V/O: Buffy star Anthony Head is swapping vampire slaying for lady killing in new BBC2 comedy drama "Manchild"
ASH: "Manchild" is about men, strangely, being children … very oddly, as indeed most men will admit. we are.
V/O: Also starring Nigel Havers the show follows the fortunes of 4 fellas in their 40's - and what fortunes they are…
ASH: They basically have the toys, the flash cars, the motorbikes, the clothes, the women and all that and it's basically, it's an examination of (giggles) what life would really be like if you had all these things that you apparently yearn for.
V/O: But while Anthony's character maybe smoother and richer than any coffee you may be thinking of, when it comes to romance he's a bit of a flop.
ASH: He's a sweet enough guy, you know he has all the moves, he has the pulling power as it were, when it gets down to it he's in a slightly embarrassing position because it doesn't all work.
V/O: Right that’s enough of that, Anthony heads to our screens on Tuesday.
(For those of you who don't watch Big Breakfast, Zig and Zag are two puppets - I'm not distinguishing between them so ZZ is Zig or Zag and RB is Richard Bacon - the presenter)
RB: I've got you a man here who might be able to get you some coffee later.
ZZ: He said that the next guy who says that to him is gonna get a punch
ZZ: So whatever you do, don't mention anything about coffee ads when he comes on
RB: Bring the celebrity guest in - he used to be in adverts until he woke up and smelt the coffee. Now he's in Buffy the Vampire Slayer - he's a hero - it's Tony Head.
ZZ: Hi Anthony, Hi Anthony - it's good to see you
ASH: Hello - it's good to see you (giggles)
ZZ: We promise we won't mention the coffee ads
ASH: You're awfully close, aren't you? (giggle)
ZZ: Thank you
ZZ: Oh, he gets much closer than that! Anthony straight on with the questions (ASH strokes one of the puppets - lucky puppet) cos I'm more of a Paxman type hard-hitting question … maker.
ASH: Go for it, go for it.
ZZ: In Buffy, you played her Watcher…
ASH: Did I? Oh yes I did, yes.
ZZ: Does that mean you got paid a lot of money to stare at SMG?
ASH: (giggles) I like to watch, basically (giggles)
ZZ: Is she lovely, lovely, lovely?
ASH: She is lovely, lovely, lovely, she's a good girl, she really is. She's really sweet to my two daughters so we like her.
ZZ: She's a top girl, Sarah Michelle is. I think we should have a look at Buffy - any chance possible.
RB: Lets crowd in
All shove faces into camera then Buffy clip plays.
ZZ: It's very serious
ASH: It was very serious
ZZ: Giles is very serious
ASH: I am a very serious person
RB: Have you developed an army of young fans since you started on that show?
ASH: Um ..there's a bit of an army for the show sort of just across the board, it's not just young, that's the best thing.
RB: People are sort of obsessive about it though, aren't they?
ASH: Obsessive (ASH mocks RB's hand movement!), obsessive people!
ZZ: You're a bit obsessed with it Zag, aren't you?
ZZ: I am, yeah, I'm a huge fan
ASH: (thumbs up) I'm with you.
ZZ: It's top notch
ASH: You have great taste
ZZ: I do indeed … do you get fed up with people remembering you from the adverts, the coffee adverts?
ASH: No, I mean its inevitable isn't it? But the best thing about it is that there's a whole generation who never saw them (giggle)
ZZ: How'd you get from coffee advert to Buffy, I mean wow!
ASH: I don't know … I just sort of went there, and there it was.
ZZ: Fascinating - Do you have any babies with that Coffee lady?
ZZ: No, Zig it was an ad!
ASH: (giggles) No, strangely no! Just lots of little jars ….
RB: Are you proud of them? Do you look back and like them? Is that good work?
ASH: Yeah, I mean it was what it was. It was really nice, it looked good, it was good scripts and …
ZZ: sold a lot of coffee
ASH: sold a lot of coffee and got me to America so …
ZZ: So does Giles have his own series coming?
ASH: It's being talked about
ZZ: Kind of like "Angel"
ASH: Very seriously - its kind of like "Giles" - Man of Action!
ZZ: Wow!
ASH: No, its … um … the pitch was "Cracker with ghosts" is kind of what Joss said. Which is cool.
ZZ: So Joss Whedon's doing it as well?
ASH: Oh yeah.
ZZ: Cos he's the top man
ASH: He's top
ZZ: The Buffy producer kind of bloke - see I do watch it!
ASH: Watch it!
ZZ: I do! Now somebody told me you're quite partial to an alien in suspenders!
ASH: (giggles madly!)
ZZ: I'd like to know more
ASH: Well, I have been - in the past
ZZ: It's Rocky Horror isn't it?
ASH: It is
ZZ: How many years did you do it?
ASH: I've done it a couple of times but the most was about 9 months to a year.
ZZ: Cool
ASH: Pretty cool. (bursts into giggles after looking at puppet!)
RB: Now….
ZZ: You can say cool you know
RB: Now, do you know what? In honour of having a celebrity called Head, we've got a man whose got a celebrity on his head …
ASH has to guess the identity of the celebrity tattooed on this guys head - which he does - it's Jack Nicholson.
RB: Please stick around, its been tremendous having you - did you enjoy that game?
ASH: I did but you can see through his ears…
ZZ: Quite strange
ASH: Very worrying
ZZ: Thanks a million Anthony for coming in and joining us.
