Cast interviews

Neil Pearson plays Trevor

“I used to play table tennis for Suffolk … not many people know that.”

Neil Pearson was born in South London. His cope with the monstrous egos of sports stars. His previous television credits include Drop The business partner is Sammy who has absolutely no Dead Donkey, Between The Lines, and playing qualms about the venality of the profession they’re John Diamond in A Lump In My Throat. His in but Trevor’s having doubts. He’s having doubts extensive theatre credits include Henry IV, pt because his marriage is going down the toilet and 1, and the Olivier Award-winning drama he and his wife find it increasingly difficult to Closer. In Trevor’s World Of Sport, Neil plays communicate.When his wife starts throwing Trevor. allegations at him that it’s because of his immersion in his work, he starts to question whether he should be there at all …” Can you tell me about the character you play? How did you prepare for the part?

“Trevor tries to be the voice of calm and reason in “I’m not obsessive about research but you have to an insane working environment. He’s dealing with a get things right.When I did Between The Lines,we slightly eccentric workforce and he’s also trying to took great care to make sure that we got the little

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things right because, if you don’t, no one believes used to play with her a lot – I lost a lot too! I also you on the big things. I went to visit a sports represented my county in table tennis and, erm, agency and it confirmed that I knew the working fencing. Not many people know that actually. I can’t environment rather well from my own experiences claim any great expertise in either table tennis or with agents. I’ve worked as a spectator, if you like, fencing, it’s just that I was good enough to in the world of sport too. I mean it’s no secret that represent Suffolk!” I’m a Tottenham fan and I’ve made a deliberate effort in the past to be strictly a spectator – not And it sounds good doesn’t it? to drag it into the players’ lounge. I much prefer to “I represented my county..!” be on the terraces with the fans rather than anywhere else.” “Oh yeah, it sounds great – put that in!”

Tell me about working with Andy Hamilton Have you met any famous sports people? because obviously you and he go way back (on Drop The Dead Donkey). “No anecdotes yet but this series is giving me the chance to get some because there’s a number of “Andy is, quite rightly, extremely secure in his famous sport stars appearing as themselves.” ability as a writer. He also makes a very good writer/director because he’s not precious about his And how do you feel about that? work. If he thinks your idea is a good one, he’ll incorporate it. I had no qualms about coming into “Oh it’s great. If I was to sum up this show, I’d say it this production because a) Andy’s writing is top was Jerry Maguire meets Larry Sanders – which notch and b) Andy’s working processes fit very well can’t be bad, really.” with mine.We communicate in shorthand really. If we’ve done a take, I know from the inflection in his voice whether we’re going again and also quite often whether we’re going again twice! It’s when you get the upward inflection – very good – which tells us we’re one step away from the downward inflection – excellent – which tells us we can now move onto the next shot!”

What about sport – any particular heroes?

“I have huge respect for the greats from Tottenham but, God knows, that was a long time ago.What really impresses me about great sports people is their obsession, their blinkered approach – there are few effortless geniuses after all. Mostly, the undisputed greats have to work.That’s why I’m so impressed with horse racing in particular, and also boxing – those guys work incredibly and obsessively hard to be the best at what they do.”

Do you play any sports?

“The sport I tend to do is vanity based – it’s just to keep me in some sort of nick. I go to the gym, I swim and occasionally I do racquet games. Haydn Gwynne (the actress from Drop The Dead Donkey and Merseybeat) is an awesome tennis player so I

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Paul Reynolds plays Sammy

“I was a child actor in Terry And June …”

Paul Reynolds was born in Chingford, Essex. The audience will love him or hate him – probably His extensive TV and cinema career ranges both. He also gets the really classy lines which I from parts in Grange Hill, The Bill and have Andy (Hamilton) to thank for.” Absolutely Fabulous to roles in Castaway, Croupier and Let Him Have It. But for Paul, Such as? a mad Arsenal fan, playing one of the lead roles in Trevor’s World Of Sport is a personal “Well Sammy thinks that premature ejaculation is career high – because he gets to meet one of just female propaganda, which sort of sums the his all-time heroes … character up really!”

What do you have in common with Sammy, What attracted you to the part of Sammy? if anything?

