interview
The writer/actor/comedian talks Outlaws and omelettes with Boyd Hilton
Heat is talking to Stephen Merchant less than 48 hours after we saw him presenting an award at the TV BAFTAs, alongside actress Eleanor Tomlinson, his co-star in comedy thriller series The Outlaws.
Not only that, but we also sat two feet away from him at the swanky dinner afterwards, where he promised to think of some good anecdotes for this big chat.
Twenty years previously, Stephen and co-creator Ricky Gervais were winning multiple BAFTAs for The Office Christmas Specials, perhaps two of the greatest TV episodes of all time. Now, Stephen is 49, and still looking exactly the same as he did in 2004 (still extraordinarily tall at 6ft 7in), but these days, he splits his time between London and LA, where he lives in “a nice, quiet place” away from the showbiz hubbub.
But he always has to come back to England in the end, because he says that’s where he feels most at home, and today he’s on Zoom from his London base.
We’re here to talk about the new, third series of The Outlaws, which Steve co-created with American writer and film-maker Elgin James (Mayans MC). It’s ashow that hits the sweet spot between out-and-out comedy and proper thrills, and the third season is easily the best yet, bringing the best out of its ensemble cast, which includes one Jessica Gunning, currently basking in acclaim for her role in Baby Reindeer. We’ll get onto that, Stephen’s feelings about The Office, and his imminent return to stand-up. But first, about those BAFTAs…
Do you get nervous doing things like presentinga BAFTA?
Ido actually, and especially in this case because they wouldn’t let me say the line Ireally wanted to say. Iwanted to say that Imay as well have got my suit from “lanky wanker.com” and there was alot of back and forth with BAFTA about how you can’t say wanker before the watershed. So, Iwas pushing for alternatives and, in fact,I’ve got the list here of other options Icame up with [fishes piece of paper from his pocket]. So, Iasked for “lanky dickhead”, and they said “No”, then Iasked for “lanky tosser”, which Ithought would pass, but that was a “no” as well, and that’s why we went for “lanky toss-pot”.
“Tosser” is worse than “toss-pot”?
Well, apparently toss-pot is actually an old sort of Middle English word for adrunkard rather than anything to do with masturbation. But yeah, Ido get nervous because you’re flying blind as to what will land with that audience.
Moving on… isn’t The Outlaws the first time you’ve done a third series of anything?
It is, yes. Although to be honest, if I had my time again, I think we probably would have done a third series of The Off
