Dying. Dying is my greatest fear, because apparently when you die you've actually got to be there, there's no way of avoiding it - and I'm not consoled either by the fact that nobody gets out alive.

I happen to be very happy. I've been happy for many years now, and rather selfishly I don't want it to stop. Soon I'll be 70 so something terrible could happen at any moment. I hope that when disintegration or heart attacks or whatever thing happens - I think about this a lot - I hope that I'll be brave, and maybe witty as well.

Do you ever practice your final last words?

I've got my own gravestone ready. Lots of people have got pictures of my gravestone and I think I might have written 'I'd like a second opinion' but that's only to cheer people up a little bit. Otherwise I think I'd have to say, if I was to go tonight, which is very likely in this temperature, I feel like Captain Oates, "I wouldn't have missed it for anything".

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Father Bernard Could you describe your character?
Playing the part What's it like playing a blind man?
Practise makes perfect Did you do any practising at home?
Playing blind Did you use any special techniques?
Habit forming How does it feel to be playing a monk?
Keeping the faith Which vows would you find it hard to keep?
Tailor made Playing a part especially created for him.
Future plans Any more Randall and Hopkirk or Strange?
All-weather acting How has the filming been?
Regret nothing What's the biggest rejection you've had?
Feel the fear In real life, what's your greatest fear?
Final say Do you ever practice your final last words?
Time Lord advice Any advice for Richard Coyle?