Dame Judi Dench dreads having to perform with schoolchildren.

The 79-year-old actress has enjoyed an incredibly successful career that's seen her star on TV, on the stage and in award-winning films.

Yet the 'Philomena' actress admits she still harbours fears over appearing alongside schoolchildren, explaining: ''I have always had a terrible fear of a lot of schoolchildren together. I don't know why but I just have.''

Speaking at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, Dame Judi explained that her sense of fear was particularly acute while filming the 2006 film 'Notes on a Scandal' with Cate Blanchett, though she insists she ''had a wonderful time'' shooting the movie.

Dame Judi explained to the Radio Times: ''On my very first day playing this rather difficult part, I was confronted by a whole school of children. I was absolutely petrified.''

However, Dame Judi concedes making the movie went some way towards helping her to overcome her irrational fear.

She added: ''We used several of them in the film. They all turned out to be absolutely wonderful - completely committed and enthusiastic and interesting to talk to and interested in what we were doing.

''To some extent I got over my fear.''