THE JONATHAN ROSS SHOW TONIGHT: MEET THE FAMOUS GUESTS ON THE SOFA

On The Jonathan Ross Show this week, Jonathan is joined by legendary Harry Potter, Star Wars and Willow actor Warwick Davis fresh from receiving the BAFTA Fellowship Award, Top Boy actor and rapper Ashley Walters, former Doctor Who and Broadchurch star Jodie Whittaker and hilarious multi award-winning comedian, writer and actor Daisy May Cooper, plus former BRIT award nominated rock band Nova Twins will be performing live in the studio.

Jonathan speaks to legendary Harry Potter, Star Wars and Willow actor Warwick Davis fresh from receiving the BAFTA Fellowship Award.

Recounting the moment he found out he won, Warwick says, “I was on the toilet - I always check my email on the toilet. I got very excited when they said they were awarding me the fellowship. I screamed with delight from the toilet so my daughter thought ‘oh he’s relieved his constipation’. They ran in before I’d finished the paperwork.”

Warwick adds, “I got a letter from the Prime Minister saying ‘well done’ and inviting me for a cup of tea. Do I call his bluff and turn up?”

Jonathan asks Warwick about his moving speech and when he references his wife who passed away last year, “When you go through your career as an actor, you sometimes become a bit reluctant to do certain jobs thinking another one will come along and be a bit better...

"She would always say ‘get out there and do it’. She was great at networking as well, always talking to producers and getting me the work in the next job. Very supportive. You need that in this business because it is difficult. You’ve got to have someone who is very supportive of you being away on occasions and working ridiculous hours.” 

Warwick adds, “Acting is quite a lonely career, really. You need a solid foundation at home to support that and make it work.”

Asked by Jonathan about the identity of ‘Sponge’ who Warwick mentioned had helped him to ‘love again’, Warwick replies, “I can reveal, sticking with the Harry Potter theme, Sponge is indeed She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named.” Referring to Daisy May Cooper’s character Kerry Mucklowe, Warwick adds, “Sponge very much reminds me of Kerry. Some of the things she says and her accent.”

Speaking about what children most recognise him for, Warwick says, “It’s mainly Harry Potter and Tenable - they come home from school and it’s usually on the telly then. Definitely not Leprechaun.”

Warwick then reveals the surprising place he is recognised by fans, “People recognise me when I’m driving. They want to do selfies on the motorway which is ridiculous. They get their camera out and try to take a selfie past themselves while they’re driving, of me. It is dangerous.” 

Top Boy actor and rapper Ashley Walters speaks to Jonathan following the release of his new single Take A Pic, and ahead of the launch of his new drama series Adolescence plus his autobiography.

Speaking about the success of Top Boy, Ashley speaks about the large demographic of people who enjoyed the show and says, “You’d be surprised. I moved to Herne Bay four years ago. I was on the beach one day and this guy, nearly 70 I think, was watching me as I was walking down the beach. I was like ‘are you alright mate?’ and he said ‘I love your show’.”

Touching upon bringing the series to an end, Ashley says, “It was time for me to move on. I’ve been playing that character since I was 28, I’m now 42. It was time to stop being a boy and be a man, right?”

Jonathan praises Ashley for his honesty in his upcoming autobiography. Ashley speaks about his relationship with alcohol and says, “I drank too much alcohol. I am nearly five years sober now.”

Speaking about the effects his alcoholism had on his life, Ashley says, “It took its toll on my body, it took its toll on my career but more importantly my family - my wife and my kids. The day I decided to get help was the day my six-year old daughter at the time knocked on my bedroom door and said she didn’t want me to live there anymore and that was hard to take - it hit me in the heart. I went in [rehab] for four weeks and came out a better man.”

Jonathan asks whether Ashley has rebuilt the relationships with his older children, Ashley replies, “It’s a lifelong amends. I’m paying back to them everyday. It’s tough. Some people find it hard to forget but what I do everyday is clean my side of the street and put out that olive branch and they’re slowly coming back to the table so it’s good.”

Ashley also reflects on the moment he was sent to prison when he was 19 and part of So Solid Crew. He says, “It was a nightmare. I have a vivid memory of being brought into the holding cell with other inmates who have just come in as well, to be processed. We’re all sitting there together on this bench and they’ve got a TV in the corner just playing over and over again the news story of me being brought into court. I realised that I was going to be in for a hard time at that point.” 

