Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Comedian known for characters Stavros, Tim Nice But Dim, Kevin the Teenager, and Loads of Money.
On the island
Eight records
It's the first record I was ever given, which my Aunt Faye gave me, an E P when I was about four. And it was rebellious'cause my parents Don't like pop music.
Nabucco: OvertureFavourite
Vienna Opera Orchestra conducted by Lamberto Gardelli
I thought, well, if I can't have the whole opera, if I've got this, then I can hum the rest to myself for the rest of the day.
(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais
At fifteen I went from Worth the Lovely Public School to the Grammar School, Colliers in Horsham, and met Ted and Dave. Always people who are still my friends now. And we became punks, and it was just fantastic, and I developed it. Mock Mockney accent.
Something that reminds me of my childhood. and having a dog. It was just after Lucy, my littlest sister, was born, so I think I was quite happy.
Il trovatore: Soldiers' Chorus
New Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Zubin Mehta
I chose this. Because I used it as the inspiration to my first series that'll remind me of working and thinking, Thank goodness I don't have to go on television anymore. Now I'm on a desert island.
This is a beautiful French song which was introduced to me by my dear friend Kate Saint John who does the music for my shows and it reminds me of many happy times I've had over the years. With Kate and all my friends.
which I first heard When I was about sixteen and I went up to stay with Dave Cummings, who now writes for me. Who is a friend from school? In Norwich at university, and there was a very frightening chap there called Switch. He was so cool he didn't speak to me all weekend, I was enormously impressed. I remember him putting on this record in the evening and everyone sitting around rocking gently to it.
Emma Kirkby with the Academy of Ancient Music, conducted by Simon Preston
We had at our wedding. And it reminds me of my lovely wife and my lovely wedding. and signing signing things and looking at each other.
In conversation
Presenter asks
2:16Are there any of your characters you really don't like?
I don't particularly like [Frank Doberman]. I mean I feel sorry for all my characters, because I know why they are like they are.
Presenter asks
3:17Aren't you more like Kevin the teenager, who is endlessly horrible to his parents, and his parents are endlessly really very nice to him?
Yes, I was. I've been sent lots of letters about Kevin from parents saying thank you very much. This has been very therapeutic. We thought we were the only people in the country who had a teenager like this. It's true. Just you know, it only occurred to me about two years ago. I was thinking about my poor father coming to pick me up from parties at one o'clock. He'd have to wait outside. He would not be allowed to come and ring the door bell,'cause I didn't want my friends to see this sad man. I bitterly resented him even existing.
Presenter asks
9:48Did you genuinely like [opera], or were you just trying to do it?
Oh yes, I do. I love it. But I don't know much about it, so that's why I did a series. It was a sort of beginner's guide.
The keepsakes
The luxury
Presenter asks
18:38Why does it take so long [between your shows]?
Partly'cause I had a sort of r rough time in my personal life between the third show and the fourth show. So I wasn't really in the mood for comedy. And then Partly Because it it just takes a long time to come up with things that I think are different and I don't like carrying on doing exactly the same thing.
Presenter asks
24:24Does [fame] worry you? I sense you don't like it very much.
It hasn't bothered me that much. Being famous. But in London, you see, most people just say hello, Harry, and I go hello, and it's like, you know, that used to happen to me in Billingshurst.
Presenter asks
26:17What do you want to be doing [when you are older]?
I wouldn't mind being in production or directing or something. But I'd sooner be behind the camera. I especially don't want children to grow up. My children with this little one we've got on the way To go out with a famous Dad. I don't think it helps.
“I was thinking about my poor father coming to pick me up from parties at one o'clock. He'd have to wait outside. He would not be allowed to come and ring the door bell,'cause I didn't want my friends to see this sad man. I bitterly resented him even existing.”
“I went to university aged [18] Thinking I'd almost sorted out how to run the world. There were just one or two fine points I needed to clear up. And I came out three years later thinking there are millions of fine points millions of points. I'm in a hopeless mess about the whole thing, which was good.”
“I don't want to still be doing this when I'm fifty. ... I don't want to be a grey-haired chirpy comedian.”