Sam West

Sam West

5 January 2012

I interviewed the actor Sam West today (that is him on the far right of the photo looking grumpy!) It's his character in a new television drama series which starts tonight called Eternal Law. It is from the creators of Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes, but instead of time-travelling policemen, sixties and seventies nostalgia and DCI Gene Hunt, this one is about angels sent down from heaven to work as lawyers.
Sam kind of threw me at the start of the interview saying he wanted to be called Samuel first and then Sam afterwards. But instead of that being an antsy actor thing, Samuel/Sam turned out to be one of the nicest guests I have ever had. Chatty, thoughtful, eager to come to Belfast so he could visit the City's Punk Shrines. I did suggest Terri Hooley could be his guide, but then wondered if he would survive such a tour!
Son of Timothy West and Prunella Scales, Sam comes from acting royalty. His parents are part of my childhood telly watching memories. Sybill in "Fawlty Towers" and that voice "Bas....illll". But it's his dad, Timothy West, who wins hands down. It's an episode of "Tales of the Unexpected". I remember he played a bee-keeper, who eats the jelly and ends up turning into a bee. The image of him at the end, buzzing and sprouting bee like hairs on the backs of his hands, freaked me out.
I tell Sam this. He says he's been told this before. It's called The Royal Jelly episode. A lot of people tell him it gave them nightmares. He says he's going to tell his dad and that he will be chuffed. Afterwards, I google the episode. It went out in March 1980. Still vivid all these years later. Put me off honey for life. *shudder*
"Eternal Law" is on ITV1 tonight at 9pm

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