Dame Helen Mirren lied to Oprah Winfrey that her house was undergoing renovations to hide the fact she had no loo roll.

The 67-year-old actress was ''embarrassed'' when Oprah - who produced her new movie 'The Hundred-Foot Journey' - came to visit her at home, and insisted on entertaining her in the garden to avoid admitting the fact she was missing some household essentials.

She said: ''Oprah came to my house, which I was very embarrassed about, because it's quite likely she would have landed in the loo that didn't have any loo paper.

''I had to say, 'I'm really sorry, we're having renovations on the house. Would you mind if you just don't go inside?' I was so embarrassed by what she might see.''

While 'The Queen' star admitted she isn't very fashionable, she confessed to adoring ''stripper shoes'' such as the high-heeled clear platforms she is often spotted in on the red carpet.

She told USA Today newspaper: ''I'm not very fashionable, but I love fashion. My stripper shoes are great. They're my secret weapon. They're not so secret anymore. It means I can look Nicole Kidman in the eye. I've got two pairs of them. It's always the same ones.''