Neither of his brothers were ever remotely interested in drama or anything (The older one is now a lawyer while the younger one is an English teacher in Brazil). Jonathan's first theatrical experience? Seeing Christopher Biggins in panto "where I was called up on stage, and given a plastic daffodil". And you found Christopher Biggins inspiring in some way? "Actually, I have nothing but respect for Christopher Biggins. He's the Sultan of The Turn." We talk a bit about Windsor Davies, who plays Lloyd George in Mosley.
I'm sorry, I say, but every time he stands up in the House I expect him to say: "Sing Lofty, you lovely boy," before breaking into "Whispering Grass". "Really? I think he's brilliant! I'm very sad to hear you say that." He looks truly upset. He seems very generous-natured.He was one of those kids who loved the sound of his own voice, was this chubby thing always reciting poems and all that. He went to weekly drama classes locally, then, as a teenager, spent his summers in London with the National Youth Theatre He became horribly actor-ish for a while, he says.
"I was the Donald Wolfitt of my sixth form, always spouting this horrible, bombastic rubbish." He got a good degree at Cambridge - a 2:1 - even though he spent most of his time either acting or playing rugby He was a Blue He didn't deserve to be a Blue, he says. "It's just that Andy Macdonald, who went on to be an international, left and they needed a quick replacement. As the local paper put it: `Deprived of the meat of Big Mac, we'll have to make do with crumbs of Cake.'" He eventually gave up rugby because there's only so many auditions you can turn up for with a bashed-in nose He still keenly watches it, though Plus he loves football, and Arsenal But he's not a lad. "I look at Loaded and just don't get it." He never found Men Behaving Badly funny. The other night, he had a dinner party, and made "capriccio of beef on a bed of rocket with truffled oil" "Ohhhhhh," I go "Ohhhh," goes Nicola. Honestly, I can't tell you how annoying it is when you're busy laying the groundwork only to have this other person butting in all the time Nicola, do you need money for a taxi or something? "No.
