I think the problem with people like this is that they are so stupid that they have no idea how stupid they are.

What's the bleedin' point?

I find it rather easy to portray a businessman. Being bland, rather cruel and incompetent comes naturally to me.

The Americans are so much more positive. They are much more in love with success. In Britain, they're a fairly envious bunch, and they love it if you fail.

When the target audience is American teenage kids, you can have problems. My generation prized really fine acting and writing. Sometimes you have to go back to the basic principles which underpin great visual comedy.

What have the Romans ever done for us?

I think it's because in America you always get the sense that if you fail, you can just pack up your things and go somewhere else and try again. But in England, it's so geographically small that if somebody succeeds here, it reduces your chances of succeeding.