“It was the offer of 200 grand a week – I mean I’m “Brown hair, same size feet … the physical used to being paid big bucks but the fact that the likenesses are just incredible.Actually, not a lot in BBC was offering this kind of money was too good terms of personality. I wouldn’t have the nerve to to turn down. Seriously, Sammy is a great part to say the things that Sammy does – thankfully. He can play – he’s a painful mix of lovable and obnoxious. be incredibly crass at times. But he’s also very

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focussed and businesslike in terms of getting the You hope..! best deals for his clients.As a sport’s agent, he’s awesome but, as a human being, probably less so. I “Yes! Oh God, I’ve probably put a curse on myself think I’m probably more like Trevor in terms of now and will never work again!” personality – mild, decent, a bit anxious.” Talking of which, what about previous roles Have you worked with any of the cast and what’s next for you after TWOS? members before? “I’ve been acting for years – I was even in Terry And “Not really – I’ve worked with Jim Carter before June for God’s sake. I played a little cub scout and I now and I’m mates with Andrew Lincoln (who was only 14. So I can claim to be a genuine child appears in Episode One, playing Formula One actor, like Macauley Culkin – but not too much like racing driver Mark Boden). But I’m not very him, obviously! I was a cheeky kid – absolutely full showbizzy – I don’t really know anyone!” of it – so I didn’t see it like ‘I want to be an actor, I’ve always wanted to be an actor’, I was just one of How sporty are you? those kids who always wanted to be involved in stuff.As for what’s coming up after this, we’ll just “I go swimming and play football – that’s about it. have to wait and see.What I really want to do is I’m a lifelong Arsenal fan though. One of the great work on Wish You Were Here and be the next Judith things about appearing in TWOS is that it features a Chalmers. In fact, reporting from places like number of famous footballers and I can’t wait to Barbados really appeals to me, funnily enough. Can meet them. I really rate footballers, full stop. I’d you have a word?” have loved to have done what they’ve done – and the money would be nice too.”

Tell us which footballers are appearing in Trevor’s World Of Sport then!

“I can’t – I’m sworn to secrecy!”

Do you have any sporting heroes?

“Erm, not really.Actually I do – Ian Wright. How multi-talented is he? He was great for Arsenal and now he has a whole new career in TV – respect is due.”

So what do you do outside work, when you’re not watching Arsenal?

“I have absolutely no hobbies. I just like doing the normal stuff, going to the pictures, eating, drinking and stuff. I’ve just virtually had a year off which has been fantastic. I spent a couple of months in the Far East where me and my girlfriend went to Thailand, Singapore and Taiwan, and I spent last summer in Brighton, which was brilliant. I should have really appreciated it more than I did though because I may never have a year off again in my lifetime!”

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Rosalind Ayres plays Theresa

“I was always into ballroom dancing which is technically a blood sport…”

Rosalind Ayres has had a distinguished writing. He is constantly springing surprises. He’s career in television, theatre, film and radio. the sort of writer who can take a mundane In Titanic, she narrowly escaped a watery situation such as, you know, the front door bell grave and she played opposite Ian McKellan rings ‘Ding dong, hello darling, I’m home, the vicar’s in Gods And Monsters. Her TV credits include coming for tea but I’ve forgotten to defrost the roles in Casualty, Midsomer Murders and chicken…’ You know, that sort of classic syndrome? Chicago Hope. In Trevor’s World Of Sport, she But, in an Andy script, it’s the Palestinian Liberation plays Theresa – a god-fearing Christian ... Front who is at the front door…” possibly a first for her! Are you a particular sporty person?

What attracted you to the part of Theresa? “I’m not remotely sporty! If you asked my friends if Roz plays sport, they’d all laugh “Theresa is an organised, capable person. She’s the hysterically. My father was a huge Manchester office mother but she has an eccentric side to her. United fan and so, rather in the same way that my Her tendency towards Christian fundamentalism mother always used Persil washing powder, and I makes her completely out of left field, which I think use Persil washing powder, I sort of inherited Man is one of the great things about Andy (Hamilton’s) Utd football team, but I wouldn’t say that I was a

