Perhaps best known as a singer and musical actress, Anita Harris is no stranger to the odd bit of stiff upper lip British farce after starring in the Carry On films Carry on Doctor and Follow that Camel.

Her latest role sees the veteran performer return to the arena of witty one liners, gaffes and buffoonery for a touring production of Come On, Jeeves, also starring Victor Spinetti, Derren Nesbitt and Myfanwy Waring, which comes to the Theatre Royal Windsor this week.

Based on P G Wodehouse's much-loved series of books about the inimitable gentleman's gentleman Jeeves and his hapless master Bertie Wooster, the satirical comedy sees Jeeves (Richard Pocock) on loan to the Earl of Towcester (James Cawood), who, after losing heavily on the horses, decides to become a bookie under the ridiculous guise of Honest Patch Perkins.

Hilarious shenanigans unfold as the dimwitted earl finds himself with an unpaid debt and a furious punter (Spinetti) on his tail, leaving Jeeves to come to the rescue in his usual impeccable style.

Anita joins the stellar cast as Mrs Spottsworth, a widowed American clairvoyant who wants to buy the earl's crumbling mansion. With her unwavering zest for life and flamboyant flair for fun, she was considered perfect for the role of the mischievous Yank.

The 65-year-old star, whose showbiz career spans more than four decades, tells me: "I was drawn to the production for two reasons. Number one, the fabulous cast that I'm sharing it with and number two, the role - she is dotty!

"Having done a lot of dramatic pieces recently, such as Daphne du Maurier's My Cousin Rachel, this was like a lovely release.

"I played Miss Hannigan in Annie two Christmases ago and I loved that freedom of spirit which I also saw in Mrs Spottsworth and I thought this is a character that can go anywhere if I allow her."

As well as the larger-than-life Wodehouse creations, the audience can enjoy being transported back to a more magical, less complicated era.

"It's lovely to be set in the 30s, It's just so quintessentially English," Anita enthuses. "There is the charm of the slightly old fashioned English language with the thrust of a really good story, which takes the characters on a whirlwind and goes round so many bends and corners, it's delightful. The audience are taken out of the 2008 taken back to the 30s and they can drift. They can just waft away and enjoy being alive."

And there is one venue the Somerset-born actress is especially excited about returning to.

"The Theatre Royal Windsor and this play were born for each other because of the magic and romance of the period and because of the richness that Windsor holds," she says. "It's lovely to be going back."

One person who will be taking his seat in the front row is Anita's number one fan - her husband, the painter, writer and artistic director Mike Margolis, who also acts as her manager.

Anita, who lives with Mike in Surrey, tells me with a smile: "We celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary recently and we are very happy. We share a great deal and have a lot of joy.

"He loves to come and watch me perform and he loves to see the play change with each performance. He often drives me to shows or comes and collects me and will even have a casserole in the oven waiting for me. We are both creative people and are very much a team."

Singer, dancer, actress, presenter and writer, Anita had her first taste of showbiz aged just 16 when she was whisked to Las Vegas to perform with a dance troupe after being talent spotted at a London ice rink.

But her big break came with the release of her hit single Just Loving You in 1967 and there is one person who she has it all to thank for, Bucks-born singer Dusty Springfield.

"It is Dusty I am most grateful to," she muses. "I was singing on the same Top of the Pops as her and she called me over and said I think my brother has a song for you'.

"She introduced me to Tom and he gave me Just Loving You. It was on the charts for two years and sold more than two million copies. Every time I sing it I thank Dusty because it was such an unselfish thing."

The rest, they say, is history, with continued chart success, the opportunity to work with great comics such as Harry Secombe, Tommy Copper, Jimmy Tarbuck and Bruce Forsyth, leading film roles and numerous stage triumphs, including a critically-acclaimed turn as Grizabella in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats and, more recently, Strangers on a Train.

Come On, Jeeves is at the Theatre Royal Windsor from Tuesday, May 27 to Saturday, May 31 at 8pm. Matinees are on Thursday at 2.30pm and Saturday at 4.45pm. Tickets: 01753 853888