Rik Mayall found his latest role tough - as he had to play someone well behaved!
Rik Mayall faced on of the biggest challenges of his career when he was asked to star in new comedy-drama All About George. He found it hard to relate to his character, builder George Kinsey.
"He's a nice guy, so the part was really going to stretch me," grins Rik.
"To start with I thought he may have a few faults. I looked in the scripts to see where George steals, commits adultery, buries people alive or even just lies, but I couldn't find any of that!"
"At first I wasn't sure how many people would watch a series that's about a decent man trying to cope with his large and extended family."
"Thankfully, All About George is proof that you can make fascinating television out of normal life."
Episode one finds four generations of kinseys having a family photograph taken - but proceedings are interrupted by the arrival of a fifth! Georges daughter Laura goes into labour and gives birth to Jasmine.
"George tries to make sure everyone is happy," says Rik, 47. "It's not easy. He has his wife Annie, three children - two with his ex-wife Evelyn, and one with his current wife - a stepson, fueding parents and a bad boy brother."
The six-part series is written by Mike Bullen, the man behind Cold Feet and Life Begins. It is rik's biggest tv project since fracturing his skull in a quad bike accident in 1998.
"The doctors said I had little chance of survival," reveals Rik.
"But I pulled through. I forget things - peoples names and stuff - but I'm very excited about the new series."
Rik, who first made his name in The Young Ones, thinks All About George is the ideal show for him right now.
"I'm a dad and could - in theory - be a grandfather too," says Rik, who lives in Devon with his wife Barbara and kids Rosie, 19, Sid, 17, and 11-year-old Bonnie. "This series is an expression of my maturity - but I still need to be reigned in from time to time."
"I'm glad there are people around to stop me saying things like 'No Rik, I don't think George needs to fall off his chair in this scene. People will be more interested in what he has to say to the kids.' And I think they will be."
Enjoy!
Thanks to Sarah Williamson for transcribing this!