Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Describe your character

Roy Bowden is in his mid to late sixties, retired on a passable pension, but recently divorced from his wife Penny, for whom he hankers, but with whom he was childless. A shame, because Roy is very much a "Dad". This characteristic partly accounts for him taking feckless Tom Finnan into his lovely house; and certainly colours his attitude towards Tom's neglected daughter, Amber. The trouble is that Tom Finnan, although also in his sixties, behaves like an untrained (and often senseless) over-exciteable dog; or an emotionally retarded adult, desperate to live as perhaps he once did 40 years ago. This clash of characters drives the comedy and plots of The Old Guys. I'm eager to see how the writers develop the interaction between Tom and Roy, and hopefully explore the two very different social climates they aspire to.

What drew you to the role?

I played Roy in a pilot episode two years ago, and felt the characters' relationship was very thin. But these new scripts were more humanly convincing, and very much funnier. I laughed a great deal when I first read them, and over the months I've spent learning lines I knew were going to be under rehearsed. (At my age, I can't imbibe lines like I once could; and I've always wanted to play a believable Roy. Not just do a comic double-act). I was also delighted to be in a major new sitcom and perhaps blur, if not erase, the character of Richard Bucket, by which – for good and ill – I am recognised around the world.

What was it like to work with Roger and Jane?

So far so good. Roger and I bonded well before official work began; and I admire many facets of his surprisingly varied interests and abilities. I hope the writers reveal more details of our characters lives, and just why Roy is prepared to suffer quite so much at the hands of his boisterous, crass "mate". Jane, whom I didn't know at all, has been a delight, professionally sure and always amiable. How does she do it? She's a real seasoned trouper whereas Roger is more idiosyncratic, in life, and work.

What comedies do you enjoy?

Good God, I could write several books on this. I was brought up on theatre variety shows and being a Liverpudlian, loved all the Northern comics. Chaplin is one of my all time heroes, and I also love the poetic whimsicality of Jacques Tati. Ken Dodd in his prime was the most comprehensive and technically accomplished stand-up I've seen. The Marx Brothers, The Crazy Gang, The Goons, Morecambe & Wise, and The Two Ronnies – I'll stop there. I've acted many comic parts myself. Shakespeare's Clowns, Bob Acres in The Rivals, and several in TV before Keeping Up Appearances. Humour has to be part of life (otherwise it's death). And it's fun, finding comedy through character.

Any memorable moments from filming?

The cold. We had several freezing, or very wet days. For a tennis scene I had to wear only vest and shorts, two hours of it. Not only teeth, but whole body involuntarily shaking with cold.

Why should the audience tune in?

I, we all, hope it's a reasonably intelligent comedy about getting on (to put it politely). I'm delighted the writers have been aware of the hazards of ageing: frail bodies, frail minds, regrets, illusions, longings (unfulfilled), memories, fears... Roy knows these things whereas Tom does not want to. Hopefully, many of our ageing population will recognise something of themselves in The Old Guys, and laughter, as we know, is the best tonic of all.