ASH: Thanks for asking me
ZZ: You're talking to Amanda later aren't you?
ASH: So I am
A: When Shakespeare came up with the 7 ages of Man he was completely wrong because he did leave out the bit where the middle aged bloke dyes his hair, thinks he's a teenager and chases women half his age and this is the subject of brand new TV drama "Manchild" and here to tell us more about it are stars Anthony Head and Frances Barber. Hello you two.
ASH/FB: Hello
A: "Manchild" hits our screens tonight - what's it about?
ASH: It's about men being children basically.
A: Ah, yes! And there are plenty of them.
ASH: There are - it seems to be inherent in our makeup that we seem to sort of gravitate and go backwards - as we get older we just get …
A: Like "Mork and Mindy"
ASH: (giggles)
FB: Exactly, exactly.
A: So basically its about money, divorce, motorbikes, models and sex, is that true?
FB: I suppose it is like "sex in the city" but for men hitting the male menopause and I play Anthony's wife, which I was thrilled to do.
ASH: Thank you very much - I was thrilled too.
FB: And he was a serial womaniser so we've had a divorce but he has an enlargement to his nether regions …
A: (laughs) and you divorced him???
FB: After I divorced him! (ASH giggles) and he's scared to try out his new ….
A: Thingumygig.
FB: So he comes to visit me and asks me if I'll try it out for him!
ASH: Shame on him!
FB: So I go, yes of course I will, yes of course and then I finally end up with an axe!!
A: OH (all laugh) do you do a bobbit on it?
FB: You'll have to watch!
A: Watch and see, well, I tell you what, we've got a clip…
Clip of ASH talking to "wife" in "Manchild"
A: That's actually one of the tamer clips that we could find!
ASH: It is actually difficult to find clips that you could show!
FB: I have to tell you that I was really frightened of the horse.
ASH: It was a big horse
FB: It was a massive horse!
ASH: Stallion
FB: And I was supposed to be this really good rider and (shudders)
A: Not a fan of horses then, Frances?
FB: Well, he had very big hooves.
A: Really? (all burst into laughter) I don't know who you're talking about now!! You say it's described as like the male "sex in the city" what's in it for the women then?
(all laugh)
FB: Well, you get to play Anthony Head's wife!
ASH: In terms of female audience, its very funny and its ultimately its these guys that you initially think are obscene the fact that they are crowing about what they've got because they've got the money, the cars, the bikes and everything and they do go out with models but ultimately their life is very shallow and the observation by Nick Fisher who's the writer is very funny and very acutely observed and its … I mean I was worried when I first read the script I thought women are not going to like this at all…
A: I like the sound of it.
ASH: But as time went on and the script started to develop and basically we saw some previews and I took my real other half, Sarah, along and I was kind of hoping she was gonna like it and she gave it a huge thumbs up and she says its very funny and women actually will love it.
FB: Women do love it because it confirms everything we know!
ASH: (laughs madly)
A: Everything we have ever suspected - Its true!! Excellent well, listen, there's an all-star cast. I mean you've got a great cast you've got Nigel Havers, Don Warrington, Ray Burdis - excellent
ASH: Very funny guys
A: Were all the boys - they all play men-children?
ASH: We are all men-children. It’s the 4, basically, its 4 guys who stayed friends from school and for some reason they've all become independently wealthy - obviously it was a good school!
A: Something in the water (Irish accent)
ASH: (in Irish accent) something in the water, yes it would be that, yes. (giggles - normal accent). But its - all 4 and with great supporting cast, it’s a lovely cast and looks gorgeous. Its directed by a guy called David Evans who's a fabulous director. It looks lovely
FB: He did fever pitch.
A: Oh wonderful, brilliant
FB: Have you seen the trailer where they're all having massages done by a very young girl?
A: No but it sounds good.
ASH: It was actually.
A: Do any of the guys - and yourself included - see any of these traits in yourselves? Is there a bit of a Manchild in you at all?
ASH: Well, it's taken my other half years to wean me off my tintin watch (everyone laughs) and I've now got a very serious, grown-up one on but …
A: It's a Snoopy watch - look!! (ASH laughs) (A turns to FB) Have you ever encountered any men-children?
FB: I've never encountered anything other than men-children! Whatever age - its true!
A: So basically men going through the menopause really because if we were like that they'd either call us menopausal or mad.
FB: They just say we're mad anyway.
A: That's very true.
ASH: Sad as we are
A: What about in America now, Anthony because of course we all know you in Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Giles …
ASH: There's lots of men-children in America too.
A: Yeah I would have thought more men-children in America than over here.
ASH: I've seen a few, I must admit, no I've been to a Millionaires party … it was the one party I went to sort of in LA and it was watching these very old men with extremely young girls on their arms and I mean they had … one of the things we go into in Manchild is that there's nothing to talk about, I mean they just stand there …
A: It doesn't matter, does it?
ASH: I think so! Yeah!
A: Well, they don't think it matters! All the guys in the crew nodding!
FB: They'll learn - still young, you see
ASH: Watch "Manchild" cos it goes into this and its one of the things that you know - older men go out with younger women because I think they think they're not going to question anything and ultimately …
FB: They think it makes them look younger
ASH: Yeah and somewhere down the line …
FB: But it makes them look older … like their dad!
ASH: (giggles)
A: Cos now we know their secret! Listen its on BBC2 tonight at 10pm. I can't wait for it and I'm sure you can't either - Anthony and Frances!