A lot of pubs in London are now faceless, expensive yuppy bars. Not like when I was growing up. The pub used to be, and should be, the pillar of community.

I'd love to play Neil Kinnock. Because of my ginger hair, I thought that was a possibility. He's a hero and a villain in most people's eyes, but I'd like to do that, I think I'd be right for it.

My friends decided to open a pub and asked me to be part of it. The day-to-day running is something I know little about. Luckily, I'm the demented figurehead, a kind of mascot. I get all the good stuff - like free pork scratchings - without any of the bad stuff.

You'd phone or knock on the door of your friend or neighbour if they hadn't appeared at your local pub or bar for a few days, just to make sure they weren't dead in the cellar.

I'm quite sexy - if you like gingers.

If you grow up poor you're always going to worry about money, no matter how successful or lucky you become. I'm not moaning about what actors get paid - I'm very, very lucky - but the difference between what leading actors get paid and supporting actors get is a lot.

My first paid job was delivering newspapers. The first paid acting job I got was dressing up as Edam cheese and handing out leaflets on London's Oxford Street. I got pushed over by these little herberts and given a good shoe-in.