Sitting in front of the television watching the news. I'm a news freak.

A phrase I use too often is. . . "My arse."

I wish people would take more notice of. . .

Problems in the Middle East and the third world. Instead of dropping bombs, why don't they drop food parcels? The government in Britain aren't doing enough. They're the Labour Party and they've let the working class down on every front.

The most surprising thing that ever happened to me was. . . Winning the best TV comedy actor award. I was against Jimmy Nesbitt, who's a good friend of mine, and Paul Whitehouse, who's the best comedy actor in Britain.

A common misperception of me is. . . That I'm 100% like Jim Royle. I'm only 95% like Jim Royle.

I'm good at. . . Ballroom dancing. I've got my bronze award. I also used to jive. They called me "rubber legs".

But I'm very bad at. . . Pulling my weight in the house.

My ideal night out is. . . I used to go to a little local pub in Liverpool with mates. I played banjo, they played guitar and we'd have a good old-fashioned skiffle.

I'm not a politician but. . . I'd like to see the formation of a genuinely socialist party.

In moments of weakness I. . . Drink slightly more than is good for me.

You know me as an actor, but in a truer life I'd have. . . Become more well-known as a writer.

The best age to be is. . . The age you are at the moment. That's got to be the best age, hasn't it?

In a nutshell, my philosophy is this:

Opportunity knocks every single day.

Just take one of the opportunities and fulfil it.