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big football fan. I like big event football when it gets demands a leap of faith. So, really, he’s beating his seriously gripping. But what I was really into was head against a brick wall, but there is a fascination ballroom dancing which is, of course, technically in dealing with people who have such solid a blood sport…” opinions. She is definitely an Andy ‘hall mark’ character, that’s for sure…” Explain yourself! What’s next for you after this? “Really! Serious competition ballroom dancing is rumoured to be pretty hairy ... in more ways “My husband (Martin Jarvis) and I produce for BBC than one.” radio and we’ve got two productions in the pipeline. We’re also doing a Tennessee Williams Are you an accomplished ballroom dancer? play for Radio 3 which was recorded in America, with Alfred Molina and Shirley Knight. So I’m “I did ballroom dancing as my ‘Sport’ option for the working through the usual Amazon rainforest of Duke of Edinburgh Award, so you can tell how paperwork …” sporty I am. My lack of sporting activity is probably a good qualification for working as an agent.A lot Erm … I hesitate to ask this but any of it is about money and negotiation, it’s not sporting heroes? necessarily about sport. In fact, we could be doing it for any one – actors even! Basically what you “I’d say a ballroom dancing person but I don’t need is a calm exterior and to be able to deal with know any!” people who are not necessarily quite so calm. I think I’d be quite good at that actually.”

Working in an agency which caters for ballroom dancers possibly?!

“Indeed!”

Seriously, how would you cope if you were working in an agency with difficult clients? In TWOS, there’s a tennis player who seems to be thoroughly egotistical …

“She is hilariously demanding – Theresa just gives them a cup of tea, tells them not to worry and that Trevor will be with them in a moment.You know, general calming activities. I would probably do the same but would leave out the Christian words of wisdom.Then again, maybe that’s where I’m going wrong!”

Theresa’s got some interaction going on with Barry (played by Abdul Salis) who always seems to be trying to catch her out, but she’s having none of it is she?

“Barry is fascinated by what he sees as the illogicality of her Christian beliefs, but she remains resolutely unshakable and he always gets to a point where he asks something so unanswerable that it

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Abdul Salis plays Barry

"I’ve touched the entire French World Cup squad…"

Abdul Salis was born in Shepherd’s Bush, Trevor’s World Of Sport is still on TV in 10 years London. He’s been acting for just two years time! I like his sharp wit and his youthfulness. so everything he’s ever worked on comes out Everyone else in the office is older than him and in 2003. He names his career highlights as this age gap means he has to rely on himself. It working on an American TV show called The gives him an individuality which I really like.” Hidden City with Paul Barber (Only Fools And Horses) and Ashley (So Solid Crew); working How did you prepare for the part? on Love Actually with Hugh Grant and Martine McCutcheon; and working with “I kind of already knew him. Barry could be a Martin Freeman (The Office) on a project runner for anything – he’s got that personality. I which demanded Freeman be naked for didn’t necessarily think about the office stuff, I just most of the time. In Trevor’s World Of Sport, thought about his relationship with other people. Abdul plays Barry. I think Barry gives the show extra audience appeal as well, because he’s a black guy. I have next-door Tell us about your character, Barry. neighbours who will watch the show just because there’s a black guy in it, because when I was a “Barry is a cocky office runner who is sharper than little kid, I remember watching shows for that he’s given credit for. He’ll be the sports agent if very reason.”

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Working with Andy must have been an experience?

“Yes, big time. He’s a writer AND a director which is what I want to be! When I first saw him, I knew he was somebody; it’s very rare you can recognise a writer or director unless they’ve been up there on the podium a few times.”

Do you play any sports?

“I used to play basketball. My brother carried on with the basketball but I started smoking instead. I don’t play sports so much now but I do love my football – I support Spurs.”

Have you met any sports stars?

“I’ve touched the shoulders of the entire 1998 French World Cup squad.We were on a school trip in France and we all sneaked off to have cigarettes without our teacher seeing.We were hiding round the corner when a bus pulled up with about four police cars in tow and out came all these football stars! The police were there in force but when I went up to touch Zidane, no one did anything. So I ended up touching all of them saying ‘good luck, good luck’. But the worst thing was, it was the player I’d never seen before in my life who turned round and said ‘Merci’! I’m getting hot now just thinking about it!”

What do you think about having real sports stars in TWOS?

“I think it can only help the show. Surely we’re going to get millions of fans tuning in just because one of their heroes is on the programme.”

Do you have any personal sporting heroes?

“Michael Jordan – he is the man. I would cry if he turned up on set.”

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Cosima Shaw plays Heidrun

“Your David Beckham’s not bad is he?”

