Test Match Special - View from the Boundary - Samantha Bond

Episode Date: July 27, 2024

Jonathan Agnew talks to actor Samantha Bond from the TMS commentary box at Edgbaston.Known for her roles as Miss Moneypenny during the Piers Brosnan era of James Bond, Downton Abbey, and The Marlow Murder Club, Samantha talks about knowing Bob Willis (on Blue for Bob day at Edgbaston), her experiences of stage fright, and having to kiss Piers Brosnan for three hours during a shoot.

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So, real treat we have today. Our guest is a star of stage and screen appearing alongside the likes of Pierce Brosnan, David Judy Dench, Bert Reynolds, Alan Lamb. How on earth that name got in there, I don't know. She's played Miss Moneypenny in four James Bond films, Lady Roswin Painswick in Downton Abbey and many, many, many other celebrated roles.

And also here today as an ambassador of the Bob Willis Fund, Samantha Bond, it's lovely to see you, the game was up long before I, I threw the hat and you dropped it. I know, I'm so, for listeners, I did actually catch the hat. Yeah. And then I dropped it. Yeah. But that's all part of cricket. I was, it was my peers, broz.

It's the nearest I ever get to being Pierce Brosnan, you see. Actually throwing the hat in like that. I know. But sad thing was that some of the younger ones, he didn't know what I was doing. I thought I was mad. Oh, yeah. I'm slightly insulted now. Well, I am too.

Anyway, look, you're here first of them foremost as an ambassador for, for the Bob Willis. I am indeed. Fun day. And, you know, it's, as I say, to Lauren, a bit behind here. You know, these days, they're very poignant, aren't they? You know, because, you know, we all know everybody involved. And it's kind of tinder the sadness.

And what's your association with Bob and this? Oh, gosh. I first met Bob. I worked it out this morning. 38 years ago. Right. And I was at a charity cricket match, which had been organized.

by the actor David Tomlinson, who played Mr. Banks. Yes, of course. Barry Poppins, yes, okay. And other people on the team were Colin Milburn, John Snow, Alan Nott, and I was selling programmes. Right. I was a 24-year-old actress. So that's where... Where was the game?

Oh, somewhere in the country. David Tomlinson's Back Garden, you know, the local village green. It wasn't... It was just for a charity very dear to him. charity very dear to his heart but that's where the friendship began and he was an incredibly loyal theatre supporter and i was coming through birmingham today and i suddenly remembered that when i was about 26 i was playing the birmingham rep i was doing much ado about nothing directed by judy dench playing beatrice opposite ken brannes benedict uh and the whole

of that area of Birmingham was a building site literally everything had been raised to the ground the theatre was standing and one pub and the one pub had been one of Bob's favourite pubs and it had a landlady called Nan Nancy and he came to see the show and we met in the pub afterwards and it had two different bars and the actors went to the back bar but Bob was holding court in the front bar and then one of the senior actors in the play called me a son and said, if you don't introduce me, I will never speak to you again. Oh, right. So yeah, saw lots of him, but obviously here today to support Blue for Bob.

Yes. I'm dressed in blue. The radio listeners can't see that. I think Vic Marks went to that pub. It wasn't the Rosen Crown with it. It was something like that. He was talking about it this morning, where Bob used to, yes, used to hold court in there. It was a very small pub and he was, of course, very tall.

Prince of Wales, was it? That was the one, maybe something like that, having a voice in my... Well, yes, it's so he had to creep in. I mean, he was, I mean, he was a heroic cricketer. Yes, he was. I mean, he really was. And in a way, we were talking about it again earlier, not really built for fastball. I mean, it was so tall and he's not sort of a big, strong, musley type, but very lean, wasn't the angular sort of figure?

Um, and it was just, I think one of the loveliest things about about it is, that I don't think surely anybody else has had their bowling action copied by people who can't bowl and have actually resulted in two test wickets that I've seen. Oh really?

