10 questions for Craig Charles

CRAIG Charles is best known for roles in Coronation Street and of course Red Dwarf, as well as the Funk ‘n’ Soul Show on BBC Radio 6.

He’s a much loved actor, presenter, comedian, author AND poet – so we asked him the important questions!

The one piece of music you couldn’t live without? Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On album. It’s like an opera. Beautiful. The poem you couldn’t live without? Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas. I love his use of words and humour. I could chuck poetry easier than I could give up music, because I turn to music when I’m down. Your musical guilty secret? I’m an ELO fan. Jeff Lynne is a great songwriter. I love songs such as Telephone Line and Sweet Talkin’ Woman. Missing Coronation Street yet? No time to. I’ve recorded a poem with the BBC Philharmonic for Halloween, I’m doing another for Christmas, and I’ve started on the new series of Red Dwarf. What life lessons have you learned as you’ve grown older? Live for today and don’t ever be defined by your past. Let it go. Do you give trust easily? Not any more! I’ve been betrayed by people I was close to too often. I trust only my family and close friends. Worst thing about being recognised in the street? Selfies. We’re obsessed with them. It’s annoying if I’m out with family. One stranger, alive or dead, you’d like to have dinner with and why? Nelson Mandela. I’d want to learn where his compassion and humility came from. I sat in his cell on Robben Island for an hour and couldn’t see how anyone could forgive what he’d been through. Craig Charles good bloke or a work in progress? I think I’m a good bloke. I try to be. You have 24 hours left to live. How do you spend the time? I started work at 17 and haven’t stopped, so I’d travel as much as I could. I’d go to Guyana to see where my dad came from.

Craig’s Funk ’n’ Soul Show, Saturdays, 6-9pm on BBC Radio 6. His poem, Scary Fairy, is on Radio 2, Friday October 30, 8-10pm.