I think that London is very much like that. I find there's humour in the air and people are interesting. And I think that it's a place which is constantly surprising. The worst thing about it? I think it can be smug and aggressive.

I do think I'm a character actor.

I have almost no memory of them [St. Trinian's films]. I don't think I've seen them since I was quite young. I was a bit frightened of the girls. I fancied them. Even though I was young, I found them attractive and rather frightening. I've always been attracted to frightening girls! I'm married to one!

It's an unknown quantity. It's actually almost a cliché to say it, how hard comedy is. What's that famous quote? "Dying is easy, comedy's hard." I think the broader it gets, if you miss by a millimetre, you've missed completely. It's a very hard thing to do.

The last thing I would attempt to do is to buy clothes for a child I didn't know well.

I haven't had to struggle very much. I haven't paid my dues. I think I have been lucky.

I have a kind of neutrality, physically, which has helped me. I have a face that can be made to look a lot better - or a lot worse.