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Joe McGann is, without doubt, a Scouser through and through. Born and raised in the city, his love for the place shines from every pore when asked what it was like to grow up during what many look upon as its halcyon period.

"It was fabulous and the thing about it was is that it was so inclusive. I was born in 1958 so you could feel The Beatles and everything else that was going on here at the time, but there was always that vibe anyway.

"Then of course there was Shankly and what he was doing with Liverpool FC so to us it felt that the spotlight of the world was focused on the city. There were always people around to help, as well, and my brothers and me were always involved in extra-curricular stuff such as Scouts, rock climbing and running for the Liverpool Harriers and what have you.

"I was working in Glasgow when they had it in 1990 and you could see the pride seep back into the place, but the pride of Liverpool never really went away. It’s one of the few places where if you want to be into football and listening to music, that’s fine, but if you want to be involved in the arts at a more creative level then that’s fine too. You won’t get pilloried for it.

"I've travelled around a lot and there really isn't a city in the world that has what Liverpool has with regards to that sense of acceptance for Arts and Culture. It’s always been a case of 'go and have a go, mate' more than of 'you can't do that' like in most cities, I think".

Joe will probably always be best remembered for playing Charlie Burrows, a retired footballer with a young daughter who becomes a handyman for a rich business - woman in ITV’s The Upper Hand.

The show ran for six years over ninety-six episodes and gathered a huge following for its will they / won't they scenario. However, despite the success of the show, it is the theatre where the actor feels most at home.

"I don't miss being a regular on TV one bit. In fact, I gave my TV away last June because the majority of what’s on is utter rubbish anyway. Of course, if a part came in that I was interested in I'd take a look at it but I don't actively seek TV roles because the phone rings anyway.

"At the end of the day, I'm a self-employed actor who is looking to diversify all the time. I've been blessed in saying that my CV covers just about every aspect of acting that’s available and, besides, theatre pays better, being honest, it gives me more regular work and its more involved.

"The Upper Hand was great to work on, but being on TV regularly I can honestly say I don’t miss at all".

Joe is currently touring the country playing Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof, the role made famous by Topol in the Academy Award winning movie and a part he was initially hesitant about taking.

"I never liked the movie when I was growing up because I always thought it too dour. So, when it was offered, I was really unsure but I did a bit of research anyway, found out that my part was originally written for Danny Kaye and everyone I asked about it said read the script, which I did and loved it.

"When I spoke to the Director about possibly moving it away from the film version a little bit, he said he wanted to do that anyway so the show’s been redesigned, has different choreography and is also much funnier than people realise. It has such a serious backdrop to the story, the humour of it gets a little lost in the movie which is what people go from.

"It's also something I can relate more to now than when I was younger, because I realise that laughing in the face of adversity is what Scousers like myself have always done, just like Tevye does in this.

"It’s also unusual for a musical to have so many themes and the difference with this is that the main character doesn't get anything he wishes for in his big number, If I Were A Rich Man, and its those little twists that make it interesting. My Father-in-law was in the stage production of it at Her Majesty’s in London with both Topol and Alfie Bass playing Tevye and he taught me a little bit more about the background of the period, but the show’s certainly not all doom and gloom and audiences can expect a rollocking good night out with plenty of laughs, some great songs, a wonderful cast and a beautifully designed set. What more could you want?"

Joe is the eldest of the McGann brothers and Paul, Mark and Stephen have all had their successes, both on stage and on TV. But, as Joe points out, there isn't any sibling rivalry.

"We're all really individual people and we all went into acting for different reasons. There was never a collective plan to do it and there isn't any rivalry because we all go up for different types of role anyway.

"We've all got different strengths and weaknesses but we're very supportive of each other and go and see each other’s work. Paul’s already been to see Fiddler and Mark and Stephen are coming along later in the run, which is great, but then we don't know any different.

"We're all actors but might just as well be painters and decorators or builders with different skills. We all have separate lives and we all have separate jobs to do".

Joe was last seen performing in Liverpool in the up-dated, street theatre production of The Nativity for Â鶹ԼÅÄ 3 last December, which proved to be a tremendous hit.

Before that he was in his one-man show, One Fine Day, at the Liverpool Playhouse in 1997, which later transferred to the West End, and before that again in Blood Brothers in 1984.

"It was great to be back at Christmas and I'm really looking forward to being here again in a big show on The Empire’s big stage in Fiddler. The Nativity was such a laugh and performing with old mates like Louis Emerick, Geoff Hughes, Paul Barber and Cathy Tyson was special but, with it being live TV, there was always that thought that it might all go terribly wrong.

"Considering it was on the day Liverpool lost to Manchester United at Anfield and that it was a bitterly cold night, the streets were crammed, it was a great atmosphere and it all went without a hitch.

"My abiding memories of the whole experience will always be of getting to sing Lady Madonna and, also, as we were coming off stage at the end, of the crowd singing 'One Baby Jesus. There’s only one Baby Jesus'. Fabulous and only in Liverpool would you get that".

So, what’s next for Joe McGann?

"I'm really hoping to be back here in Liverpool later in the year in a play called Eric’s at The Everyman. It’s a new musical by the Liverpool writer, Mark Davies Markham, celebrating the musical hothouse of the late 70’s and early 80’s. I work-shopped it last year and it is such a fabulous play so, fingers crossed, something can be sorted out".