Have I Got News For You

Tom Baker

This interview was conducted 500 years from now on a hostile planet populated entirely by traffic wardens.

Q1.You've been on the show as a guest before, but this is your first time as a host. How are you feeling about it?

I suppose I'm just feeling I have to brazen it out, because I've never been a host before. I feel rather honoured really that they think I might be waggish enough to get laughs, because I always wanted to be a comedian. One longs to be funny, to make people laugh. Laughter is such a sign of approval, isn't it? I got lots of laughs when I played Macbeth. That was stupendous. Only Peter O'Toole got as many laughs as me.

Q2.You've enjoyed success in two very iconic roles, as Doctor Who and the voice of Little Britain. How do you hope you are thought of by the great British public? Do you feel comfortable being called a 'national treasure'?

Yes, I do. I often get young people in libraries or book clubs saying, "You take care now, Mr. Baker. Remember, you're a national treasure." So, I'm glad to be a national treasure. It's lovely.

Q3.What do you find people recognise more - your face or your voice?

Well, I think people don't recognise my face because I'm so much older now, but it is astonishing that people can recognise a voice. I do sometimes get recognised, and indeed a lot of people do come and see me. The dedicated sci-fi fans network a lot. It's part of a family really, a really great big dotty family, or some kind of highly amusing religion.

Q4.A lot of your lines in Little Britain can be quite rude. Have you ever refused to say any? Or do you actually write some of them yourself?

No. Never. The thing is I'm very interested in bad taste, as anyone who's ever seen me perform or had dinner with me would know. I like outrageousness and rudeness, that amuses me no end, but it's the boys who tell me what to do. Matt Lucas is an extremely exacting director. I didn't improvise or anything like that. It's all worked out very carefully.

Q5.According to Paul, and Paul alone, Ian Hislop has been lined up as the next Dr. Who. What do you think he would bring to the role?

I think he would bring stature, wouldn't he? The thing about Ian being so little of course is that on the television they could enlarge him. I actually think he'd be quite a mischievous Doctor Who and there is a definitely a slightly alien quality about him.

Q6.Before getting into acting you originally trained as a monk. Were there any transferable skills from that experience that helped you get to where you are today?

Well, yes. My capacity as a monk was to passionately believe utter nonsense, and when you're an actor you have to do the same thing. Also, Christianity used to have a lot to do with self-loathing and an acceptance of criticism and things like that which is terribly important for actors.

Q7.You then did your national service in the Royal Army Medical Corps. Was there any danger of you becoming a real doctor?

Oh, no, because I never had the educational levels to become a real doctor, but I was a very, very conscientious and enthusiastic orderly in those old-fashioned days of knowing how to do basic skills extremely well. The army was a wonderful teacher. I learnt how to allay people's embarrassments and change beds and wash people without them feeling humiliated and make them laugh to keep their spirits up. I enjoyed that very much.

Q8.You've had something of a real-life regeneration after the success of Little Britain. What do you hope the future now holds?

I don't really think about the future too much at my age. I don't even buy green bananas. I just take it as it comes really.