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Q&A with Stephen Mangan - Radio Times, January 2008 |
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Jenny Eden finds out what's on the cards for Green Wing's arrogant anaesthetist.
JE: Tell me about your new comedy,
Never Better.
SM: It's about Keith, who's a recovering
alcoholic. He's been drinking so long
he almost has to relearn how to be a
husband, father and friend, and how
to deal with the world sober.
He's in
the recovery process, which involves
quite a lot of self-examination and
introspection. He's trying to be a
good person and trying to stay sober.
It doesn't sound very funny, does it?
But trust me, it's hilarious.
How did you prepare - did you
go to the pub and drink a lot?
I didn't want to sit at the back of an
Alcoholics Anonymous meeting
pretending to be an alcoholic - I left
authenticity to the writers. And I've
been going down the pub drinking for
20 years, so it's all been research.
What's been your worst
drunken escapade?
I'm trying to think of one that's in
any way amusing and not just sordid.
When did you first get drunk?
I was about 12, and I was with my
dad on holiday in Portugal. My
dad ordered a pint of Pimm's and
I badgered him and he said, "OK,
you can have half a pint of Pimm's."
He and his mates kept asking for the
same again, but they didn't realise the
barman was bringing more and more
booze round the corner to me. After
about four hours I staggered out from
behind a pot plant, absolutely legless.
My mum was furious.
You're probably
best known
as Dr Guy
Secretan
in Green Wing. Is there any chance
of a new series?
Probably not. We've taken
it as far as we can. That
character was very
memorable - not
necessarily for the right
reasons. But who knows?
You're also in those credit card
adverts with Green Wing co-star
Julian Rhind-Tutt…
And I was in razor adverts in Turkey.
I'm not sure why they wanted me,
possibly because my eyebrows almost
meet in the middle. Can I say that, or
is that offensive? Julian's promised not
to have any more plastic surgery; he's
almost completely reconstructed. He
looked like Jimmy Krankie before.
You must have been chisel-jawed
and sexy to do shaving ads?
Possibly when I was about 20. I've got
a face that makes people laugh.
What's next for you?
I took three months off to be around
my son, Harry. Having him has
changed me in ways I can't describe.
Although he's not contributing much
yet. I may give him another month
before I send him back.
So you need to do something
to pay the bills?
I may be going to Los Angeles to
work on a pilot. Comedy doesn't
seem to be on the same level over
there as drama, so maybe it's due
a renaissance. If they want me to do
an American accent, I could model it
on Bruce Willis and shave my hair off.
One final question: your
breakthrough TV role was
playing Adrian Mole in Adrian
Mole: the Cappuccino Years in
2001 - a curse or blessing?
[The author] Sue Townsend is a hero
of mine, but I didn't look good in
those glasses. I grew up wanting to
be James Bond, and ended up as
Britain's biggest geek.
**
Now take a look at our full guide to Never Better.
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