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Stockard Channing has opened up about her 'reclusive' life in London after relocating from the US.

As Rizzo in the 1978 movie Grease, the actress was the epitome of Americana and she then went on to play First Lady Abbey Bartlet in The West Wing.

But now, Stockard is happy with her quiet life in London, explaining how she relocated from Maine in 2019 following the devastating 2014 death of her partner, the producer Dan Gillham.

The New York born star, who has been married four times, has lived alone since her partner died over a decade ago and has now declared 'I’m happy being a recluse.'

She added: 'Children were thought about and, yeah, I think about them now because it’d be great to have someone taking care of me. But hey, children can be just as selfish as everybody else out there.'

Stockard added in the interview with The Sunday Times Magazine that President Trump's election was another reason for her move, explaining how Dan's death 'was more devastating than I realised; it had a lag effect. The pattern of my life shifted, so I shifted my life from Maine.'

Stockard Channing has opened up about her 'reclusive' life in London after relocating from the US

'It vaguely coincided with Trump getting elected and the way politics has changed in the US.'

'People look at The West Wing and go, “ Wow, wasn’t it great when politicians had an ounce of integrity?”'

Stockard has been married and divorced four times over her decades-long career. She wed her first husband, a wood sculptor named Walter Channing Jr, in 1963, and they split in 1967.

She then tied the knot with a professor named Paul Schmidt in 1970, but they divorced after six years together. Her third marriage was to writer and producer David Deblin, whom she was with from 1976 to 1980.

Stockard then wed businessman David Rawle in 1980. They went their separate ways eight years later. She then entered into a relationship with cinematographer and producer Daniel in 1990, whom she was with until he passed away in 2014.

Stockard is currently making her directorial debut with a production of Krapp’s Last Tape at an Edinburgh Festival run.

The Samuel Beckett classic will see David Westhead take on the role of Krapp, a 69-year-old man reflecting on his life through old tape recordings.

Stockard is happy with her quiet life in London, explaining how she relocated from Maine in 2019 following the devastating 2014 death of her partner, the producer Dan Gillham (pictured in 1998)

Her decision to direct the piece is rooted in her friendship and creative partnership with David and their desire to raise funds for The Wembley to Soweto Foundation.

The actress will also be busy later this year with the anticipated release of Practical Magic 2, in which she reprises her role as Aunt Frances Owens.