I've seen Alan Lamb in Calcutta when nobody else could get a wicket and the game was dead steaming in from the boundary at one end with his Bob Willis impersonation arm pumping and everything else and he lobbed out this ball which Man of Probika missed

and with LBW and actually given out by a home umpire which is virtually unheard of Indian Dumpires in those days, never gave anybody. So that was LBW Lamb. And then Alistairc against India again, actually, at Trent Bridge, gained dead, or presumably, did a Bob Willis impersonation from our end, Radcliffe Road end, he bought a horrible delivery to Ishan Sharma that was just down the leg side.

Somehow Sharma got a bit of bat on it and, yeah, caught behind. So there's two wickets through Bob Willis impersonations. Great legacy to leave. Well, isn't it? I can't, I can't think that. that could have happened to anybody else. But it is a serious message, isn't it? And that's the point.

You know, you try and make these things, well, interesting and, you know, you're obviously trying to get people to donate and so on. But it is that serious. I think there are two things about today like today. And obviously, any donations are gratefully received, and I'll give you details later. But also it's the awareness. And we women are awfully good about talking about problems.

we discussed them publicly and we need you men to start talking. I don't know why we don't. I don't know why you don't because talking is really good and the more I've been sitting next to a lovely man watching who's been through PC and he said it now happens all the time that people just talk so apparently one of the things you need to be aware of is the change in your pee pattern so it can either be that you pee more at night. which either you may notice or your partner may notice or peeing becomes problematic. But unless you're going to talk about those things,

you're not going to quite know at which point you go for help or advice. So I think the awareness side of a day like today is absolutely as important. Well, you've got a little, there's a logo, isn't there, here? Spend a penny save a life, which is, I guess what you're saying is it. It's an interesting cake that you've actually put this on. Hang on a minute. Listeners, last time I was on this program, I didn't have a cake. I didn't know I was going to be here. So today I prepared a cake.

And Agass has been quite... It looks as somebody's run over it, if I'm honest. I mean, is that... It's a little chocolate brownie. And it's got seven gentlemen facing a urinal with their bottoms to the viewer. Cricketers, they are. They are all cricketers. They're genuine cricketers.

And it says, struggle to people. so did he. Yeah. Well, that's a, yeah, that sort of says it all, really. To donate. Obviously, you can go to the website, which is the Bob Willis Fund.org. Or around here, there are things telling you,

if you text 20, which is capital letters, to 70843, then you can donate immediately. That's good. Well, I'm sure people are doing that a lot. Did you come and see cricket when Bob was playing? But when did you start watching cricket then, Sam? It happened really when I met my husband. So we've been married 35 years this year.

Right. And there were two... He's a sports lunatic. So I had to embrace cricket, boxing, rugby and football. Okay. My rugby wasn't difficult because my father was a Welshman. So rugby had always been a part of my life. Cricket, I grew to adore.

I can even manage boxing. football I find the most boring game in the world but I do remember um when so we're going back to the 80s when one day cricket started yes and I said to Bob finally I get it I understand one day cricket great game and Bob went one day cricket doesn't exist it is not cricket so it's not and he's right it's not until you engage with a test match and I've been at games at lords which have literally finished in the last over or been one or lost in the last over and that's five days yeah i know they're very special aren't they oh they're incredible it's a very special sport have you actually sat through an entire test match you mean had five days the grounds no no because it would always

i mean we're so lucky doing this job we actually get to see a whole match every day every ball and so and it's it's fantastic how people come and and just watch a day they drop in but of course they're following it in all sorts of different ways these days as well. So you can actually follow the game, you know, properly, if you like. But just to be able to drop in for one day, maybe the Saturday, like today, and then there was yesterday and there's tomorrow and the day after. But somehow, just, you know, coming from one day is enough. Well, to be honest, most of the time it's all the normal people can manage.

You are very privileged to get five days. Yes. But the rest of us watch on the telly, and then when we get the chance, we go to the ground. So was your dad a decent cricket, because he was keen, wasn't it? He was a very clean watcher. Right. But I'm not sure he'd ever played cricket beyond school. Right.

So did he get you into the game? It really was a combination of my husband and Bob. Wow, okay. And then once you engage in it, it's magical. And my father was an MCC member. My brother now is. So most years I get at least a day at Lords. Right.

