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Born in Edinburgh, Mark Bonnar, 56, studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. In 2017, he won a best actor Bafta Scotland for his role in Unforgotten, and his other TV work spans Line of Duty, Catastrophe and the Netflix series Department Q, which is released in May. His films include Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, Operation Mincemeat and Last Breath, which is out now. He is married to actor Lucy Gaskell, has two children and lives in Hertfordshire.
What is your greatest fear?
That we’re all going to hell in a handcart and Trump is driving.
Which living person do you most admire, and why?
David Attenborough, because he introduced me to the world.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Pedantry.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Lack of empathy.
What was your most embarrassing moment?
I did an interview years ago and, after it finished, I made some passing comment about sex getting better as you get older – and they used that as the headline. The day the paper came out, I was in a restaurant with the family when a woman on the table next to me leaned over and said, in a sultry voice, “I read your article this morning.”
Describe yourself in three words
Chaotic, daft and loving.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
My disappearing hair.
What is your most unappealing habit?
People-pleasing.
What scares you about getting older?
Instead of saying, “I tripped up”, you have to use the words, “I had a fall.”
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
First, I wanted to be a historian, then a drummer, and after that I just wanted to be employed. And I still do.
What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Daydreaming.
What does love feel like?
Like a warm velvet glove.
When did you last cry, and why?
I cry if one of the kids says something profound without knowing it; I cry at adverts; I cry at Strictly Come Dancing.
What would you like to leave your children?
A sense of wonder.
What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
Less plastic.
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What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Being married for 17 years and having two amazing children.
What has been your closest brush with the law?
I got arrested at Luton airport in the days when I still smoked weed and had a little bit on me. The customs people were really serious about it – then when the police came it was, “Argh, another actor” and they let me go.
What keeps you awake at night?
Not much.
Would you rather have more sex, money or fame?
I have enough of the other two, so money.
How would you like to be remembered?
A loving father and wonderful husband, and the best actor of my generation!
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
If it scares you, do it.
Tell us a joke
What do you call an exploding monkey? A baboom.
