Interview by Robert Crampton RT Questionnaire He loves Pride and Prejudice, but doesn’t get Facebook. Cameron’s cultural picks The third party leader in the RT hot seat is… JK rowling, lauren Child, Jacqueline Wilson, Michael Morpurgo? “Morpurgo.” John Humphrys, Jeremy Paxman, Fern Britton, andrew Marr? “Probably Humphrys. No, he’s too big-headed already. I like Andrew Neil. He gets you from the right.” David Cameron Coronation Street, EastEnders, The Archers, The Bill? “The Bill.” faultlines of the age, Cameron was Tiswas rather Hamlet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s General Election Thu from 9pm C4, Sky News/ than Swap Shop, Blue Peter rather than Magpie. 9.55pm BBC1, BBC HD, ITV1/10pm Radio 4, 5 Live Dream, Romeo and Juliet? “Henry V.” “And I did like The Magic Roundabout. My wife “I would never apple or PC, iPhone or BlackBerry? avid Cameron, if he wins, will be the liked Clangers. I didn’t, it was too far out. I was “Apple, BlackBerry.” first Prime Minister to have spent more run of the mill: Newsround, Jackanory.” do anything to Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, his entire life with television as the As a teenager at Eton, Cameron enjoyed Starsky David Tennant or Matt dominant form of entertainment in and Hutch and The Sweeney. “And I loved The put the BBC smith? “Probably Tom Baker.” Britain. Not surprisingly, from Professionals.” He essays a Gordon Jackson imper- Terry Wogan, Graham DJackanory on, he has watched a lot of it. More sonation. “Och, Bodie and Doyle! And Dallas, the at risk” Norton, Jonathan ross? surprisingly, he still watches a lot of it. “I don’t do Southfork barbecue held a particular fascination. “Jonathan ross [right].” TV suppers, but two nights a week at least after And there was that division whether you fancied we’ve eaten we’ll watch the telly. I still watch quite a Victoria Principal [as Pamela], Sue Ellen [played Miss Marple, Morse, McNulty lot of television.” Indeed so. The man’s knowledge by Linda Gray] or the Poison Dwarf [Lucy Ewing, in The Wire, Columbo? “Morse.” of contemporary TV is impressive. Dammit, he played by Charlene Tilton]. My dad was obsessed Chris Moyles, Chris evans, Jeremy vine, watches more than I do, and I’m not trying to by Dynasty. He thinks that was the high-water Jarvis Cocker on BBC 6 Music? “Evans.” become Prime Minister. mark. He loved Joan Collins.” Facebook, Twitter, Mumsnet, Myspace, Sitting by the window of his Westminster office Interestingly, Cameron doesn’t mention sport at second life? “None of the above.” overlooking the Thames, Cameron is expansive all. Rather, he’s a costume drama fan. “Pride and Gordon ramsay, Nigella, Delia, Jamie oliver, about his box-watching history and habits. The Prejudice was the best, but there were some other Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall? “Jamie or Hugh.” Tory leader is relaxed discussing these influences really good adaptations, all the Andrew Davies Avatar, An Education, In the Loop, The Hurt and tastes, which, for all their apparent triviality, stuff. He really is a genius. Bonnets are good. And Locker? “I’ve seen an education [left], so offer an insight into the character of the man who I was big on watching films. Still am. Now I record I’ll say that.” hopes soon to be running the country. a film and watch it in bits as a way of relaxation.” Call of Duty, Before we get started, however, Cameron is keen He’s just rewatched the Godfather trilogy, loves Farmville, scrabble, to refute the idea that he is anti-BBC. “I’m probably westerns and war films. “Saving Private Ryan, Monopoly? the most pro-BBC Conservative leader there’s ever Clint Eastwood’s new ones, Flags of our Fathers “Monopoly.” and the Iwo Jima one [Letters from Iwo Jima], but been!” he says. “I worked at ITV for seven years and Friends, Sex and there’s still something about The Guns of you learn to respect the incredibly important role the City, Band Navarone and Where Eagles Dare. It’s an the BBC plays. Competitors like the BBC of Brothers, age thing. I’ve been watching Milk the because you’re competing up here on The West Wing? “Band of Brothers.” quality rather than down here on past couple of nights: I love Sean Penn. rudyard Kipling, Philip larkin, Wendy Cope, price. I would never do anything to Never been a great soap fan, although Carol ann Duffy? “Kipling.” put the BBC at risk. Conservatives I watched Neighbours at university. And should be as proud of establishing Bullseye. And Going for Gold.” Hilary