But that's never interesting. Do you enjoy that sort of atmosphere there? I mean it's quite traditional or feels quite traditional going there. Yes, it's very different coming outside London. Yes. So I've been now to Birmingham and as you know to Nottingham and it's very different. But I love looking round and it is across all classes, across all colours. Everyone is here having a great day.

Good. Well, I mean it feels like it's that. Sometimes it's hard to tell. Oh, it's what it looks like down. And it sounds like. And they're singing. I know. They don't sing at Lords. No, no, they don't.

Are you sitting in the Holley's stand? I'm not, but I've beautifully positioned to watch it. Yes. And indeed hear it. It's quite interesting in there. Is it? Well, when the Australians come in particular, I mean, if we bring them here first, the first match here,

that Holley's stand can be very aggressive. And it really does. Aggressive? Yes, very hostile towards the Australians. It got a lot of stick. Yes, definitely. And so it's kind of quite unsettling. Yes, that would be.

Yes, so the England team always want to play here first. So the Holley's lot will get stuck into the Australians. Oh, no, it's a bit like being, well, I mean, it's the same in Australia when we go there. There are stands and so on there are very, I know, quite, really quite hostile. Tell me about David Gower, because it just struck me there's, you know, not an obsession. That's probably putting it too far. Is he obsessed with me? Obviously.

Look, it was probably a two-way thing. But you see, you went for lunch with him, didn't you? And he wrote about it in The Cricketer. Oh, that lunch? Yes. How many lunches have there been? No, that's the only one. The only one.

Okay. I can't remember why. It was for the cricketer. It was. And David and I had met just after I met Bob because it was David's, what is they called that? The retirement year. It's called.

Oh, the benefit year. Yeah. Yes. And David Tomlinson was going to introduce Gower at a luncheon testimonial. Yes, that's right, yeah. And so I did have a lunch with him then, but it was in front of 500 people. Oh, I see, right. And then recently we did a lunch for an interview for the cricketer,

because we thought it would be funny if it was two people who knew each other. Right. And how did you find that? Oh, it was lovely. We only went to my local pub. Did you? He's here today, is he? Because he's involved in this. Yeah. Was he one of your favourites to watch then? Oh, you see, the honest truth, I guess, is that he was just very pretty.

See, it's taken me five minutes to beat that out of you. Yeah, well, I've said it now. I like to think that he thinks I was quite pretty, but we are going back 30-something years. Of course, absolutely, but I did mention that just reading things, I thought maybe you're, you know... No, sorry. Oh, no, no, no, not that, but I mean, yes, you thought he was. Yeah. watching him a lot.

Yes. And why was that? Apart from him being pretty. Oh, I thought he was a very charismatic player. And I remember saying to him at lunch, the first lunch, in front of 500 people. And he'd scored a lovely 50 or something, and I was congratulating him. And he said, but you know what really hurts is when you score a sweet 27 and no one mentions it.

Oh, okay. And I thought that was kind of bewitching and sort of touched me as an actor. Because, you know, the people who are playing the starry leads and they get all the... And then sometimes you watch and there's a smaller part being played with such detail and such finesse. Yes. So, yeah. And he also goes unnoticed. Yeah.

Yeah. What are modern, the modern players, do you, have you come across any of them? Or do you stand out as being... You see, if you'd ask me that question last year, I'd have known. who they all were, but I've been filming all summer, so I'm a bit down. Right, on the current, yes. No, that's fair enough. Well, what are you filming?

Oh, I'm filming something called the Marlowe Murder Club. So I travelled up from Marlowe last night. Right. And I will travel down to Marlowe on Sunday night. And it's charming. I mean, it's a gentle murder mystery. Right, which are incredibly popular, aren't they? Yeah, yeah.

So what's your role in that? You're Miss Marple? Yes. Right, okay. Miss Marple, but younger. But no, it's great and it's beautifully written and it's funny. And it's, the plots are incredible. But it's also, in terms of viewing, it's inoffensive.

