EMMA Thompson told children at her local bookshop that she hopes to make more Nanny McPhee films if financers will back them. Following on from the first two movies, she hopes to set the next one in contemporary New York; They want one set in the modern

EMMA Thompson told children at her local bookshop that she hopes to make more Nanny McPhee films if financers will back them.

Following on from the first two movies, she hopes to set the next one in contemporary New York; "They want one set in the modern day present and I like the idea of having a poster of her about to bite into the big apple.

"But I also want to send her into space," she added.

Parents and schoolchildren flocked to West End Books in West Hampstead yesterday to hear the Oscar-winner talk about the recently released Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang, which she wrote and starred in.

Ms Thompson, who has lived in West Hampstead all her life, told young fans that if the movie makes money then financial backers will green light another one. "It's as simple as that."

She has written a book to accompany the film, about a family struggling to run their farm while the father is fighting in World War II.

"I wrote the diary bit of the book while we were shooting on days when I wasn't acting and I thought 'why don't I write the story as well? That took me two months. Writing the film took me four and a half years."

Youngsters were treated to insider details about costume, make-up and how major scenes were shot, with a combination of live action, props and CGI.

Looking tanned and youthful for her 51 years, Thompson also revealed to her young audience that her actress mum Phyllida Law once "widdled in the laundry basket," and the film's character Aggie was named after her old headmistress at Beckford School.

"They were still allowed to hit us when I was little and they used to hit us on the back of the leg, but we had a really nice headmistress called Aggie Able where I got the name of Aggie from."

* Read more in next week's Ham&High, out on Thursday May 6.