Phoebe Waller-Bridge has opened up about the inspiration behind her hit comedy Fleabag.
The show ran for two series, which Phoebe wrote and starred in in a leading role.
The dark humour, which has seen her scoop up a dizzying number of awards, was built upon a particularly difficult period in her life, the star has told.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, Phoebe revealed she was "standing on a precipice" - and Fleabag was what she saw.
"When I was in my 20s and feeling quite cynical," she said, "I was standing on the precipice of being too cynical or being depressed about society pressures and waking up to the reality of pressures women are under.
"If I look down into the chasm below, at the bottom was Fleabag, wearing lipstick and looking back at me.
"It was the worst case scenario. This spiral of self-loathing judgement."
Phoebe, now 34, added: "This was a woman who felt she was really valued, primarily by her sexual desirability.
"I wanted to write about that in a way that was accessible and funny so people didn't realise what it was actually about.
"I felt in my early 20s, there were messages we had been fed our whole lives, and I only started zoning in on them in my early 20s.
"If I saw an ad, a woman in a bra looking at a pencil case she just got, it felt like we always had to be perfect, pert and looking gorgeous, then you can start your day."
She did stress, however, that Fleabag is not an autobiographical show on her part.
"Female relationships are so profound and complex," Phoebe continued, "You're used to seeing giggly girl gang portrayals, girls are cliquey or gossipy.
"We learn to talk to each other from an early time in our lives, we can skip the bull****."
Phoebe's credits also include Killing Eve's first series, as well as a writing credit on the upcoming James Bond installation, No Time To Die.
While denying she wrote the script, Phoebe described her role as adding "little spices."
Addressing how the franchise is evolving post #MeToo, Phoebe said: "They're having the conversation with themselves the whole time.
"[My involvement] was much more practical. Just, 'You're a writer, we need some help with these scenes. And you come up with some dialogue for these characters.'"
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