Speaking about his upcoming role in Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham’s series, Ashley says, “It’s called Adolescence - it’s out on the 13th. It follows the murder of a young girl and the accused. It’s a lot about toxic masculinity online and knife crime that we’re dealing with up and down the right country right now.”

Ashley adds, “It’s one single take. It’s directed by Philip Barantini and he kind of shoots in that way. I got there and it was f***ing hard, man. It’s pretty much being on stage. You learn the whole script. It was really emotional because by the end of it, you’re drained and fully in character...

"I said the wrong name in the last two minutes of the episode. I called out to the kid playing my son but I called him the wrong name. Phillip, bless him, he was really nice afterwards and he said ‘It’s kind of arty because your head is so discombobulated’ and I said ‘Bro, we’ve got to do it again’.” 

Doctor Who and Broadchurch star Jodie Whittaker speaks to Jonathan following the launch of her new series Toxic Town. 

Jonathan asks Jodie about being approached by Doctor Who fans. Jodie says, “The moment it stops I’ll be absolutely devastated. I love it. It’s my happiest time. It’s an amazing gig.”

Speaking about fellow Doctor David Tennant and what fans say to her, Jodie says, “He’s the favourite Doctor for life. Everyone will do this - ‘I loved your Doctor. David’s my favourite’.”

Jodie then discusses her brand-new series Toxic Town, “It’s about a group of mothers who fought for the justice of their children. In the late 90s, mothers discovered that their children who were born with limb difference, the connection of that was the environment they were living in. When you watch it and for me personally reading it, I can’t believe I didn’t know about it.”

Touching upon having to put on a Scottish accent for the duration of filming, Jodie says, “I don’t think you ever feel like you mastered it. I’m sure the editor was very generous. There were a lot of moments where I felt like I hadn’t mastered it and very often Robert Carlisle was in my eyeline.”

Talking about acting on stage versus filming, Jodie says, “I’ve done probably five plays. I love filming. There is something about being on set, I feel so at home. I love the set culture, there is so much banter. You have such a community of people. I love the fact there is a particular day where you have a scene - incredibly emotional or heightened and everything goes into that."

Jonathan speaks to hilarious multi award-winning comedian, writer and actor Daisy May Cooper following the launch of her new series of Am I Being Unreasonable? 

Speaking alongside fellow guest Warwick Davis about attending the BAFTAs, Daisy discusses her highlight of the evening, “Seeing Tony from Hollyoaks in the smoking area. Oh my God, he was terrified.”

Touching upon where she keeps her awards, Daisy says “I put them on the mantelpiece right by the front door so whoever sees it. You can’t sell them - I have looked into it.”

Talking about filming the new series of Am I Being Unreasonable? Daisy says, “Series 1 is meant to be 30 seconds before Series 2 and in that 30 seconds I’ve lost about 10 stone and had my lips done. I saw the rushes and I said to the BBC ‘God, we’re going to have a disclaimer at the beginning saying - Daisy has had her lips done, go with it and please don’t judge’.”

Jonathan quizzes Daisy on whether she is approached in the Cotswolds by fans, she says “Not really. People stop me because they remember me for p***ing on the P.E mat in year five. That’s about it. It’s just people that remember me from school.”

On whether her children watch her on television, Daisy jokes, “I force them to sit down and watch my stuff. They’re not interested at all.” Referencing the fact she took part in The Masked Singer, Daisy says, “My daughter Pip is a huge fan of The Masked Singer but when she found out I was doing it, she was mortified, she was so embarrassed!” 

Daisy also reveals that she doesn’t have a mobile phone, “I haven’t had a phone for two years. It’s Whatsapp groups, mum groups on Whatsapp. I can’t do it. They’re pinging off every second. It drives me nuts.”

Later, Daisy jokes about her regrets of casting her father in This Country and says, “Putting him in This Country playing Martin Mucklowe was the worst thing I ever did, me and Charlie agree. He just wants to be in everything now. He actually did a self-tape for ‘Am I Being Unreasonable?’ He was terrible! He just needs to just be my Dad and not do the acting.”

At the end of the show, Nova Twins perform.

The Jonathan Ross Show airs Saturdays on ITV1.