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.

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.

I've got wealth and fame but I haven't changed my roots.

Prison widens your circle of friends. In my stand-up, I can now talk about things that no one else has the right to touch.

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.

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.