So there isn't violence. They're a murders. Yes. You know, as I get older, I don't want to watch violence. I don't need to hear people swearing. You can understand. in the street for that so it's nice gentle television but really really well written and the plots are hugely challenging who's written these various

people right it was started by Robert Farragood who created death in paradise yes of course which my wife is obsessed with oh well she'll love it then you must get oh really it's quite complicated you have to go to free view and then you have to go to UK TV and then look under drama and then you'll find them all emerging club. Right, okay. Yeah, if she likes that, she'd love it. I'll put her on to that. Because it's such a varied life that you have, isn't it? Yeah. To be an actor, it must be incredible. I mean, I suppose, I presume that when you start out, perhaps you can't be terribly selective and you kind of take what comes to you and then actually the better known you

become and the more flexible you are. I guess you can be a bit more choosy, can you? I think the most important thing to say is how much of it comes down to luck. So when I was 24, Ken Branagh wanted to play Romeo. He had been at the RSC and he said to the RSC, I'd like to play Romeo. And they said, we're not doing that next season. So Ken being Ken said, oh, well, I'll do it for myself then. And then he couldn't find a Juliet. And he knew all the young actresses who were at the RSC.

And then he asked a casting director in Manchester and she said, well, we've just seen a really interesting young woman called. And then I met Ken, and then we played Romeo and Juliet. And that changed an awful lot. It must do. An awful lot. Yes. We played it in a tiny studio theatre in Hammersmith in West London.

He paid us all £100 a week. He directed as well? He directed it and played Romeo. Of course he did, Ken Browner. But that led to my first lead. on television. It led to my first West End play. It ultimately led to me going to the RSC.

And the rest is luck. That's history, yeah. The TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Luck's interesting, isn't it? Because I hear a lot of, just in mind it all the world, cricketers talking about, oh, I'll be very lucky to do this. Yeah, a bit lucky to do that. And I think, yeah, okay, I know what you mean.

initially there might have been a bit of luck but actually you could once that doors open a tiny bit through luck you've got to kick the door in you know you've you've got to go through wholeheartedly and then actually it isn't so much luck then it's it's skill it's experience yeah yes and it's working at your job practicing um your skill and never being complacent i think is also yeah we were quite intimidated to something i mean it sounds like almost plucked from obscure to end up doing that, playing Julia in that situation? Do you know I wasn't because I was 24? I think all the fear comes later.

So I didn't have stage fright until I was in my mid-30s. Really? Well, when you're in your 20s, you know, you can do anything. It's when you get older. And that continues because now I have a certain, for want of a better word, reputation. So when you do something people expect of you. And that's much more frightening than when people had no expectations at all.

That's interesting. And do, by stage fright, what do you mean? What is it? Oh, what is it? Oh, it's terrifying. And you stand in the wings and you can't breathe, which is quite important as an actor. And sometimes I shake.

And when I say I shake, I shake from, shake from head to foot I did my first ever musical five or six years ago it was dirty rotten scoundrels and I had to sing that would be terrifying to be fair yeah if you're not if you're not a professional singer and I would stand in the wings and I'd start to shake and I had about five women who were going to come and join me in the song eventually and I they would literally push me very gently onto the stage really yeah Yeah.

And does that happen every night? Where you do, are you anxious? No, not every night. With the musical it happened for six weeks. So that was exhausting. It is. That's absolutely exhausting. Yeah.

I do theatre, but I love it. And I just go bouncing out there and just enjoy it. Yes, but you're chatting, aren't you? Yeah. Yeah. Well, not following a script. No, exactly. It's very different when you're trying to follow with script.

Yes. You're relying on other people too a lot. I mean, I have to rely on Phil Tufnoll, which is. It's pretty tricky. That's tricky. That is tricky. But you are relying on people, well, yeah, remembering their lines and performing well, too. One of the exciting things about being on stage with people like Dame Judy and Dame Maggie,

which I've been lucky enough to work with both, is that it's like being on stage with a thoroughbred racing horse. because they are so exquisitely brilliant and challenging to be on a stage with, that you up your game sort of in order not to let them down. I understand that, yes. So things like that are incredible. Yeah. And by, okay, so by brilliant, what makes an actor be like that?

