Paul Kaye on his characters’ current status and the possibility of returning 

Paul Kaye plays Vinculus in BBC’s fantasy drama Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

Big sets, a great cast, and an award winning book. You must be delighted!

It was amazing to be part of it, so exciting. I read the book and loved it. It sort of obsessed me for a while and I felt an affinity with what turned out to be my character, Vinculus. I found the footnotes addictive! If there wasn’t one on the next page I would be disappointed.

Toby [Haynes, director] saw me in Games Of Thrones [series 3] and got me in. The first thing he said was he wanted me to make him like Iggy Pop. I thought, “Right, that’s bang up my street.”

He’s clearly a charlatan but he’s been touched by higher powers too. He zigzags through the story, popping out here and there. He’s feral, but happy-go-lucky. His father was the fi rst person to be convicted for “book murder”!

I read the book and loved it. It sort of obsessed me for a while

The drama features some amazing CGI, including a scene set in York Minster...

That’s when proof is offered that magic in England is not dead. The thing to say is that they don’t overdo the magic stuff. When it comes, it’s mind-blowingly good and terribly powerful, but not over-used.

I suppose Game Of Thrones has had a lot to do with it. I think it whet people’s appetite. I didn’t expect myself to like Thrones and I got completely sucked in. It’s not that it’s just magic or fantasy.

It’s when it’s grounded in real relationships, and people and politics [that it works]. The magic is almost in the background.

It would be impossible to cram it all into seven hours, but I think the soul is there. A lot has been shot in York, and Yorkshire, which is the heart of the story.

I’m still alive! It’s quite an achievement actually. I managed to avoid getting invited to certain weddings. I’m retired not out, but hoping to return.

It does amaze me how it still follows me. I only did three half-hour shows. I was a scene painter, in punk bands and not intending to stay in the business. But I did **** off a lot of potential employers. I can’t remember most of it because I was drunk. I’m quite a shy man actually.

Well, the best reaction was the late Robin Williams who replied with a wonderful, 10-minute stand-up routine! I loved it.

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