Cosima Shaw was born in Saarbruecken in from home, seeing the world and meeting different Germany. She came to London aged 15 types of people. I was more attracted to that at the for modelling work and is still signed to time but it didn’t last very long. It was a means Models 1.At her last count, she’d appeared in to an end.” over 40 TV commercials worldwide, but Cosima always wanted to be a serious What changed that? actress. In Trevor’s World Of Sport, she plays Heidrun, a German, lesbian receptionist. “It took a long time. My boyfriend’s an actor and he encouraged me to do commercials to give me confidence. His timing was great because it was just The modelling seemed to be going rather beginning to bug me that I would get older and not well – why divert into acting? have really tried it.”

“I did some acting when I was younger (before I So what happened between your initial became a model). I had an agent in Berlin and break and Trevor’s World Of Sport? started doing commercials when I was 12. I didn’t pursue acting initially because modelling seemed “It was a long journey. I started classes again a like a great thing – all the travelling, getting away couple of years ago, then I got an agent and it all

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went boom, boom, boom! I started doing film after horrible if I saw it on telly and some English actress film. I was so glad when Trevor’s World Of Sport came had been cast to play her with a German accent.” up because I was involved in another project which ended very badly…” What do you think of the characters Trevor and Sammy? Tell us more! “I like the fact that they’re at completely opposite “It was a film – great part, great script, but I got ends of the spectrum – Sammy being hilarious and out on location and the whole script had obnoxious and slightly disagreeable while Trevor’s changed completely.They’d added sex scenes the quiet one…” without telling me. I had a few rows with the producer who had already fired the director at Which one would you prefer to work for? this stage, and had become the director himself, and I said ‘I’m not doing it and that’s “Heidrun would probably prefer Trevor but the the end of it’.” character of Sammy kind of makes me laugh. He doesn’t make Heidrun laugh as much though … It’s hard to walk away from a film though, she’d prefer Trevor because he’d leave her alone.” isn’t it? How sporty are you? “Well it was and it was a long run up to the project; you get cast and wait for weeks and you “I do like sport but unfortunately none of the can’t get called up for anything else. I went out to sports which are represented by the agency. I’m South Africa, spent 10 days not really doing pretty fit, I go to the gym and I go hiking – anything anything, so it was a smack in the face really.” that won’t bore me, basically. I try and keep it varied with lots of fresh air.” So has TWOS directly followed this experience? What famous sports people have you come across? Any German footballers? “Yes – if the other thing had worked out, I wouldn’t have been able to do TWOS. It’s been brilliant “Sure I’ve seen some but it’s not something I working with the Trevor team and probably a much remember – I think I was pretty dismissive of better learning experience for me too.” them all really. It would be nice to say I’ve met David Beckham though … your David Beckham What attracted you to the part of Heidrun – isn’t at all bad!” apart from the sex scenes obviously?!

“Stop it! Well it’s quite funny because my boyfriend took the phone call and took down all the details about the part. His description was ‘blonde bimbo secretary’. I was really offended and thought how can they send me up for something like this after my previous bad experience? Anyway, I turned up, expecting it to be a no-go and it turned out to be completely the opposite.The fact that Heidrun is lesbian is great because I don’t have to be a clichéd PA.

“Heidrun has some really great lines and I thought ‘I can do that’, and I really wanted to do it because I felt like I knew her. I thought I’d feel really

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Claire Skinner plays Meryl

“I’ve been married to Neil Pearson twice …”

Claire Skinner was born and brought up in So what’s the score with Roger the Hemel Hempstead and is one of the UK’s poet then? most distinguished actresses. She has numerous TV credits including Bedtime, “He’s an absolute aberration! I don’t know Family Tree and Second Sight (all BBC) and what she can be thinking of. He’s everything appearances in Inspector Morse (ITV) and Trevor isn’t – and that is, of course, the point. A Dance To The Music Of Time (Channel 4). Roger’s into all this New Age stuff which is Her theatre work includes roles in A Winter’s capturing Meryl’s attention too. I think Roger Tale, Othello, Look Back In Anger, The typifies exactly where she thinks she wants to be – Importance Of Being Ernest and Playboy Of but obviously, that’s got disaster written all over it. The Western World and her film credits And Toby, her son, can’t stand him, which is not include Life Is Sweet, Return Of The Native going to help.” and Naked. In Trevor’s World Of Sport, she plays Meryl,Trevor’s estranged wife. So is Roger just a rebound relationship?