What is it about them that elevates? I mean, I can watch, okay, watch David Gower Batting and I can see that's brilliant at a level above most others. What is it about the people that you've mentioned that you can say, well, they're brilliant. But what do they do that makes them brilliant? I think both of those women are instinctive actresses. And I think both of them can turn on a six-pence. And both of them is the word mercurial, that they just move effortlessly through a script or a situation. Both of them can change their performance nightly.

because people always think we do the same thing on stage it isn't ever the same because the audience is never the same that's interesting and both of them were great teachers of listening to what your house the audience is giving you and responding hmm

Imelda Staunton's my favourite yeah she's very good too Dame Imelder to you of course I do know her yes I mean she's just again one of those amazing all rounders yes I've seen her on stuff all by herself singing and dancing.

Well, she can do both the big classic plays and the musicals. Yeah. And presumably you would have worked with Jim Carter, her husband on Downton. Yep. He's a big cricket fan. I worked with Jim. A hundred years ago, there was a film called Eric the Viking. Right.

And Jim Carter and Jim Broadbent were both playing murderous Vikings who were trying to have their wicked way with me. This is all before the credit. it's rolled and I got stabbed through the heart by both of them and then I came back in Valhalla with his Viking heaven so I've known him for a very long time okay I know he he does love cricket and of course those two of them run Hampstead cricket club together he's he's gem well we've got to get on to the big one then and I mean you must I mean do you like talking about money penny or do you get bored with being asked about

money penny because you've done you've done so much else and I've sort of try to hang it back a bit Because I don't want you to think, oh, not that again. It's like me in the Legover. People say, oh, the Lego, think, oh, okay. Oh, I don't know about the Lego. The Legover, not Lego. Oh, the Legover. Yes.

I thought we were going to talk about Lego. No, certainly not, the Lego. So he's sort of like, hmm, okay. I do know about the Lego over. So is that a bit like, have you in Bond and Money, Penny and all that? Yeah, it, I mean, it was a lovely time. And I was just saying to your friend, Nick Owens, that the big difference it made to my career was the amount of charity work I could do.

Right. Because the British press will come out. They still refer to Moneypenny as a Bond girl, which she is. No, she's not. Certainly not. But that was the big change. And also that it didn't end my career, because it finished the career of two MoneyPenies before me. Because they've just...

They just got typecast. Yes. Lois Maxwell was so frustrating. at what had become of her life. And so I'm grateful that it happened. But apart from the thing that you haven't mentioned yet that I know you want to mention, there aren't many stories to tell, really.

Which story do you think I want to mention? Well, there was a Friday night. I was going filming on the Monday. A Friday night, my fax machine suddenly fired into life. And a rewrite appeared. appeared. So I read the rewrite. Which film was this one? I had no idea. I'm not very good at title. One of the Bond films. And then I'm sitting in make up a pine wood on the Monday morning and

Pierce comes in and he says to his friend who he has trained to be his makeup artist. He said, so what are we starting with? And his friend said, we're starting with the scene when you kiss Moneypenny. And out of the dressing room came a series of expletives because neither of us, It had never occurred to us that we might one day have to kiss one another. Because it never happened before, isn't it? I think you were the only Moneypenny ever actually to kiss Bond, won't you? Yeah. And then what they do, when you're doing an intimate scene,

they do what's called a clothes set. So you have the minimum crew. Everyone else is sent away. Because it was Money, Penny and Bond, they actually took walls out and put Rostra up so that the whole of Pinewood could come and watch. You watch it. The two of them kissed.

Oh. And so that was a bit daunting. And then, you know, there are moments. Why do they do it, do you think? Why do they suddenly change the rules, as it were, really? Because it was always a flirtatious relationship, wasn't it? With all the bonds and all the Moneypenny's. I think it was because the world was changing,

and people were playing computer games, and Q had invented this particular computer game, and MoneyPenny decided to play it. And in her fantasy, that's what happened. Yes, because it was just, It was a fantasy. I'm afraid it was a fantasy, but for anyone listening, of course, we did have to film it for real. Yes.