Mantel, Nick Hornby, George MacDonald Fraser, ian Mcewan, Martin amis? x the BBC as Labour are of establish- Now, Sunday night is his big telly E “Macdonald Fraser.” ; r ing the NHS.” night. “I use Sky+. Silent Witness, David Hockney, Tracey emin, Banksy, ones He also points out that it was Waking the Dead, they’re good. I get J a Conservative Home Secretary who them muddled up. Waking the Dead is lucian Freud? “I have to say Tracey Emin, ENCE gave the go-ahead to Channel 4. Trevor Eve, and, er, Emilia Fox, The otherwise she’ll kill me.” wr A Beatles or stones? Blur or oasis? sex L “Willie Whitelaw!” he shouts. “When Day of the Jackal’s daughter.” Edward Pistols or the Jam? Madonna or lady Gaga? OHN was it… 1980, 1981?” Around then, Fox? “Yeah. Poirot is very good. I like J by I say, and before that, we (Cameron a bit of escapism.” “Beatles, Oasis, the Jam, Madonna.” APH is 43, I am two years older) only had As with many of us, boxed sets French and saunders, Mitchell and Webb, r two and a half channels to choose are accumulating on the Cameron Morecambe and Wise, armstrong and Miller, hotog between. shelves. “I watched a series of 24 Walliams and lucas? “I think “My father used to say two over Christmas and thought it was The Fast Show is better than love rivals things when we had supper,” “Dominic West is great. The Wire is excellent. [Fellow any of them.” Cameron recalls. “The first was, a friend. He fancied Old Etonian] Dominic West, who David attenborough, Mad ‘Will you go and warm up the Samantha. I won!” plays Jimmy McNulty, is a friend. Men, Glee, Cranford? BY SPITTING IMAGE P SPITTING IMAGE BY E television?’ and the other was, He tried to go out with Samantha “Cranford’s very good, but ur ‘What’s on the other side?’ We once. He fancied Samantha. I won! David attenborough [right].” icat r were BBC more than ITV, but my The West Wing I haven’t really got A Cheryl Cole, simon Cowell, : C E dad did like the ITV News, prob- into. Sopranos, a bit. Ugly Betty I’ve Dannii Minogue, louis ur ably because of Anna Ford. He never seen. Desperate Housewives, ict Walsh? “I have to say P also liked the bongs.” I did watch the first series. [Shadow Cowell, he’s the star.” AIN M As for the other great cultural Chancellor] George Osborne is e 20 21 f mad about Mad Men, says it’s brilliant. I’ve seen one or two.” We move on to his children’s viewing habits. Nancy is six and Arthur, whom he refers to as Alex Salmond Elwyn, is four. Do he and his wife restrict their TV consumption? “Yes. We try to have no TV in Give him Miss Marple, Star Trek and independence… the mornings at the weekend. It’s not on all the time. They love Tom and Jerry, and Ben 10 on he Scottish national Party leader based north of the border. He also has a fond- Cartoon Network. I try, in as much as I have any and Scotland’s First Minister is known ness for Off the Ball, an irreverent BBC influence, to get a balance of ‘Right, come on, T for his political acumen, his skill as a Scotland football show. let’s watch a nature programme’ and they get debater and his passionate desire to lead The First Minister was captivated by the a bit of Ben 10 as a reward.” Scotland out of the United Kingdom. What he possibilities of 3-D television on a recent visit Nancy, says her father, “is girly in that she loves is not known for is his love of television and to a Sky TV facility. “It’s going to be great for dolls and kitchens, but when it comes to TV she’s radio. His mainstay now is News 24 and Sky sport, particularly golf and rugby,” he says. got into Star Wars. I remember going to see Star News, as you might expect from a leading poli- Sport can also be political, though, and he Wars in 1977 and thinking, ‘Wow!’ To watch it all tician, but Alex Salmond does have other, more was critical of the BBC for not coming up with over again has been great.” Cameron pauses. unexpected, passions. what he regards as a decent offer to broadcast “Probably someone will say, ‘What on earth are “I am an obsessive Trekkie,” he says. the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. He you doing letting a six-year-old watch Star Wars?’ New or old? has also fought hard to make sure Scotland’s but actually it’s a tale of good and evil.” “Oh, everything. Voyager was my qualifying games for major tourna- Is Nancy pressing to watch unsuitable favourite, that and first seriesStar Trek. ments are broadcast on terrestrial TV, programmes? “No, we get all the stuff about I’ve seen them all so many times.