ACTRESS Imelda Staunton is taking part in Marguerite Porter’s Summer Gala in aid of the Yorkshire Ballet Summer School at the Grand Opera House, York, on July 24, a year later than she first wished.

“We’ve become friends in the last three years and I would have loved to have done the show last year but I wasn’t around. But I wanted to help, and once I knew my schedule this year, I said yes. That was more than two months ago,” she says.

Imelda will be joining the likes of Sir Derek Jacobi, Samantha Bond, Alan Titchmarsh, Wayne Sleep, Ballet Boyz and stars of the Royal Ballet in next weekend’s gala.

She heads north for the day’s rehearsal and performance fresh from completing her run at the Almeida in London in the first revival for 15 years of Edward Albee’s play A Delicate Balance.

She is, however, keeping close to her chest exactly what she will be performing in York. “I know what I’m doing but I’m not telling you! I’m not telling anyone!” she insists.

Our hunch is that she will be singing rather than dancing, and we are right. “My point work I’ve left long behind me,” says Imelda. “I used to do my Saturday morning ballet class in my convent in London but my feet were the wrong shape for point so I took up tap… but I won’t be dancing in York unless there’s an emergency.

“So, it will be something vocal; it will be a solo song.” Confirmation at last!

Imelda has done plenty of fund-raising gala nights like this in the past.

“Everyone is quite frightened but you just pull together,” she says. “You want it to be really professional and the focus is amazing, so it’s work first, fun after.”

Performing in York next weekend will bring back memories of Imelda’s early days on the professional stage. “I was last on a Yorkshire stage in 1980 at York Theatre Royal when I did Grease with Caroline Quentin; she played Rizzo and I was one of the Pink Ladies,” she reveals.

“Before that I did Twelfth Night and Ladies In Retirement, when Michael Winter was the artistic director. That was part of my repertory career; I did six years of rep all over the country, and York was a lovely place to be performing in. Great times!”

Those memories have resonance for Imelda, given the significance of next Sunday’s fundraising event for young dancers.

“We all support events like this because it’s so important to remember how we all started,” she says. “I received a grant for my training and I know that I couldn’t have afforded to go to college without that support, so we must all put something back in to support up-and-coming talent.”

Summer Gala Evening, Grand Opera House, York, Sunday, July 24, 7.30pm.Box office: 0844 871 3024 or grandoperahouseyork.org.uk