And yes, it did take three hours. Three hours? You kissed Pierce Broson for three hours. I did, yeah. Yes, I did. Right. That's extraordinary. I mean, he was quite passionate, wasn't it?

I mean, having a look at it. Yeah. It was... But, I mean, there's a moment when he does the full... sweeping everything off the desk Kerry Bond and then he rips buttons off shirts buttons are off but because

no one knew about the rewrite on the Monday morning the makeup department were running around Pinewood trying to find a sexy black bra trying to find a blouse where the buttons could be chate I mean it was hilarious and so un-money Penny oh I don't know

alright okay so yeah I was going to ask you this question because when you're playing an established part like Moneypenny or Pierce Bros, for that matter, playing Bond. I mean, is that an easy starting point where you say, well, look, it's my turn now, I'm going to do it my way, or are you conscious of the way that it's been played in the past? Well, I was very not conscious

because I'd never seen a James Bond film all the way through until I was in one. Really? No. They used to pop up on Sunday afternoons. And you'd never watch one? No. Not all the way through.

That's extraordinary. Yeah. What, you got bored out before the ended? Yeah, it's not, yeah. But the endings are all the best. Well, the best bits, all the explosions and the baddie being killed. No, I liked musicals. I liked Frida Stair. Yes, okay.

Gene Kelly. So how did it, was it again a lucky thing, the Money Panny? How did that actually come about? Well, to be completely honest about that, and they were recasting. We knew they were recasting. And if you saw three actresses called Samantha Smith, Samantha Jones, and Samantha Bond, who would you cast? Well, I think I would probably go for the Bond.

Yeah. And the set, I mean, again, you imagine, and I do it actually. Funny enough, Money Penny, she's probably only in her office all the time, is she? I mean, these days, I think the modern one you say a bit more out and about. Yeah. But I'm guessing that your Money Penny was basically as in her office, and that was it. Yeah. So did you actually get to feel and to experience the scale of what I assume a James Bond set is like?

I had no idea until I was in one. No. And when you were in it, did you get to feel that it was huge? You get to feel it when we were all announced, and we were all at Pinewood. So the stars of Golden Eye were being announced. Pierce was new, I was new, Judy was new, and I've never seen so many press in one room. Really? Yeah.

It was absolutely insane. But is that pressure? I mean, you talk about stage fright. Really, quite honestly, actually. I mean, I'm really surprised by that. But therefore, I mean, were you anxious about this at all? Or the fact there were so many new faces made it easier? I don't remember feeling anxious, mainly because Pierce Brosnan is such a delight.

Oh, right. So he was driving his co-stars around the Pinewood set on golf buggies. So we all arrived for the photo call rather giddy with excitement rather than anxiety. Yeah. That's lovely. Let's the last bit about the kiss because I'm intrigued by this. Yes. Before the first, very first contact, what are you two saying to each other?

Do you sort of shake hands and say good luck? No, no. How do you do it? We were both so anxious just because you were never expecting it to happen. So we would rehearse the scene and then we'd get to the moments when the lips should meet and we'd start to laugh. laugh. And then the director would say, okay, could we do that again? He was an Australian actually. And so we'd rehearse again and we get to the moment when the lips should meet and, I mean, outrageous giggles. So he went, because you're just tension. Is it? Exactly. You

don't know what's going to happen. No. And then the director said, well, if you took two, can't pull yourselves together, I'm going to go for a take. So suddenly people are shouting, OK, rolling, and suddenly cameras are on. Yes, film's being used. The film is being used. And so, yes, we went for the kiss, which was very pleasant. But I, of course, being a strawberry blonde, went scarlet. Because you can't kiss new people without blushing.

It just doesn't happen. And then we got quite good at it, frankly. Well, after three hours, I'm not surprised. I'm glad you'd be so honest about it. Tell me about Alan Lamb's acting, because that just seems, I mean, all these wonderful names that we've heard you talk about in the course of the last half hour or so. How on earth Alan Ladder's name got in there? Well, I did a really terrible film called What Rats Won't Do.

