mostly david ephgrave

I hate the self-congratulatory nature of the Oscars and award ceremonies in general. Perhaps I'm being miserable or jealous, but I don’t think it’s necessary, particularly in the world of entertainment. I think actors are celebrated and raised on a pedestal enough, especially at the high end of their industry. Switch on BBC Breakfast of a morning or Graham Norton of an evening and their respective sofas will be bursting with performers hyperbolizing about the strenuous emotional journeys they took to bring a characterization to the stage or screen. They’ll act like they’ve stumbled across the cure for cancer or the secret to time-travel, while the interviewer laps it up. Giving an actor the chance to discuss the agony of their craft is like showing a rag to a bull. I know because I’m one of them. (An actor and not cattle, though there's very little difference.) Don't get me wrong. Film, television and theatre has its place. We a...

There’s nothing like the BAFTAs for reminding you how little you’ve achieved in your career. Don’t let it be said that I never set myself unreasonable goals. While there's no golden mask on my mantelpiece, I’ve not faired too badly over the years. I’ve worked in the West End, toured the UK more times than I care to remember - and my various projects with Glyn Doggett have certainly had their moments. There may be a string of two-star reviews to our name, but I like to take this to mean we're two stars in-the-making. Though I may never win a BAFTA - and I’m not sure what I’d get one for anyway: Best Beard, perhaps? - I still have the odd prize to my name. My old group Big Day Out won Best Band in Hertfordshire and Best North Herts Finalist at the 1998 Hertfordshire Music Awards (what do you mean, you’ve never heard of it?). I was also awarded Most Promising Student on graduating from drama school; an accolade I’ve been trying to disprove eve...