Quotes

I loved working with John Cleese, but there are many others and, if they are team workers, rather than behaving like "stars", I get on fine with practically all of my colleagues who are skillful and conscientious but not too serious.

I love travelling.

[on the return of Jonathan Ross to the BBC in 2009 following his suspension for leaving obscene messages with Russell Brand on his answerphone] His show is embarrassing, it is not an interview show, it's the Jonathan Ross show. A lot of people like the show but I don't, and I'm not alone. I will be watching the show out of curiosity to see what is what. His quickness of mind is worth retaining but with the good points go the bad ones maybe. It is extraordinary that a man of that experience allowed himself to be shown like that. It is just self restraint he has not got. I like listening to him, but I don't want to see him after Friday. Another apology is not necessary, he could apologise to the BBC or all of the other people embarrassed by his actions. There is a long list of people involved.

I was up to take over as Doctor Who (1963) but didn't get the part. Sylvester McCoy played it, but at that time they put my name forward for it. Shame, I'd love to have done it. You can be very self-indulgent and go mad and do all the wonderful things, but the script or the director should pull you back and say, 'Come on, stop fooling about, just stop acting, just do it, be in the spirit of the script'. I hope I would have done that, but I never got the chance. One of my sad tales of failure in life.

[on criticism that Manuel was a racist stereotype] If it's insulting to the Spanish what is Basil to the British?