JV = Johnny Vaughan
JV: Oh now they scream!
ASH: (giggles)
JV: It's good to have you working back in Britain …
ASH: its good to be back
JV: but how long ..
ASH: I got back from LA sort of September ish and we did manchild in a bit of a block and then I finished off manchild and then I did … something else … can't remember … oh I did "Spooks" - a thing for the BBC - very good
JV: So you got back here and you're cracking away then?
ASH:(cockney accent) Oh yes, there's no stopping it now, it's marvellous … (laugh)
JV: Over in the States, you're a big man over there …
ASH: 6 feet
JV: the Gold Blend ads were huge over there and Buffy … they're mad for you there.
ASH: Its alright. I'm not NOT going back - I will be going back
JV: OH he's going back!
ASH: Off and on
JV: All this "turning my back on it" he's gonna do this and then piss off!
ASH: (giggles)
ASH: No bottom line - I was a series regular and I asked Joss Whedon "look I have to go back to my family is there anyway we can do it?" and he said yes we'll make you a recurring character so obviously you're in a few episodes a season but not there all the time …
JV: Right
ASH: So that's what I am - I'm going back for a couple of episodes at the end of the season and then I don't knowabout the next season I mean maybe they'll have had enough of me and I won't be going back for that but I mean there's other things over there it's just … when I first went over there I went over there to work and I was living here …
JV: What did you have going for you when you went over there?
ASH: Nothing particularly … I mean just recognition, I had a profile …
JV: Because of the ads?
ASH: yes
JV: So you went over there thinking I've got the profile from the ads
ASH: get an agent and see how it goes and I went back on successive years and did pilots and I did a series called VR5 which didn’t take and then I did another little something called SHE but the bottom line was I was living here and commuting there but it became living there and commuting here to see my family so (holds fingers up to head like gun) dumb
JV: Living here and commuting to LA to work?
ASH: That’s what I was doing
JV: Mind you with the traffic in Britain … going from Surrey to London probably takes longer … Not that I live in Surrey (ASH giggles) … who'd admit to living in Surrey? There's letters from librarians thanking you for improving the image of librarians and there's also a scifi mag that voted you 3rd sexiest man on TV
ASH: Yeah (looks pleased!)
JV: So how worried are you about stalkers?
ASH: (giggling fit) 3rd sexiest man in scifi
JV: Oh right but still stalkers
ASH: stalkers
JV: scifi people like you - you have weirdos
ASH: pauses -
JV: They follow you around - not have you had weirdos!
ASH: (giggles) I had one stalker a while back when I was doing Chess and she was a bit sad but um (giggles) she …
JV: You did have one?
ASH: Yes
JV: And she was a fan of Chess the musical
ASH: I don't know what she was but she used to (giggle) …. I stupidly when we first got a flat in Battersea I put my name in the telephone directory. I though "I've arrived, we've got a flat, we've got a phone" but it was a stupid thing to do.
JV: I can't believe you did that!
ASH: She was on the phone and basically you'd said "oh god carol go away" and you'd put the phone down. Half an hour later you'd go to ring someone and she'd still be there "hello Tony I know its you there.."
JV: Don't mock her! You're gonna stir her right up again now (ASH Giggles). Now she feels she's connected. You're mad (ASH tried to speak during this but kept laughing!) The band are all in the phone book - they want stalkers … and also wedding bookings
ASH: I dunno whats going to happen after Manchild, that's going to be something else that is.
JV: You bring me neatly onto manchild - it's on BBC2 and I tell you what it’s a great cast - must be nice working with people your own age instead of the children on Buffy (ASH giggles)
ASH: Well its nice to work with a bunch of people who are not pretent (broke off word!). I mean the cast of Buffy were all 20somethings pretending to be 16 or 17 which was a big strain for them all. We're all pretending to be our own age although Ray Burdis announced the other day that he was 43 and we're playing people approaching our 50's and he's going "hold on a minute" but Ray Burdis, Don Warrington and Nigel Havers is a pretty good cast
JV: Nigel Havers … he actually slips on some tight leather trousers in the first one which is a big laugh (ASH giggles) but quite plucky of the old bloke cos a lot of actors spend their time covering up their ages …
ASH: strangely
JV: and I know you're 48 and you're playing a 49 year old so that nails you down as almost 50.
