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

I have a stepladder. It's a very nice stepladder but it's sad that I never knew my real ladder.

Coming from having absolutely nothing to having a few grand in the bank, it was a big culture leap. I think that's why I went off the rails a bit really, 'cause there was no training for it. They didn't do fame in schools.

There was never any career plan. When 'Red Dwarf' started I thought we were doing a curious little sitcom on BBC2, I didn't think I was becoming an actor. I didn't see that 21 years later I'd still be talking about it, let alone filming a new one. For me everything's always been an accident.

My life has been, I suppose, the most incredible series of highs and lows.

I've been very lucky, this is my 30th year on TV.

Who needs drugs when you have Takeshi's Castle?