Quote

I think good-looking people seldom make good television. And American television studios almost concede before they start: 'Well, it won't be good, but at least it'll be good-looking. We'll have nice-looking girls in tight shirts with F.B.I. badges and fit-looking guys with lots of hair gel vaulting over things.'

The TV business is uglier than most things. It is normally perceived as some kind of cruel and shallow money trench through the heart of the journalism industry, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs, for no good reason.

Isn't television glamourous?

Sometimes good television doesn't depend on money, it depends on imagination and good people directing, casting and doing the job with talented people.

What they do in America in all those sitcoms is hire glamorous girls and they're never that funny... that's because they've never had to develop a personality because they're hot.

In America they like my spicy TV alter ego, probably because there were a lot of Italians and Hispanics in the country, but the real L.A. life is a hard-working one.

Hollywood don't always pay a lot of money. Because we're English they think we're cheap!

The neatest thing about television is that they write for you... They find out what you can do, what you do best, how it works, and how they can use you.

I'm going to insult a whole industry here, but it seems like TV is for people who can't do film. I'm not talking about actresses; I'm talking about lighting people. Lighting on TV is just so... it's sinful, it really is.

TV has gone back to basics, relating to middle class family with real characters, less make-up and simple shots. I feel as an actor it is a delight to work in such shows.