Greg Wise is happy to let his wife Dame Emma Thompson's career take priority because she "earns a lot more" and he's happy doing DIY at home

He told the Observer newspaper: "I spent the year after 'Sense and Sensibility' working as a builder, which I loved ... I'm not really an actor ... I'm going to get slapped by the wife for saying that."

Greg added that he loves "sawing down... trees and planting things and doing all of that ... Life's quite short, so I try to explore as many different things as possible ...

"[Acting has] never been the most important. I'm so ... lucky to have been able to make a living for 30-odd years. I think I'm all right. I'm not God's ... gift."

He added of his wife's successful Hollywood career: "Em comes and goes. She's been doing an awful lot of writing and she's making a thriller in Finland at the moment. She earns a lot more than me, so God bless her. Let her work!"

The couple live in London but they also own a home in Venice, Italy and they are hoping to spend more time there eventually.

According to the Daily Mail newspaper's Eden Confidential column, Emma told Italian publication Il Gazzettino: "Since I was a child I have dreamed of living in a magical place like Venice.

"Now, I have realised my dream. I have moved into a house in the city and when I can, I spend at least two or three months there. And, in the meantime, I'm studying Italian, which I want to know and speak as best as possible."

Emma insisted she still lives in London so she can help look after her elderly mother, but she does hope to relocate to Venice for a whole year.

She added: "I still live in London, in the same street as my children and my mother, who is 91 years old and needs me, but my greatest desire is to settle in Venice for the whole year. Meanwhile, I'm happy to be able to enjoy the city for at least a couple of months."