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Ray Winstone

Kirsty Young talks to actor Ray Winstone.

Kirsty Young's castaway this week is the actor Ray Winstone.

Nil By Mouth, Sexy Beast, Vincent, The Sweeney - he's probably best known for totally authentic tough-guy, geezer-parts. But his work has more range and nuance, encompassing roles as varied as Henry VIII, Magwich in Great Expectations and the lead in Beowulf.

Beyond the screen the man himself almost seems to come from a bygone era, when a fellow worth his salt always wore a dapper three piece suit and was handy with his fists. In his youth as a boxer he won 80 of his 88 fights and it seemed for a while that a whiff of menace had followed him out of the ring and onto the streets.

However he says, "I'm not like the geezers I play: loads of things scare me in everyday life but you have to hide a bit and put on a front. I cry at movies, I cry at scripts, I cried when West Ham got back into the Premiership - I'm even frightened of spiders."

Producer: Cathy Drysdale.

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 2 Jan 2015 09:00
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell

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Clips

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Music Played

  • Frank Sinatra

    I've got you Under My Skin

    • My Way: The Best Of Frank Sinatra.
    • Reprise.

  • Doris Day

    Que Sera Sera

    • Golden Hits of The '50s.
    • Membran.

  • CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE

    • Lois and the Love

      Pinnochio

      • Not applicable.
      • Not applicable.

  • Pietro Mascagni

    Intermezzo from Pietro Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana

    Performer: Orchestra Lirica e Coro della Cetra di Torino. Performer: Arturo Basile.
    • Cavalleria Rusticana.
    • Warner Fonit.

  • Johnny Cash

    The Man Comes Around

    • American IV: The Man Comes Around.
    • American.

  • Peter Gabriel

    Don't Give Up

    • Earthwise.
    • Polygram.

  • The Verve

    The Drugs Don't Work

    • This is Music the Singles.
    • Virgin.

  • Nat King Cole

    Stardust

    • Nat King Cole Β– Greatest Love Songs.
    • Black Tulip.

  • BOOK CHOICE

    The Searchers by Alan LeMay

  • LUXURY ITEM

    A Fishing Rod

Credits

Presenter Kirsty Young
Interviewed Guest Ray Winstone
Producer Cathy Drysdale

Broadcasts

  • Sun 28 Dec 2014 11:15
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
  • Fri 2 Jan 2015 09:00
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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