Tom Davis interview
Tom Davis, the star of the unique BBC Three series Murder In Successville, talks to BCG about his comedy career and what the new show is about:
You've had a pretty busy year so far Tom!
Yes, it's been a lot of fun. Jumping to and from characters.
Aside from the show we're about to talk about, you've recently had lead roles in Cockroaches, Plebs and The Keith Lemon Sketch Show, not to mention guest parts in comedies such as Drunk History, Brian Pern, House Of Fools, Still Open All Hours and Bad Education... you're starting to take over TV?!
Guess there's been a massive call for a giant idiot. I've been very fortunate to have featured in all these programmes. To have appeared with a vast range of established and new talent has been a dream come true.
From MCing in my trailer on Cockroaches with Jamie Demetriou, to MCing on Still Open All Hours with David Jason and Lynda Baron, it's all been great banta.
You've been acting for a while now - we remember your 2011 pilot The Warm Up Guy for example - but in the last couple of years there now seems to be serious growing momentum behind your career. What, if anything, has changed recently?
Time and experience. This career is always going to be full of ups and downs. I think one of the main things is to keep your head and enjoy it. The rejection and knocks are only going to make you want to give up or make you stronger.
To quote the great Rocky Balboa: "It ain't how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, that's how winning is done!" I have that tattooed on my back, I say it every night before I go to bed.
What was your first comedy role? Did you always know you wanted to be a comedy actor?
My first role was with Leigh Francis, we hijacked the Big Brother house together. I owe a lot to Leigh, he's been a mentor. I remember that day being in awe of his ability to completely commit to character. I always wanted to act, but doing anything like this seemed a million miles away. Someone like Leigh showing a little faith in you gives you the confidence to move forward with what you are doing.
Your new role is as DI Sleet in Murder In Successville. Can you set the show up for us? It's quite a unique format!
It's bat shit crazy. It's a murder mystery, in a town made up of celebrity impressionists, with a celeb guest, and I'm the lead detective. If I'm honest I'm still trying to get my head round it.
As you say, a celebrity joins you each week as a sidekick. A celebrity who doesn't normally act. What was it like to work with them?
They were all great, I think we're all realistic and we're not gonna be knocking on Daniel Day Lewis's door saying "move along there's a new face in town fella". The main thing for us was making an immersive world that they'd buy into and enjoy. The moment Deborah Meaden started grilling Cariad or Dermot went bad cop you kind of know the show's working.
Some of the show is improvised. Was it fun playing with the guest stars and trying to make them laugh?
It's one of the most enjoyable parts of the show. The whole show is a joy to make, everyone is trying to make each other laugh, it's genuinely like messing about with your mates at the back of the class.
The show features lots of celebrity impressions, the likes of Alan Carr and Jimmy Carr. Are you worried about meeting any of those parodied after the show starts airing?
All the impressions are done with real affection. We're not poking fun at the celebs. We wanted to create an alternative universe where Alan and Jimmy Carr were the Kray brothers and Mary Berry ran a strip club. The cast doing the impressions were fantastic, all of them knocked it out of the park.
There seems to be a bit of a buzz building around the programme. Are you quietly confident you've got a hit on your hands?
You never know. There's some lovely things being said about the show. We just wanted to make something that we found funny. The BBC have been incredibly supportive in letting us build this weird and wonderful world. I hope people enjoy it as much as we've enjoyed making it.
Presuming and hoping it does get a second series, have you a wishlist for who you'd like to be your sidekicks next time?
We all have a few favourites, I'd love Danny Dyer or David Beckham. Sarah Millican would be brilliant, she's hilarious and would be loads of fun.
What's next for you Tom? A bit of a break, or straight on to the next TV project?
I have a few ideas in development. Later in the year Plebs and The Keith Lemon Sketch Show. Oh and planning a wedding which is harder work than just rocking up at a church, it seems.
'Murder In Successville' is on BBC Three on Wednesdays at 10pm.