“Yes, I think so, but people often stay with rebound Can you tell me about the character flings, so he could end up elbowing Trevor out of you play? the picture completely.You’ll have to wait and see what happens!” “Meryl is searching for something different. She got married, gave up a career and had a child while You’ve worked with Andy Hamilton before Trevor became more successful and absorbed by on Bedtime.When his name is on the script, his work – to the extent that she begins to feel is that a guarantee that you will sign up alone. She’s also found that her identity has become to something? lost, so she tries to change this by going on something of a spiritual odyssey. So suddenly, she’s “Pretty much, yes! I looked at the script for Trevor’s into yoga, life coaches, therapy through poetry and World Of Sport and was immediately struck by such like! She’s a nice character to play – how beautifully written it is, and how the dissatisfied, yes, but ultimately like so many women characterisation is both funny but very gentle at who find that marriage doesn’t necessarily provide the same time – which is a hallmark of Andy’s everything they thought it might.” work, I think.”

If you could give Meryl any advice, what And what about the rest of the cast – any would it be? previous encounters?

“Lighten up and stop mucking about! She’s with a “Funny you should ask. Immediately after finishing genuinely lovely man, a decent man who just filming with Neil Pearson in Trevor’s World Of Sport, happens to work in a cut-throat world, but she’s I went off to France to play his wife all over again, trying to make a point – unfortunately, she’s putting in a new work called Booze Cruise. It’s becoming a her marriage at risk by doing so.” bit of a habit isn’t it?”

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Well you could do worse…

“True. I have done worse in the past, let me tell you!”

Oh do tell!

“No, stop it – my lips are sealed!”

How do you prepare for the parts you play?

“I don’t do any specific research. I just read and read the script, over and over again. I totally immerse myself in it until the character becomes so close and intimate to me, it’s like I know her. It’s almost like she’s a member of my family. But the other helpful thing is to talk to the costume designers. More than anything else, I find their choices for her clothes and overall image can really give an accurate picture of the actual woman and where she’s coming from.Who says that image isn’t important?”

This series is set in a sports’ agency obviously – are you particularly sporty?

“I’m totally non-sporty. I do like running. Maybe that’s overstating it – I go to the gym and run on the treadmill! Do I like it? I see it as being necessary, but I wouldn’t say I loved every minute I was on there. I sort of support Arsenal, in that I went to a football match once and Arsenal were playing! Oh dear, I’m not doing very well at this am I?”

That’s okay – there are too many Arsenal fans anyway, so I wouldn’t worry about it!

“But I am worried now – maybe I should do some research into Arsenal’s greatest footballing moments?”

Well it won’t take you long that’s for sure.

“Hey, that’s my team you’re talking about!”

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Matthew Thomas plays Toby

"Roger…just what sort of name is Roger?"

Matthew Thomas was born on 3 March 1988 a new bloke into the mix called Roger. Roger! and already has an impressive CV. His TV What sort of a name is that? That could really put credits include Wonderful You, The Bill, Hero you off someone.” To Zero and, of course, The Lost Prince,in which he played Prince John from the ages of What’s wrong with Roger? nine to 14. He gained the role after auditioning with 600 people. In addition, he “Everything! It reminds me of blokes who wear has made theatre appearances in Whistle anoraks and train spot! Anyway,Toby’s been Down The Wind and Oliver! In Trevor’s World dropped into this situation where his parents are Of Sport, he plays Trevor’s son,Toby. having problems, his dad is always at work and his mum is seeing someone else. I suppose it’s not very different from what hundreds of kids have to put Can you tell me a bit about the character up with really. But Toby’s a very adult character and you play? uses very sophisticated words for a 14-year-old. He’s more sophisticated than most 14-year-olds I “Toby’s really calm and laid back, quite unstressed – know! He’s also very intelligent, which his dad until his parents split up and his mother introduces finds annoying, because Toby always has a smart

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answer to everything – his dad is never able to shut him up.”

How did you get the part?

“I’ve done quite a lot of stuff just recently (The Lost Prince for BBC for example) and Andy (Hamilton) just rang my agent and asked me to come along for an audition. So I did and it just happened from there …”

How did you get into acting?

