Tom Bennett interview
Tom Bennett plays PhoneShop's resident whipping boy Christopher...
Series 1 was very successful, what can we look forward to from your character in the second series?
Probably more of the same from Christopher, naively getting caught up in whatever hair brained schemes the other members have in store, still trying hard and failing epically, expectant dates going spectacularly wrong and a bit more dressing up in idiotic outfits much against his wishes. No good deed goes unpunished!
What have been the funniest and/or most memorable moments of filming this second series?
Every day on set is the most fun and memorable. Whenever Kayvan Novak (who plays Razz Prince) comes in to play you're never quite sure what you're going to get but you know it's going to be all out and hilarious and he didn't let us down this year!
You film on a high street in Sutton, do people think it's a real shop?
Let year we got loads more people coming in off the streets thinking it was a real shop or passing by muttering "Oh another phone shop, that's the last thing Sutton needs!", this year lots more people know that we're an E4 comedy because they watched it last year so now it's more groups of people wanting to watch us filming, see how it all works and get their photos taken with the Famalan!
Do you know of any famous fans of the series?
Well, last year our biggest fan was Ricky Gervais who was a great help in getting the pilot made. Harry Enfield has always been a big fan and it's quite a nice feeling to realise that some of your comedy heroes now know who you are! We got a massive Tweet-out from Sir Rio Ferdinand whilst we were filming this year which was quite cool, because we also give him a shout out this series!
Who are your comedy heroes/most inspiring TV comedy series?
My list of comedy heroes could just go on and on but massive modern day influences were always Partridge and pretty much every other thing Steve Coogan touches; The Office; The Fast Show; anything Vic & Bob ever did!
Newer comedy heroes would have to be Leigh Francis (Keith Lemon) and Kayvan Novak (Fonejacker). What's great is that since I've done PhoneShop I've actually had the pleasure to meet some of my heroes and even work with a few of them!
I've always been a massive fan of Peep Show and The Inbetweeners on this shore but over the pond I love Modern Family, Eastbound and Down, Curb your Enthusiasm, Family Guy... the list could go on and on and clearly these are only more recent influences.
I'm a huge physical comedy fan too: Buster Keaton, Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, Jackie Chan and of course the legend that is Michael Crawford!