And it opened at a cricket match. And he was very famous at that time. I was not. And so he's sitting next to this pregnant actress. And he walks out onto the... the crease. So this is just a friendly cricket match, you know, somewhere in the city of London. Beautiful ground. And I can't remember what was his name. Anyway, it doesn't matter. And I shouted out to my husband, good luck, so and so. And he stood at the crease and was bowled straight out.

Right. Except the team who they'd engaged to get Alan out was so intimidated by who they were bowling at they couldn't nowhere near the wicket. Oh, sure. But no. He didn't have much acting to do. No acting required. No. Except suddenly not being able to return a cricket ball.

Yeah, but I saw him. He's loud and great company. Yeah, we saw each other recently. Funnily enough. Well, he's been through this. Has he? I didn't know that. Yeah, he has.

Yeah, and he works on the promoting prostate care. Yes, he does. We met last year at a Bob Willis event, which is when I told that. story and he denied it for years. No, he's been on here talking about it. Oh, cool. I'll give him my love. Yeah, he's doing well, look at these emails coming

in. Because, you know, the trouble is with an actor like you, Sam, you've done so much that you can only really gloss over little bits and pieces, but here's much ado in Birmingham, Andrew said, I didn't see Bob Bullitts, but Emma Thompson was in the audience. That's before

Ken and Emma got married. Of course they were married, were they? Yeah, yeah. That's why she was now. uh janis was listening to samantha bond on view for the band of saw at milton kean's theatre with sean bean she was absolutely wonderful we all won't want to see sean bean but samantha was outstanding thank you janis what he like to work with i will know much funnier question is i was once asked to compare the two of them kissing so i kissed sean bean and pierce brosnan in the same year that's not that's not a bad it's not grouping is it um but the kissing are very different

That's all I'm prepared to say. I dug myself that hole. I wish people could see your face when you do that. And I've now gone slightly pink. Well, no, it's great. So a last chat about Bob, because that's why you are here. I mean, what are you hoping to get out of, and that Lauren and the family all get out of day?

Because it is difficult, and I mentioned at the start. It is. Heather McGrath day and the spouse day. It is very poignant. Well, they're bittersweet days. Because you knew Bob so well. Bob so well. Yeah. They are very bittersweet. Yes. I think, don't cry. I think having the time to remember, I think if we can raise awareness, if we can get people talking, you know, one of the great

things that the fund does is putting money into research to try and get a test that is quicker and more accurate i think days like today bring hope um yeah yeah that's why we're all here what i think bob would make of this because he he wasn't someone who sought publicity necessarily was he was so you know the thought of everyone coming here and wearing wearing blue and all of that i think he'd hate the fuss yes but tough yes you're gonna get it because it is it is doing good then i mean i don't know i don't know what people, the testing seems to be so also random and quite difficult to get.

You know, I remember actually when I interviewed Alan Lam a couple of years ago, I said, right, I'm going to go and get this PSA test. I've never had one. He was quite horrified, actually. But the process, and I'm sure a lot of men will be listening, who I'm sure would agree with me, it's not just my doctor's surgery, but it's difficult getting them, you know.

It's difficult to persuade the doctor that you should have a test. Well, my husband's been lucky because one of the statistics, of course, is that if your father or brother has had it, your chances higher. And my father-in-law did have it and had treatment and is well, but it means that my husband does get a PSA without too much fuss. My own dad had it and he had a different treatment and he survived as well. Because the other thing I think it's important that if it is treated, properly and quickly enough it is not cute it is oh I had a great word it's treatable manageable yes yes yes it's getting to that point quickly enough that is part of yeah what the fund is trying to achieve well well done for being here

and supporting the family Sam it's lovely bump into you again and you were very much a punter last time you'd had quite a good day I think at Trent Bridge really well I think you had it's strike you strike me some I'm blaming my husband well no no And good luck. I'm going to make a note of that program that my wife will watch. Yeah, she'll enjoy it very much. Yeah, she's obsessed with death in paradise. It's just all the time. There's a channel that shows it virtually non-stop.

Oh, really? Yeah, so yours will be a winner. Good. I know that. So, love to see you. Thank you so much for coming in. The TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live.