John Simm Q&A - Radio Times, February 2007

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John Simm Q&A - Radio Times, February 2007

John Simm as Sam Tyler in Life on Mars © BBC

The Life on Mars star talks to Nick Griffiths about music, acting - and a certain cheeky voiceover artist…

NG: Is it true that you're in a band?

JS: Yes, Magic Alex. I play guitar. We did two massive tours supporting Echo and the Bunnymen in 1999 and 2002. We did a demo in 2001 and we're releasing an album this year.

You also played New Order singer Barney Sumner in the movie 24 Hour Party People. What's it like playing someone who's alive and has a reputation for being slightly grumpy?

It was fine. He sat behind me at the premiere and tapped me on the shoulder. One of the finest moments of my life was them getting me onstage at Finsbury Park in front of thousands of people to sing Digital.

So, your CV: Cracker, The Lakes, White Teeth, State of Play, Wonderland, Canterbury Tales, Sex Traffic, Life on Mars… Where's the rubbish?

I've got a really good eye for scripts, I think. So far it's worked. I've done my fair share of rubbish. There were mistakes. But not very often. Usually if it grabs me, I'll go with it.

What do you look for?

The writing, first of all. It has to be good to hold my attention. I've been very, very lucky to work with some wonderful writers. Then I've got to look at it career-wise - is it the right thing to do? With Life on Mars, I'd never done a big BBC primetime glossy Spooks-style thing, so that's why I did it.

You're also credited with being in the Sky One comedy series Is Harry on the Boat?…

That really f***s me off, man!

Weren't you in it?

No! My then-girlfriend Kate [Magowan], who's now my wife, is in it and my mate Danny Dyer is in it, and I went out there because I was in-between jobs. And they put: "With Keith Allen, John Simm…"

You weren't in it at all?

There's a bit at the end where Danny is handing out trophies and I'm literally an extra. I walk up and take a trophy. It's the back of my head. That's really cheeky. I'm furious with those people.

Was it a strain living in London and filming Life on Mars in Manchester?

Yeah. Six days, six months of every year. It's difficult when you've got a little boy. It was difficult explaining where I was the whole year. It was tough. Never again.

One final question: Do you do every voiceover on TV, or is there a bloke who sounds like you?

There is a bloke who sounds like me. I do some, every so often, but there's a sound-alike. They're trying to do something about it. I'm not joking, my Dad rings me up and says, "When did you do that?" and I'd say, "It's not me, Dad." And he goes, "It is you, I'd know your voice anywhere." "Dad, I'm telling you, it's not me!" He thinks I'm lying. I'd be a millionaire if I did all those voiceovers.

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