Daily Mail - Daily Mail Weekend Magazine
The actor, 72, reveals five secrets from the set of the hit sitcom
1 My character Jack is rarely seen without Bertie the St Bernard. He was a bit reticent when we first met but we soon became firm friends and he now leans against my knee and dribbles down my leg! I’m always eager to promote pets as therapy for humans, and one of my favourite scenes is when Joanna Scanlan’s character Sandra is giving Bertie a hug. ‘That’s pet therapy,’
Jack tells Sandra, and it is!
2 My own background is hidden behind well-to-do characters such as retired doctor Jack and Lord ‘Shrimpie’ MacClare in Downton Abbey. I actually come from working class Irish stock and was out of school and labouring at the age of 15. I learnt to speak ‘proper’ and I’ve played so many kings in my career, there was a time when people thought I was in line for the throne!
3 I am vegan and it’s in my contract that I don’t have to touch any animal products. I think most caterers would be happy to produce more vegan food for actors and crew, as it’s cheaper to produce than a meal with meat.
4 A primary reason for working on the show was to appear with John Cleese – and he didn’t disappoint! We get on well, and I’ve got more screen time in this series because our characters, Jack and Phil, have an ease together. John and I have talked about doing our own show, a comedy about two guys of a certain age chewing the fat on a bench.
5 There’s romance for Jack in this new series, but nothing too strenuous, not at my age! The key to a romantic scene? A twinkle in the eye. Get that right and there’s a fair chance the scene will work.