The Times, 16 February 2002, by Alan Jackson
"Cold call"
-----------------------------------------------------------

Nigel Havers, 52, lives in southwest London with his wife, 
the actress Polly Bloomfield. He stars in a new comedy 
series, *Manchild*, broadcast on BBC2 from Tuesday.

Alan Jackson: Let's talk age, if that's OK. Was there a 
particular moment when you thought, "Hang on! I can't 
pretend to be a young man any more!"? 

Nigel Havers: No, because I refuse to allow myself even to 
think about the subject. I won't look at it, discuss it, 
give it the time of day. I'm in total denial about middle 
age. When would you say it begins? 40 perhaps? Well, in my 
head I'm stuck at 38 and have no plans to get unstuck.

AJ: Then you're perfectly cast in this new comedy series. 
Terry, your character, is fiftysomething going on 25. He's 
got a gleaming new BMW R1100 which he uses as a kind of 
penis extension and-- Hang on, you ride motorbikes, don't 
you?

NH: (laughing) I do, but these days it's a selection of 
older, clapped-out ones. I'm no longer a speed freak. You 
hit 50 and you think, "Perhaps better take things a bit 
easier!"

AJ: Ha! So you're not in denial at all. But Terry and his 
two bachelor pals, played by Anthony Head and Don 
Warrington, and their married mate (Ray Burdis) certainly 
are.

NH: People are likening *Manchild* to a British *Sex and the 
City*, but one featuring four blokes instead of four girls. 
Though there are parallels - mainly the naughtiness - I 
don't think that's particularly apt. We're not looking to 
meet Miss Perfect and settle down. Terry's had matrimony and 
a mortage and now is free of all that. He's looking to have 
a bloody good game.

AJ: Nigel Havers just swore! And he says a lot more than 
bloody over the course of the seven episodes of *Manchild*. 
Did you balk at anything within your lines?

NH: Not at all. I was more a case of, "Give me more!"

AJ: The writer is journalist and agony uncle Nick Fisher. 
His CV reminds us of the various books that he's published. 
*About Boys*, *Living With a Willy*, *Inside Men's Minds*--

NH: He's certainly an expert when it comes to what goes on 
in the latter. The scripts are just so true to life. And 
wonderfully politically incorrect. A lot of men are going to 
watch it and think, "God, I've always wanted to say that but 
never would have dared."

AJ: Platonic friendships between heterosexual men and women. 
Possible or not?

NH: Entirely possible. Definitely.

AJ: Who'd you rather work for - a male boss or a female one?

NH: I've worked for a lot of women, particularly at the BBC. 
In a professional context, gender shouldn't matter. Once 
you've established your working relationship, it's not an 
issue.

AJ: Are you a worrier? What's most likely to trouble you in 
the wee small hours?

NH: I was about to say that, yes, I am a worrier. But the 
fact is that nothing keeps me awake at night - nothing - so 
I can't be, can I?

AJ: For readers who aren't so lucky, a good book to see them 
through the night?

NH: Something by Robert Goddard, a very good novelist, who 
comes up with really gripping dramas.

AJ: I suspect you wouldn't catch Terry reading. Not unless 
it was a motorbike manual or a girlie mag.

NH: Well, I hope I'm not really like him. That would be a 
worry. Frankly, he's a bit of a wanker. No. Let me step out 
of character and rephrase that. He's a bit of a wally. You 
see! I'm not like him at all.



-----------------------------------------------------------
                     Bentley's Bedlam
            http://www.BetsyDa.com/bedlam.html

This website is for information and entertainment purposes only 
and is not intended to infringe on copyrights held by others.