Would Rob lie to you? Certainly not
Andy Welch talks to writer, actor and comedian Rob Brydon
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THE more Rob Brydon speaks, the more he reminds you of his most famous characters, Keith Barret and Uncle Bryn – although it must be stated that he's infinitely more hip and self-aware than either his Marion and Geoff or Gavin and Stacey alter-egos.
Honest and sincere, but witty with it, he’s happy to chat about anything and everything, adding in funny true stories, opinions and minute details.
Such amiable skills make him a panel-show natural (as anyone who has seen his knowledgeable performances on QI will attest) and now he’s hosting a quiz of his own, Would I Lie To You?, which goes out on BBC1 on Monday nights.
The aim of the game is to work out whether certain outrageous facts are true or false, with team captains Lee Mack and David Mitchell competing for laughs.
“It’s tremendous fun,” says Rob, 44. “We filmed earlier in the year, March and April, and I absolutely loved doing it.”
Chat doesn’t stick on this subject for very long, however. The two big things in Rob's life at the moment are the forthcoming series of Gavin and Stacey, due on our screens later this year, and his imminent UK tour.
“We finished Gavin and Stacey about two weeks ago,” he said of the award-winning show’s third run.
“I think it’s very good, another great script, but then it’s hard for me to tell because I’m so close to it now. I think the stories James and Ruth (writers Corden and Jones) have come up with are just splendid; everybody seems to be doing their thing in it. People who like the show already are going to love it.”
He umms and ahhs for a moment when asked for a rundown of what happens during the course of the series, but decides he will remain tightlipped.
“They like it to be secret, but I will say lots of things, momentous things, happen. I can say Uncle Bryn is in it a lot; I think he has more to do than he has in previous series,” he said, referring to his gadget-loving, easily pleased character, uncle of the eponymous Stacey.
“All the characters move along brilliantly. I just can’t wait to see it now; we all enjoyed filming it so much.”
It seems Rob enjoyed filming perhaps a little too much. He put on half a stone – not that you can tell.
“All on my belly,” he said, laughing.
“One of the crew on the set kept bringing me Kit Kats and soft drinks for the little fridge in my trailer. I say ‘trailer’, it was more like a tiny shed. Anyway, I was averaging 2.5 four-finger Kit Kats a day, which is far too much.
“I switched to cranberry juice because I thought it was healthier, but that has not worked, either.
“People think I’m so slim because I have this long, equine face, but I have a belly now. We’re all going on holiday soon, so it’ll be there for the whole family to appreciate in all its glory.”
Rob shouldn’t worry too much. With a young son, almost 18 months old, and a 28-date tour kicking off next month, the pounds will drop off by Christmas.
It’s the second leg of Rob’s tour this year, his third tour in just over a year. As he’s keen to stress, it’s not a new act, but more of the show which earned rave reviews earlier this year.
A successful writer, TV and film actor and radio personality – Rob is one of the rotating presenters of Radio 4’s I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue – he’s hard to put in a career box.
He admits he doesn’t think of himself as a stand-up, and realises it's difficult for audiences to see him as just that.
“I really just do what I enjoy. I suppose, at the end of the day, I’m a performer, but I write as well, so I just do all the things I think I can do.”
Would I Lie To You? continues on BBC1 on Monday.
