No, I've worked with animals before, real ones and not real ones. I'm not really working, I'm only working with the voice, so it presents no problem. I was very impressed with the first reading because [John Leeson's] done it forever, hasn't he? And it's unexpected, the voice, I hadn't heard it before on screen. He's very good, I have to say.

I suppose it must be fun to spark off with an actor such as Mr McGann?

I'd never met him before, so it's very nice. We hardly meet, well, we haven't done so far in the recording. I've got another day to go so I might get to say hello to him properly and have a drink or something.