FROM gentlemen of a certain vintage in this office, I had a lot of competition to interview Vicki Michelle.

They were those who fondly recalled her as the raven-haired, fishnet-stockinged and suspendered waitress who sent caf owner Ren's temperature soaring in the TV comedy hit 'Allo, 'Allo.

Every time Vicki urgently breathed ''Rene!'' in her husky French accent, testosterone levels rose throughout Britain.

Those who fancied wandering down Memory Lane would not, I can report, have been disappointed.

She may be a caring mother but, with a twinkle in her eye, she drips sex appeal like honey off a warm spoon.

''I'd love to tackle some really serious parts, but when you earn a reputation for doing something successfully, you do tend to be offered a lot of similar roles and, at the end of the day, it pays the bills,'' she said,

The daughter of an actress, Vicki slipped easily into the profession. As a teenager, she was in episodes of Softy, Softly, The Professionals and Minder, but it was after an appearance on The Dick Emery Show that her comedy career took off.

Appearances with Ken Dodd and Les Dawson and in The Two Ronnies followed, then came the casting for 'Allo, 'Allo that was to imprint her image forever on the male psyche.

With long, tumbling hair, pouting red lips and a flash of stocking top never far away, Vicki cornered the market in portraying French waitresses.

How Gorden Kaye, as the hapless Ren, managed to cope with her amorous advances each week was a constant source of wonderment to most red-blooded British males.

''Oh, we had some great times on 'Allo, 'Allo,'' she laughed. ''It was one of those shows that was as much fun to do as it appeared on the screen.''

Vicki and Gorden have been reunited on stage recently in a new comedy by Jeremy Lloyd and John Chapman called Business Affairs, that plays Malvern Festival Theatre next week.

The couple appear alongside Ken Morley - Coronation Street's Reg Holdsworth- and Carol Harrison, from EastEnders, in a wonderfully hilarious tale of confusion and deception as two northern businessmen attempt to clinch a deal with their foreign counterparts.

Escort girls have been arranged to entertain the visitors, but it all goes pear-shaped when the two northern wives turn up unexpectedly. Oo'er Missus, as they say.

''It's a really funny play and it's been going down a storm,'' said Vicki. ''But I'd still like to get my teeth into a big, serious role one of these days.''

Joan of Arc in suspenders? Now there's a thought.

Business Affairs plays Malvern Festival Theatre from Monday, May 14 until Saturday, May 19. Tickets £18-£10. Box office 01684 892277.