I saw a ghost when I was staying at Dartington Hall in Devon in the 1960s. I think there are many different kinds of entities, some are scary and some aren't, it depends on the state of mind you're in when you are confronted. I found that quite scary because it appeared when I was asleep, so it was quite a shock, but the other ones I've encountered, I didn't find scary. I have a lot more understanding of them.

The only thing is worrying about sleeping. If I have to be up early I worry about being able to get to sleep.

I can be very stubborn. I'm very opinionated and if people cross me at work - if people who don't know about the job try telling me what to do - I become very stubborn and really rather unpleasant.

If someone opens a glorious Scotch or a bottle of wine, it's no more than a whimsy, but after nearly 40 years I'm used to it. I don't find it difficult not being drunk when other people are, but I get uncomfortable because they're uncomfortable with where I am.

My very first professional job was with a theatre company in 1965 and the first job they gave me was literally shovelling sh*t. I was an assistant stage manager and they told me to clear out the prop store. I opened it up and no-one had been in there for 25 years and it was inches deep in rat sh*t. So before I could get anywhere I had to clear it up. I thought, 'All these years of training, the best drama school in the world, and this is what I'm doing.'

It sounds very pretentious, but I don't lie. It's too uncomfortable. A lot of people think because you're an actor that makes you a good liar, but one of the things I can't articulate is a bad lie.

If you travel to the continent you never have any problems overtaking, this is the only country I know where the outside lane is congested and the two inner lanes are empty. It drives me crazy. I'm ashamed that is so typically British.