Rising star
Interview: Sophy Grimshaw HE IS BRITAIN’S HOTTEST YOUNG COMEDY TALENT, WHOSE TV CREDITS INCLUDE CULT FAVOURITES THE FAST SHOW AND STAR STORIES. WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED THAT RHYS THOMAS, 29, WOULD FIND WIDER FAME ON BBC RADIO 4, PLAYING HAPLESS DJ GARY BELLAMY ON THE SPOOF TALK SHOW DOWN THE LINE? When Down The Line first aired, many listeners thought it was [...]
Interview: Sophy Grimshaw
HE IS BRITAIN’S HOTTEST YOUNG COMEDY TALENT, WHOSE TV
CREDITS INCLUDE CULT FAVOURITES THE FAST SHOW AND STAR
STORIES. WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED THAT RHYS THOMAS, 29,
WOULD FIND WIDER FAME ON BBC RADIO 4, PLAYING HAPLESS
DJ GARY BELLAMY ON THE SPOOF TALK SHOW DOWN THE LINE?
alt="Rhys Thomas">
When Down The Line first aired, many listeners thought
it was a real show and not a spoof, didn’t they?
It was never our intention to trick the public. The idea was
just of a funny spoof of a phone-in radio show. I think it was
the BBC’s idea not to mention in the initial radio listings
that it would feature the voices of Paul Whitehouse
and Charlie Higson from The Fast Show as callers.
Many people thought it was for real, but then
they recognised the voices and the show
slowly built a cult following.
Why do you think it has been such a hit?
alt="comedy actress Lucy Montgomery">
You don’t think a Radio 4 programme
would be that huge but there’s nothing
else quite like it on the radio. There’s been
a lot of word-of-mouth recommendation
plus the premise is a good idea and all the
characters are funny. We get our inspiration
from those talk DJs who are so big-headed.
Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson, who created the hit
TV comedy sketch series The Fast Show, also created Down
The Line. Haven’t they been championing you for some time?
alt="Rhys Thomas, Donning headphones to record Down The Line">
When I was 17, I was a runner on Shooting Stars and that’s
where I met Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson. I gave
them a tape of comedy sketches I had made, and they asked
whether I wanted to join The Fast Show. I decided to give
comedy a go full-time. I was also a DJ for XFM in London,
which I thought was why they asked me to play the DJ on
Down The Line. Actually, I’m not sure they knew that.
Last year you wed the comedy actress Lucy
Montgomery, who is also a regular voice on
Down The Line. How’s married life?
It’s good. Our first baby is due in April – I’m very
excited. I’ll probably be the one at home looking
after it – Lucy has a new BBC3 show with Noel
Fielding from The Mighty Boosh.
What are your plans for the rest of the year?
I have a movie out this summer, Beyond the Pole.
Steve Mangan and I filmed it in the Arctic. It’s a spoof
documentary about two men who walk to the North Pole
with no help. It all goes a bit wrong. It’s both funny and
sad. And Down The Line is going to be adapted for TV.
Series 2 of Down The Line is out this month as
a CD and download (£11.49; www.bbcshop.com).
Beyond The Pole will be released in cinemas in June
WHAT’S ON RHYS’ TV?
- Reeves And Mortimer
- The Catherine Tate Show
- Armstrong And Miller
- The Two Ronnies
- Monty Python
My favourites of all time.
I first worked with Catherine Tate years ago on a Channel 4
show called Barking. The comedians David Walliams and
Omid Djalili were on it too. It was a flop!
I love their material but it’s their delivery that’s brilliant.
The idea I’m working on now is like the programmes where
they would look back on 30 years of sketches, but this is with
a fake comedy group that never really existed
They’re like the Beatles – they’ve done everything before you.
