So long possums! Dame Edna's last hurrah

I’ve got a party frock and matching glasses for every occasion, but I’m not a vain woman and I don’t waste any time getting ready. Usually I like to wear something quite simple and rely on my accessories to do the talking. My large entourage of toyboys is my favourite accessory. They’re my little backing group, whom I like to call The Ednarones. They’re very supportive when I’m out at parties and, of course, they double as bodyguards because a lot of people throw themselves at me in a horrible way. I’m still a very attractive woman and I’m a magnet to the opposite sex. Benedict Cumberbatch and I have got a little bit of a thing going on at the moment. But I’m certainly not one of his Cumberbitches; I’m more of a Cumberbundle.

I find the hardest thing at parties is to balance everything, so I always take a handbag with me, which I also use as a doggy bag. If I like a canapé, I’ll pop it in and nibble on it throughout the evening. Also in my handbag I’ll have a security alarm so I can call my toyboys at the touch of a button.

The sign of a good night is getting home before midnight. Anything that happens after 12am is generally a waste of time. The highlight of my party season is Christmas with Rupert Murdoch, when we always play charades — my favourite party game. I normally win; for some reason Rupert is very nervous around me, which always gives me the upper hand.

I’m hosting a wonderful party at the moment with my show at the Palladium and I promise you that the audience will be ready in their seats while I’m finishing my meal in a nearby restaurant. Seconds later I’ll be on stage, wearing whichever frock I happen to have on at the time.

What’s your party trick?

To leave early. To be the last guest to leave gives you a bad reputation and people are frankly very boring after ten minutes.

What’s your drink of choice?

A Burst Boil — a popular Australian cocktail consisting mostly of advocaat with a dollop of cherry brandy on top.

What gets you dancing?

Chubby Checker, who is a very old friend and gives me tax advice. When he first invented The Twist, he came to my home and gave me a demonstration.

What’s your dancing style?

Abandoned. I’m pretty wild on the dancefloor.

Best decade for partying?

New York in the 1960s and 1970s. I used to go to Studio 54 with Andy Warhol and there would be lots of young men running around topless, serving drinks. Everybody was there — David Hockney, Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli and Mick Jagger — but little Andy was the most fun. He was a great party companion; he painted my portrait many times so we were very close.

When were you at your wildest?

Last night, when I gave a little dinner for One Direction. They consider me their lucky mascot and they have a lovely sense of humour so we laugh a lot together.

Who are your favourite party companions?

Jung Chang and her husband Jon Halliday are pretty wild.

Who gives the best parties?

Kathy Lette, because she collects celebrity friends and only invites the justly famous. At her last party I mingled with Ed Miliband, Stephen Fry, Ruby Wax and Salman Rushdie.

What makes a good host?

Remember the names of your guests, only refill empty glasses and make sure there are places for people to sit.

Most debauched London nightspot?

McDonald’s, but I can’t divulge any personal anecdotes because you wouldn’t be able to print them, you’d be sued.