As DSI Stella Gibson in BBC 2’s ‘The Fall’, Gillian Anderson plays an uncompromising and committed professional, a thoroughly liberated woman with her own unique morality, answerable to no-one but herself.

She is reasonable, but she has high expectations of everyone including herself.  She takes for granted her right to play at the highest level, and she makes life uncomfortable for anyone who questions it.  She doesn’t beat herself up, or feel the need to please anyone but herself.

In this complex and attractive role, Gillian Anderson could not look better. Even in high-def close-up she is every inch the Hollywood star, and she shines more brightly for being contrasted against her rather dowdy Belfast colleagues.  Given her character’s exacting standards this all seems perfectly credible.

Her wardrobe is classic and timeless, sophisticated and stylish.  If all 46 year-olds had such confidence and self-belief, I’d be out of a blog!

Maybe in the future all middle-aged women will be like this?