You want me to play an old grump? I don't believe it

I’m too young, thought Wilson

- Sarah Robertson

Victor Meldrew star Richard Wilson initially turned down the role of his grumpy character in One Foot in the Grave and once asked for him to be killed off as he’d “had enough”.

Richard, now 84, played the retiree, who manages to annoy his neighbours and friends to hilarious ends, for 10 years.

But when he was first approached in 1990 he said no because he thought he was still too young.

“It was stupid to say but I didn’t think I was ready to play old men,” he revealed. “I was 55 and Victor was 60 and I thought I’ve got another five years to go before I have to do that.”