A TELEVISION star says she is “as perplexed as the next person” after being picked to appear at a hallmark Jubilee event as a ‘national treasure’.

Carli Norris, 47, from Colchester, is perhaps best known for her roles in EastEnders, Doctors and Hollyoaks – but her next gig may well be her biggest yet.

This Sunday she will take part in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant alongside huge names such as Gary Lineker, Kate Moss and Dame Shirley Bassey.

The carnival finale will mark the final day of a special bank holiday weekend commemorating the 70 years since Her Majesty first sat on the throne.

Gazette:

Carli, who runs vintage retailer Chocodolly, was invited to be one of the 100 national treasures taking part in the parade – but she isn’t too sure how she pulled it off.

“I thought it was a joke and I even asked who it was that decided I was a national treasure?” added Carli.

“Maybe the Queen is a big EastEnders fan but I did once do a play in the West End and Princes Charles came to see it and I had to wear hotpants.

“We met afterwards and then the next day my fellow cast member who knew Charles said I had made a bit of an impression on him.

“I am as perplexed as the next person but it is a massive privilege to be among so many national treasures.

“I would never call myself a national treasure and everyone I tell laughs at me, but my husband does not let me do the washing up now – because I am a national treasure.”

As part of the ceremony, Carli will arrive at a secret location before the 100 icons are split into groups, with some appearing on an open top bus and others on podiums.

She will then be ushered onto a stage in front of Buckingham Palace while singing the national anthem, surrounded by everyone from Ed Sheeran to Basil Brush.

Gazette:

“I think I will be more nervous than doing something like EastEnders because I will be shoulder-to-shoulder with so many literal national treasures,” said Carli.

“I am terrified I will be found out and slung off the stage, but I will try and get to the front so I can wave to people watching from Colchester.

“I am going to embrace it with wide open arms and have a gorgeous day – I am going to cash in on this as much as I can, I might even get t-shirts made.”