I think in many ways Johnny English is a more believable character.

I'm not looking for anything other than an interesting role to play.

The arts community still has a long lasting cynicism of the importance, or the artistic value, of comedy. Comedy is just farting about for money.

[Maigret] is more internal. I think if we made more of these I might let him out a bit.

I find his films about as funny as getting an arrow through the neck and discovering there's a gas bill tied to it.

But I always feel that whatever I do, I could do better. I suppose it is perfectionism.

In TV, and in particular in commercials, you don't really need to explain very much at all - you just say he's a spy and he's a little bit theatrical and overblown and smug and he's not very good at his job.