Daisy May Cooper has a phone ‘phobia’ because of debt collectors

The ‘Am I Being Unreasonable?’ actor said that she doesn’t own a phone because she expects every call to be ‘bad news’

Ellie Muir
Thursday 30 March 2023 11:13 BST
Comments
Daisy May Cooper fans ‘will love’ Am I Being Unreasonable?

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

Daisy May Cooper has revealed that she doesn’t own a phone because she has a “phobia” of them.

The Gloucestershire-born actor and writer, 36, is best known for her West Country comedy series This Country, which she wrote and starred in.

In a new interview with the Evening Standard, the Am I Being Unreasonable? actor opened up about the poverty she experienced as a child.

“I don’t actually own a phone any more,” she said.

She explained that she got a phobia of phones while she was growing up, because debt collectors would be “constantly ringing” her house phone.

“I’ve got a phobia of them because [growing up] the house phone was just constantly ringing from debt collectors,” she said.

The actor continued: “Now, every time I get a call, I assume that it’s bad news. I had to get rid of it.”

Alternatively, she communicates with people via her iPad, through emails or Instagram direct messages.

Daisy May Cooper is best known for her roles in ‘This Country’ and ‘Am I Being Unreasonable?’
Daisy May Cooper is best known for her roles in ‘This Country’ and ‘Am I Being Unreasonable?’ (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Elsewhere in the interview, she recalled a time she went to an audition in London and her shoes fell apart.

“The only pair of shoes that I had were these sandals that had broken apart,” she explained.

“And I only had £9 in my account – which is exactly what I needed to get a return National Express ticket to London [she was living with her parents in Cirencester at the time]. It meant I couldn’t get the Tube, I’d have to walk all day – so I just wrapped my sandals in parcel tape.”

The actor previously opened up about being told she “wasn’t funny any more” after losing weight.

Cooper said that she’d lost weight because she was “unhappy” with her health, but found herself receiving unexpected messages afterwards.

“I’m so for body positivity but when I was at my biggest I was at my most miserable and I had a massive food addiction,” she said. “I wasn’t healthy. I couldn’t breathe when I was walking up the stairs. I was so unhappy.

“I’ve had some messages like, ‘Well, now you’ve lost the weight you’re not funny any more.’ What the f***? Why do women have to be f***ing fat to be funny? That makes me so angry.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in