"HELLO, this is Clare . . ." It was one of those magic moments when the clouds parted and the sun started to shine.

Or at least it would have been if this was a film -- but I just had to make do with the fact that one of my heroines was taking time out to speak to me.

From her first appearance as a totally unknown actress in the film Gregory's Girl through to her appearances on Top of the Pops with Altered Images Clare Grogan has known how to cause a stir.

As an actress, TV presenter and soap star -- eight months when EastEnders became worth watching -- the diminutive Ms Grogan has always been a success.

But now she is preparing to return to her roots and sing in front of sell-out crowds around the country as part of the latest Here and Now tour.

Along with follow icons of the '80s, the Human League, Kim Wilde, Five Star, Dollar and Visage, Clare will be taking part in nine shows in the run-up to Christmas, culminating in a show at the Manchester Arena on Sunday, December 22.

"I always said I would never do it. I was asked to do the first Here and Now tour and refused," she says. "I though that's not who I am any more.

"But then I spoke to Kim (Wilde), who's done this tour before, and she told me not to take myself so seriously so I agreed to do it.

"You can't really turn down the chance to play in front of 20,000 people, can you?"

Having agreed to do the tour, Clare was faced with a slight problem.

"It's 16 years since I sang with Altered Images. I had to ring Sony and get them to send me our albums so I could listen to them again," she says. "I felt better once I had because they didn't sound dated."

For five years in the '80s, Altered Images had a string of hit singles and three top 10 albums. Songs such as I Could Be Happy, Happy Birthday and Don't Talk To Me About Love made Clare a familiar face on TV and a favourite of the music magazines.

"At that time we were all passionate about music. That's why everyone was in a band," she recalls. "I wanted to be Siouxsie and the Banshees and just happened to be in a band that got signed up."

At the same time Gregory's Girl, a low-budget film which became a box office smash, propelled Clare to further fame.

But seemingly each time major stardom has beckoned, Clare has withdrawn from the limelight or changed direction.

"I have pretty much worked continuously but I've never really known what's going to happen next. I'm terrified of being too calculated. I am an odd contradiction -- I really love what I do but I'm too scared to go for it. I love being in this business at a level I can control, not one that's controlling me. I was lucky to find that out early on and that was with Altered Images. We would get schedules telling us where we would be and what we would be doing and in the end it was just too much."

Since Altered Images Clare has forged a successful career as a presenter on satellite TV, has appeared in both Red Dwarf and Father Ted and has also acted on stage and on TV.

But it's her first love, music which is now keeping her occupied.

"We are all taking this tour very seriously," she says. "We don't want to come across as some sad 40-somethings -- we really want to put on a show.

"Now I've decided to do the tour I'm really excited by it."

Here and Now comes to Manchester Arena on Sunday, December 22. Tickets priced £28.50 are available from the box office on 1061 832 1111.JOHN ANSON

I love being in this business at a level I can control, not one that's controlling me