Forbes Masson: ‘People still yell Victor and Barry catchphrases at me’

Born in Falkirk, the actor Forbes Masson co-created the comic duo Victor and Barry and the sitcom The High Life with Alan Cumming.
What’s your earliest memory?We used to go on holiday to St Andrews. I can remember my mother pushing me in my pram, singing Polly Put the Kettle On, and I could hear seagulls. I still love St Andrews.
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What was your first family holiday in Scotland?A guesthouse in St Andrews. My mum and dad left me in the room while they went back to get the bags from the car. They looked up and realised I’d crawled out on to the windowsill.
What’s the best meal you’ve had in Scotland?I always bring Lorne sausage back from Scotland to my home in London. My kids always ask for it. Maybe it’s that.
What’s your favourite place in Scotland?I love the Isle of Mull. It’s just magical. There used to be a really small theatre there, run by friends of mine. I used to drive there, back in the days when I had an MG, and take the ferry.
What has been your most embarrassing moment?In my first professional job, at Perth Repertory Theatre, I was playing John Darling in Peter Pan. I had to wear a harness for a famous scene where all the kids fly out of the window to Neverland. My flying equipment was rudimentary — a harness with a rope on it. Someone would pull the rope and I’d fly up and swing out of the window. But one matinee I got into the wrong position and I swung back and hit myself on the wall, and then fell backwards on the chair. The kids in the audience thought it was the funniest thing they’d seen.
What three words sum you up?Whingeing, ginger, diminutive.
Tell us a secretSome of my teeth are not my own.
Who was your first celebrity crush?I used to watch The Champions starring Alexandra Bastedo. She was so beautiful. And Emma Peel in The Avengers. In the 1970s I was obsessed with the Sixties. I also remember when Debbie Harry appeared on Top of the Pops for the first time and going: “Oh, my God.” She was extraordinary.
What is the most outrageously untrue thing anyone’s ever said about you?I remember going to the BBC and telling them my name and they said: “No, we don’t have Forbes Masson, but we do have four masons.”
What’s been your most memorable Scottish gig?There are so many. Most recently it was doing a one-man Jekyll and Hyde at the Royal Lyceum. I hadn’t performed in Scotland for 20 years and it was great to come back. I phoned my wife just before going on, saying, “Why am I doing this?” because I was so scared, but it was tremendous to be performing in Edinburgh again. I also remember a Victor and Barry gig we did in the 1980s when they were in their prime. We’d been on TV and were asked to play the Theatre Royal in Glasgow. It was packed. I remember walking out on stage and the response from the audience was like being in a wind tunnel. That cheer was amazing.
Is there a moment that changed your life?Two big moments changed my life: the birth of my children and getting married to Melanie, both of which changed my life for the better. Artistically, it would be meeting Alan Cumming and starting Victor and Barry. We did so much over a short period of time. Also, when I did a play at the Tron called Cinzano with a Russian director, Roman Kozak, and that altered my way of thinking about performance.
What song would you have played at your funeral?Probably ELO’s Mr Blue Sky. It was one of my favourite songs when I was a kid. It’s really cheerful.
What’s your favourite journey?Going home. I miss Scotland when I’m in London, and I miss London when I’m in Scotland, but my favourite journey is always up. It’s coming up on the train into Edinburgh Waverley. My molecules change. It’s great.
Who was your childhood hero?I used to love going to the library and getting old comedy records out. I would eat up anything by Billy Connolly and old 1960s comedies like Monty Python and The Goon Show. My mum was quite witty and used to write funny little stories, so maybe I got that from her.
What’s your favourite TV show or film?At the moment I’m waiting for the second season of Severance. I love it. I like sci-fi. It’s really interesting and different. I like television that surprises you. My son and I were enjoying Slow Horses. Film-wise, It’s a Wonderful Life has always been a favourite. It’s sentimental and completely lovely.
Give us a flavour of the Kelvinside Compendium.It’s basically a scrapbook. It’s got cardboard cut-out figures with costumes, and some of our songs in it. It’s basically the history of Victor and Barry but also the history of Forbes and Alan throughout the years when we were doing them, with pictures and funny stories. Silly pictures of drama school and reminiscences. It’s very funny.
When was the last time someone said “dearie me” (their catchphrase) to you in the street?Oh, quite recently. They do it a lot. It’s great that they remember it.
See Victor and Barry’s Kelvinside Compendium with Forbes Masson and Alan Cumming at the Wigtown Book Festival on Oct 6, wigtownbookfestival.com