ASH: One part referred to me being over 50 which is a bit worrying but the bottom line is with Giles I was playing a man who was in his 40's but in his head was kind of in his 50's anyway so you know he was older than his years you must admit.
JV: How old's Nigel Havers? About 60?
ASH: No (giggles)
JV: He's about 60 isn't he? What 62 now (ASH giggles and says no a lot!) He is
ASH: He's not
JV: He was around in the 50's doing telly. He used to announce at the light programme here.
ASH: He's just over 50 (giggle)
JV: No, he's not … he's 67!
ASH: (giggles madly) well he's a dashed good looking man if he is
JV: He is a good looking man - lets have a look at this here's a clip from Manchild
JV: I was quite surprised watching it that it didn't get you going cos I tell you what just watching at home….
ASH: (giggles)
JV: You've also got another show where your character is continuing you were saying? This is the Watcher
ASH: Ahh the Watcher is something that is in dialogue, is happening as we speak. Joss whedon said to me did I want my own show and I (LAUGH) said yes and he also said I'd like to set it in England cos he's always wanted to make a BBC show. He was educated, part of his education was here and he loves the BBC "thang" so that’s' … and I said could we shoot it in the West Country where I live …
JV: Right near your house
ASH: YEAH!
JV: Wow - they must love you
ASH: No I pitched it - I mean I'm not an idiot - I said Land full of myth and legend …
JV: I wasn't calling you an idiot
ASH: You could …
JV: sort of man who sits at home waiting for film crews to turn up and shoot him
ASH: (giggles) I might but you know a land of myth and legend and lots of ghost stories so I pitched it like that and he went good idea. Bath , cool place.
JV: Do you stay in touch with SMG
ASH: Yeah I see them often, he says in a high pitched voice.
JV: So when's she coming over to Britain - for the website?
ASH: Dunno there is a big convention which I think a bunch of them are coming over for, James is coming over and a bunch of them
JV: A convention?
ASH: Good grief yes
JV: Full of scifi fans?
ASH: Yes
JV: Phew! Bring it on! Now you have a horse … this is my Anthony's weird file. I've been reading your biographies and I'm amazed at some of the weirdness in your life
ASH: I am weird
JV: Well, yes slightly
ASH: Largely weird
JV: Well the audience will be the judge of that. Here we go you have a horse and dog whispering farm where your partner practices the tellington touch. What is the tellington touch?
ASH: Have you got half an hour or … basically it’s a way of working with animals who have behavioural problems and it’s a way of helping them get over them.
JV: Did you see the bit with the Cocker spaniel
ASH: I did - he's perfect for this
JV: With some thick gloves on mate and a shotgun by your side
ASH: No Sarah's got this rubber hand that’s called an assesor hand and you go in with like that
JV: Oh yeah? Your wifes got a rubber hand?
ASH: Oh yes - (collapses into laughter!)
JV: Oh got your number. You're quite new age - you've had your gall bladder meridian tweaked.
ASH: I'm not new age. See that line there (points to diag line on forehead) I woke one morning and that’s your gall bladder meridian that is and Sarah said ..
JV: That's not a scar?
ASH: No you look around and people have got that and there's one on the other side that’s not as pronounced but I'd slept one night like that and next morning there it was … so sarah said you need to go and get some acupuncture and sort your gall bladder out and so I did … spacial awareness - I used to fall into things all the time
JV: I'm clumsy but I haven't got the mark
ASH: Well, no .. the "Mark" - like the Mallens Mark isn;'t it? The Mallen Streak (giggle)
JV: You've got the Mark!
ASH: (wonderful hehehehe!) But more spacial awareness, didn't crash the car - I had for about 6 years I had an accident a year and my insurance premium was through the roof
JV: Is it higher insurance if you have the MARK? I was going to ask you broadly speaking what do we do if we encounter a vampire but you know what I think you might tell us! Anthony Head!