Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Thompson said it was the "right decision" not to revisit her character

Emma Thompson has spoken for the first time about why she isn't taking part in the upcoming Love Actually sequel.

A 10-minute film is currently being produced to raise money for Comic Relief.

Thompson appeared in the original 2003 film as the wife of Alan Rickman's character.

But in light of the actor's death last year, Thompson has said it would be "too sad" and "too soon" to revisit her character.

"Richard [Curtis, the writer] wrote to me and said 'darling we can't write anything for you because of Alan' and I said 'no of course, it would be sad, too sad'.

Image caption Alan Rickman died in January 2016

"It's too soon. It's absolutely right because it's supposed to be for Comic Relief but there isn't much comic relief in the loss of our dear friend really, only just over a year ago.

"We thought and thought but it just seemed wrong but to revisit the wonderful fun characters of Bill Nighy and Hugh Grant and Liam [Neeson] and all of that, that's fantastic but obviously what would he [Richard Curtis] have done?"

'Right decision'

Speaking about what might have happened to their characters Karen and Harry, whose marriage is rocked by Harry's affair with a colleague in Love Actually, Thompson added: "Both of them would be in therapy by now and I would be working on some kind of ward.

"It was absolutely the right decision."

The short sequel, which will be broadcast on BBC One on 24 March, has already begun filming.

Image copyright Nick Briggs/Comic Relief Image caption Rowan Atkinson returns as the somewhat slow shop assistant Rufus

Rowan Atkinson, Liam Neeson and Thomas Brodie-Sangster (the now-not-so-little boy from the first film, who also stars in Game of Thrones) have been seen shooting their scenes.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Thomas Brodie-Sangster has got quite a bit bigger since 2003

Atkinson returns as the shop assistant Rufus, who was painfully-slow at gift wrapping in the first film. He now appears to be working in a supermarket.

Image copyright Nick Briggs/Comic Relief Image caption Atkinson shot his scenes earlier this week

Hugh Grant, Martine McCutcheon, Keira Knightley, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth and Bill Nighy are among the other actors reprising their roles.

Read more about Red Nose Day Actually.

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