Ben Miller: 'It’s not pleasant to watch yourself being killed on TV'

The actor and comic – soon to be seen in Netflix’s period drama Bridgerton – on his small-screen loves and hates, and the time he turned down Doctor Who

The last show you loved

I Hate Suzie. I still can’t believe how brilliant it is, taking comedy to places I’ve never seen before. Each episode plays with a different genre, and it is funny without becoming pastiche. When I started in comedy, people always asked where the funny women were. They weren’t afforded opportunities, although of course they were there. Now, it feels like all the important comedy is being done by women. For a long time I didn’t realise it was possible to make comedy which is so personal, I always thought there needed to be some emotional distance. How wrong I was.

The best performance you’ve seen on TV

Prince playing the 2007 Super Bowl half-time show. The heavens opened and a deluge of water started to fall, and regardless Prince just went out did this amazing set. When he closed with Purple Rain it was almost biblical.

Your TV turn-offs

League football. I don’t know what happened to me, I used to love it. I enjoy going to matches, but it feels like a war of attrition to get through a full 90 minutes on TV. There’s this great Mitchell and Webb sketch where David is doing an advert for the sport which makes it seem so overwhelming: “Catch all of the constantly happening football here; thousands of hours of endless football it will never stop.” That’s exactly how I feel.

Your TV guilty pleasure

Boxing. The brutality of it is hard to justify, the morality of the injuries doesn’t sit well with me. But I just love it, I’ll do whatever to catch a big fight: sign up to a whole new paid TV subscription service; stay up until whatever time. I’m fascinated by its theatrics, the elaborate outfits, suspense and pageantry. I think it’s because my father loved it, and, unlike with other sports, I absorbed enough knowledge about boxing to really engage.

Your favourite show when you were 10

Runaround, which no one will remember. It was a kids show presented by Mike Reid – later of Frank Butcher in EastEnders fame, who at this stage in his career was a blue comedian on the working men’s club’s circuit. Arguably an odd choice for children’s TV. He would yell questions and kids would subsequently run to different corners of the studio. It was mayhem: arms would get fractured and eyes gouged out. You’d never be able to make it now.

The role you wish you had played

I don’t remember when it was exactly, but certainly decades ago, I had a back channel inquiry through my agent asking whether I’d be interested in playing Doctor Who. Being a young, idealistic idiot, I said no, I didn’t think it was right for me. In some ways I admire my younger self – I was blinkered and really knew what I wanted for my career, artistically. I’m pretty sure my convictions aren’t as strong now; I’d just want to know how much money would be involved.

The TV death that made you most sad

My own, when I was killed off as a detective in Death in Paradise. I was stabbed in the chest with an ice pick in a brutal murder at the start of season three. Leaving a show is always emotional, and then you have to hang around the set like a ghost while people avoid catching your eye. Watching the episode at home, though, was weird and disturbing. It’s not pleasant to watch yourself being killed and lying dead on the ground. The image of me, caked in grey makeup with blue lips, blood dripping from my wounds, will forever be scorched on my mind.

The show you love that might surprise people

Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse. It’s surprisingly sophisticated. I was instinctively horrified when I realised my five-year-old daughter was watching it; I didn’t want to condition our daughter in the Barbie way. But it’s actually brilliant and funny, and manages to be woke and progressive while wearing its own history – Barbie’s roots – on its sleeve. It’s tongue in cheek, and quite intelligent, though I’m not sure my daughter is getting all the ironic distancing and subtext.

Bridgerton is available on Netflix from 25 Dec

Contributor

Interview by Michael Segalov

The GuardianTramp

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