Fresh Meat: Greg McHugh - As a fresher I woke up with a TV on my back and sick in my shoes
"Howard is the oddball of the house. In the opening scene he is hair-drying Peking ducks without any trousers or indeed pants on…which was a lot of fun to shoot, as you can imagine!"
Who do you play?
Howard is the oddball of the house. In the opening scene he is hair-drying Peking ducks without any trousers or indeed pants on…which was a lot of fun to shoot, as you can imagine!
Did you live with any oddballs at university?
I lived with a guy in Glasgow who wouldn't leave his toothbrush in the bathroom. Now that is probably quite wise but it makes you wonder what happened to you that you'll never leave your toothbrush unattended? And he took his own toilet roll. He had a lot of issues.
What did you get up to in freshers' week?
Oh you know, the usual – woke up with a TV on my back and sick in my shoes. I can't claim it was some kind of tropical disease, sadly; I’d knocked over a shelving unit after over-indulging.
What was your tipple of choice?
Bad, fizzy Fosters lager. Just before closing time there would be a panicked dash to the bar and I’d order an extra two pints and an Apple Sourz – that revolting green liqueur – to round the evening off in style. No wonder I was always having to hoover up sick the morning after.
Any other embarrassing memories?
Phoning my dad all the time, saying: "please, I'm really sorry that I've spent all that money you gave me, can I have just a teeny bit more?" I couldn't adjust to a lower standard of living so I used to spend a fortune. Eventually, I learnt to survive on instant pasta like everyone else.
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What did you study?
I started studying sport and human resources at Stirling University. I always wanted to be an actor but was advised to do something else. In a strange way, studying subjects I didn’t really like was a good motivator: it spurred me into acting and writing.
What advice would you give this year's freshers?
Avoid the traps of people in sporting groups taking you under their wing because there's a good chance you won’t be able to drink for the rest of your life.
