▁family , ▁more ▁un ited ▁than ▁in ▁actual ity ". ▁ ▁" And ▁Mrs ▁D ale ▁is ▁the ▁rock , ▁the ▁stable ▁M UM . ▁ ▁D read ful ▁things ▁happen ▁to ▁other ▁people , ▁but ▁we ▁can ▁rely ▁on ▁Mrs ▁D ale ▁not ▁to ▁do ▁anything ▁wild ▁or ▁silly , ▁or ▁break ▁down . ▁S HE ▁is ▁our ▁comfort ▁and ▁re - ass urance ". ▁▁ ▁Like ▁the ▁Queen ▁representing ▁all ▁that ▁is ▁good ▁in ▁government , ▁Andrew s ▁mus es , ▁people ▁accept ▁the ▁myth ▁of ▁Mrs ▁D ale ▁because ▁' it ▁serves ▁our ▁purposes '. ▁ ▁' M rs ▁D ale , ▁the ▁tea - cup ▁queen , ▁stands ▁for ▁all ▁that ▁is ▁nice ▁about ▁home - life '. ▁ ▁Through out ▁the ▁Dav ies ▁years ▁at ▁Mrs ▁D ale ' s ▁Di ary , ▁Mrs ▁D ale ▁was ▁played ▁by ▁Ell is ▁Pow ell . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the ▁actor ▁Pen el ope ▁Keith , ▁a ▁Mrs ▁D ale ▁fan ▁herself ▁and ▁a ▁serial ▁star ▁of ▁television ▁com ed ies , ▁presented ▁a ▁programme ▁for ▁BBC ▁Radio ▁ 4 ▁called ▁I ' m ▁R ather ▁Wor ried ▁about ▁Jim , ▁taking ▁its ▁title ▁from ▁what ▁had ▁become ▁Mrs ▁D ale ' s ▁catch - phr ase ▁that ▁regularly ▁repeated ▁in ▁her ▁opening ▁di ary ▁entry . ▁Jim ▁D ale ▁was ▁her ▁doctor ▁husband . ▁ ▁The ▁programme ▁anal ys ed ▁the ▁appeal ▁of ▁Mrs ▁D ale , ▁and ▁also ▁looked ▁at ▁the ▁real - life