We were the only black family in an estate with 1,000 white families. Liverpool being quite racist in the Sixties, it was a bit grim growing up.

British fans are exceptional, but the American fans are something else. Some of them fly 500 miles to stand in line for three hours, just to meet me, then when they do they collapse.

Who needs drugs when you have Takeshi's Castle?

I'm busy and that's the way I like it - when I have too much downtime I get into trouble.

Once journalists have been rifling through your dustbins, you do try and keep them at arms' length.

We were the only black family in an estate with 1,000 white families. Liverpool being quite racist in the Sixties, it was a bit grim growing up.

Critics called me 'egregious' - I had to look that one up - and 'creepy', but now I don't read them, I weigh them.