“It’s in my blood. My mum worked in theatre and dance hall and dad’s a musician, so it was either going to be acting or singing and I like doing both! I’ve wanted to be an actor since I was nine years old, so it happened really early on for me. I do like my music though – hip hop, drum ‘n’ bass, R&B – loud stuff! I also like singing love songs and ballads and musical theatre songs. I love playing the piano and I like playing guitar – but I find time to fit in acting too.”

What about sports – do you do any?

“I like skiing – in fact I like all the extreme sports. I support Arsenal – I don’t have time to go to matches though, which is a shame. My sporting heroes are David Seaman, who I think is awesome and still England’s top goalkeeper, and Alan Shearer is great too. I was also a huge fan of Ian Wright when he played for Arsenal – but all Arsenal fans love Ian Wright. He was Arsenal really.”

Would you be friends with Toby if he went to your school?

“That’s a really difficult question – I think I’d find Toby very funny. He’s quite daring and says stuff which is true, but quite hard for people to hear. But yeah, he’d be a laugh.”

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Joe Absolom plays Scott

“Prince Naseem was just knockout – but I didn’t tell him in case he took it literally.”

Joe Absolom was born in 1978 and lives in introduced to the agency, he really drives the plot South East London. His television CV is into new territory. I can’t say in what way extensive with previous appearances in because that would give the game away. Let’s Dangerfield, Casualty, Silent Witness, The Bill, just say that Scott is an enigma which makes him Touching Evil and Servants, but he is probably fascinating to play.” best known for playing Matthew Rose in EastEnders. In Trevor’s World Of Sport, he It sounds like you know about office plays Scott. situations – is that from experience?

“I’m afraid not – maybe I just have a vivid Can you tell me a bit about your character? imagination or perhaps I could do with someone like Scott organising me! I started acting pretty “He’s a gentleman, I think, a true English gentleman. early on when my dad sent me to an audition just He joins the sports agency as an executive, a right- for fun and my first public performance was actually hand man to both Trevor and Sammy, and playing a runner bean when I was 10 years old.” immediately brings some sanity to proceedings. He’s organised, calm and really knows what he’s Things seem to have moved on a bit doing, but in an unobtrusive way. He’s also nice and from then! helpful – a particular asset for Trevor who is going through a bad time and a crisis of confidence. “Just as well really – I mean how many Scott calms him down when Trevor loses all interpretations can you give to a runner bean? I’ve patience with his partner, Sammy.The other been really lucky, had some great work and worked interesting thing about Scott is, when he’s with some brilliant people.”

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Anyone you’d like to name? Have you met any famous sports people?

“Yes [adopts manner of an Oscar acceptance “Yeah – the best was when Prince Naseem came speech]. I’d particularly like to thank my dad;Tamzin on the EastEnders set and then invited us up to Outhwaite; Robson Green; Elvis Presley; and, of watch him box in Sheffield – he was knockout, course,Andy Hamilton for casting me in Trevor’s but obviously I couldn’t tell him that in case he World Of Sport…” took it literally.That was definitely my coolest sporting moment!” Elvis Presley?

“Well, admittedly I’ve never worked with him but I haven’t worked with my dad either, and both have had a major influence on things so far.”

Okay, we’ve touched on music passions then – what about sporting ones?

“I love good football and support Millwall FC – I realise that might sound like a contradiction. I find the whole sports agent thing really interesting. Nowadays, if a footballer is that good, he would never have to go scouting for an agent, the agents will always be falling over themselves to knock on his door. Pity it’s not like that for actors! Also, great footballers can get away with behaviour that actors never could – unfortunately! If you look at Gazza, he went out and did what he wanted to do regardless, and he got away with it because he had a sublime talent.”

Did he get away with it? I’m not sure he did …

“He was a hero on the pitch.Any bad things he did off it, he could always address on the football field. One goal against Scotland in Euro ‘96 meant immediate hero status.After all, none of the negative publicity has really affected his job prospects has it? It was his own behaviour which did that!”

What’s next for you?

“I’d like to get back to playing five-a-side football – I don’t play any particular position, I just run around like mad then collapse afterwards.With the various jobs I’ve done just recently, I’ve missed out on football, so I need to get some practice in every Thursday night.”

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