ACTRESS Hermione Norris says working in the British TV industry pays so little that she does her shopping in the Asda budget section.

The former Spooks star, who grew up in Southend, was reported to have earned £75,000 per episode for the final series of Cold Feet on ITV in 2003. But apparently times are now harder.

She told the latest edition of Reader’s Digest: “It’s quite a different industry now and the money has gone down hugely. So there’s still quite a bit of Asda Smart Price going on in my life.

“I certainly don’t squander cash lightly. I think, perhaps, if you work in America, the fees are still very good. But my life is here and I love British drama.”

She added: “And, you know, there’s part of me that would rather eat beans than find myself working in something that I didn’t believe in.”

Hermione, who also starred in Kingdom, now lives in West London with her husband writer and producer Simon Wheeler and their two children.