“Obviously people are going to be cynical about me getting a part like this but I am prepared for that.

“For me it is all about grabbing every opportunity that comes along - in this business everything you have can be taken away as quickly as you get it, so it is all about making the most of it while it lasts.”

Midsummer Night’s Dream, Rose Theatre, Kingston, May 29-30, 7.30pm, £7-£24, 0871 230 1552