Adrian Scarborough interview
He has starred in everything from Miranda to Gavin & Stacey, but Adrian Scarborough reveals working on Edge Of Heaven has been one of the nicest jobs he has ever taken on.
Smiling, Adrian, who plays one of the gay Garys, admits he could carry on working on the show for the rest of his life because it has been so much fun. "There is not an ego amongst us and I have been far happier on this than I have on many, many other jobs," he says. "I could do this for the rest of my life. The dynamic ensemble is very interesting and it has been very well balanced. We all enjoy each other's company and it has been a lot of fun. I love the dynamics that goes on between the Garys and Nanny Mo. The allegiances do switch and that has been good to play."
Describing his character as 'the more cynical member of the family', Adrian is pleased Gary's relationship is reflective of modern day life. "His feet are firmly on the ground but he is not without his sense of fun," explains Adrian. "He is the slightly more cynical member of the family and he likes being in control. He likes being the top dog and he is not going to do the dirty. The relationship is very secure and solid and it is probably the most solid one out of them all.
"They are both very happy and I do think the two Garys are very normal and very ordinary. They are in love and they get on with life. They are easy company."
Filming a scene at a fairground was one of Adrian's highlights making the series. "It is their anniversary and it is Gary's turn to do something for me," he reveals. "He takes him to the fun fair and they go on a secret bus trip back in time to the first day they met. It is dreamland and it is very romantic. It's really sweet and it was fun to film. There again, we have all had such a giggle and laughed so much.
"Some comedies you work on you don't laugh at all. The lovely thing about this is the mix of comedy and drama is very clear to see. You can have your cake and eat it. There are a lot of dramatic moments as well as lots of silliness. I would love it if the series comes back again."
Adrian, who has also starred in Upstairs Downstairs and who won the Laurence Olivier award in 2011 for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in the play After The Dance is extremely busy - something he appreciates a great deal. Aside from Edge Of Heaven, he is starring in King Lear at the National Theatre, which is being directed by Sam Mendes, before going on to film a new series of BBC comedy Up The Women. "I have worked with Sam before," he says. "He is so clear about what he wants. You never feel lost at sea with him as he is so totally in control.
"I do feel very blessed. Someone once said you should be 'Jack of all trades, master of none'. It was really good advice as it has meant I have been in work a lot more than I would have been if I had specialised in an area. I like mixing it up. Variety is the spice of life."
As for whether Gavin & Stacey should return or not, Adrian thinks it was a very smart move to end the series on a high. "It takes enormous guts to do that," he reveals. "There were things they wanted to do and the different careers they have had for themselves has meant they have done precisely that. The friendships we made on set will be there forever. I still see the others often and I have got so many happy memories from it all. But I really do think Edge Of Heaven could be just as successful. Everything is going so well and I am a very happy boy."