My life through a lens

Celebrities share the stories behind their favourite photographs. This week it’s the turn of actor Jason Watkins, 54

1987 After RADA I toured with small theatre companies and was cast in Eastenders as estate agent Gerry Fairweather [pictured]. It was my first time in front of a camera. Gerry arrived with The Dagmar wine bar and represented the yuppies with their Porsches and Filofaxes. Angie Watts [Anita Dobson] worked at The Dagmar – one night she knocked me out in front of 20 million viewers. I then got my big break in Mike Leigh’s film High Hopes.

2017 I worked with John Cleese on the TV series Hold The Sunset – he is a genius and an instinctive comedian. We bonded about cricket because I used to play and he’s a big Somerset fan. I also told him about my brief flirtation with professional football at Wrexham in the late 1970s – I went to pre-season training twice and played a couple of friendlies in the youth team. Two days later he presented me with a Wrexham AFC shirt as a surprise gift, and then he turned up wearing one too.

2018 I played prime minister Harold Wilson in The Crown and here I am with Hywel, a supporting artist, at Caernarfon Castle, to recreate the 1969 investiture of Prince Charles. The scenes were shot on the same spot and, as I came on set, Hywel, who was in costume in a uniform, said, ‘It’s very nice to see you again, Mr Wilson.’ When I said, ‘What do you mean?’ Hywel told me he’d ushered the real Harold Wilson to his seat for the investiture as a teenager. We had an amazing chat.

1980 I got really good at walking on my hands, even running and going upstairs. There were twins in America who could do it, and one held the world record for running the length of a basketball court. About this time, aged 14, I got within a couple of seconds of them. At school I enjoyed drama and teachers suggested I go to drama school – and I got into RADA.

1976 I was football mad and this is me in my George Best boots by Gola as captain of the under11 team at school. I had a suburban upbringing in west London with my art teacher mother and engineer dad, and brother Richard. I wanted to be a PE teacher but struggled with dyslexia which stopped me getting the grades. I first got into drama in this same school gym, in The Wizard Of Oz.

2014play I met Clara [Francis] when she was my dresser for a

at the Young Vic theatre in 1991, but we went our separate ways. We reconnected in 2001 and married in 2014. Clara is now an actress and jewellery designer and has a fashion business called O Pioneers. Our wedding at Wilton’s Music Hall [pictured] in London was fantastic. Our daughter Bessie was bridesmaid and our son Gilbert had the rings. My two older sons I had with actress Caroline Harding gave speeches, Clara’s stepfather played the spoons and we sang and danced. I can’t recommend getting married highly enough.

2019birthday This was at Child Bereavement UK’S 25th

dinner – I am a patron of the charity, as is Mary Berry, and Prince William is the royal patron. It was an incredibly charged event because Clara spoke publicly for the first time about Maude [inset]; usually I do it. It’s a difficult listen for people, but it raises money and gives an idea of what it’s like to lose a child, which is the worst thing that can happen. William sought her out after and gave her a big hug, which she still talks about.