Paul Golder writes for the Brentwood Gazette

Every now and then we manage to get some fantastic names to appear on Phoenix FM and it’s even better when it turns out to be one of your childhood heroes.

Last week our Friday lunchtime presenter Stewart Pink chatted with an actor and comedian whose first major TV role still means so much to many people my age, give or take 5 years – Nigel Planer.

Nigel, of course, is most famous for his role as everybody’s favourite long-haired hippy, Neil, from BBC’s groundbreaking 80s series The Young Ones, and also put in a fantastic performance in the not-so-well-known Filthy Rich and Catflap, two sticoms which would still be in my all time top ten today.

He has also been in countless TV and West End stage productions and narrated several audiobooks. Nigel and Stewart chatted about some of his favourite West End roles, what it was like taking comedy to a new level in the 80s, his latest project “Raymond’s Room”, theatre in the time of Covid-19, his upcoming album “five songs left” and his new play “All Above Board”.

Stewart also got the opportunity to talk about Rik Mayall to see what Nigel and the others really thought of him. Phoenix FM regular Mark Searby, who reviews films and DVDs on Stewart’s show every week, recently wrote a fantastic biography of Rik called Comedy Genius, so there’s plenty of opportunities for listeners to hear lots of stories from that time that they may not have heard elsewhere.

You can hear the whole interview again by going to phoenixfm.com and clicking on “One 2 Three”.