Paul Abbott

He's definitely someone who, like you say, he's very diverse in kind of the roles that he plays.

And then came mainstream success in 2004, where he landed the role of Kev Ball in Paul Abbott's wildly successful Channel 4 comedy drama, Shameless.

Another reoccurring comedic role as Dom in BBC sitcom, The Worst Week of My Life.

Yes, of course.

Yeah, that is a reference to the fact that on this month's Time Machine, we're going to be covering the phenomenon that Pop Idol became.

Paul Abbott's romantic comedy drama, Linda Green, baby father on BBC Two and the first outing of David Mitchell and Robert Webb as a sketch duo on television.

That's the Mitchell and Webb situation.

This is the part of the podcast where I panic because Matt's going to want to know what I was doing in October 2001.

Luke, do you have much relationship with this? No, the VHS.

I was just going to say, did you have this on video? LAUGHTER

It's Paul Abbott, it's nice and easy.

Lisa Tarbuck, who I don't think I'd seen in an acting performance up to this point.

That's when Coronation Street was getting 18 million, 20 million.

And honestly, Granada, my first day's work into a room with Paul Abbott and Kay Mellor, who within three years were ruling television.

But that was the normal office at Granada.

So they were so kind.

Fat Friends, Fat Friends the musical, that was a glorious thing.

She's sadly passed away now and just the most wonderful woman.

And Paul Abbott.

Paul Abbott is reckless, shameless, state of play, a million things.

It loved its own shows, that building.

And honestly, Granada, my first day's work into a room with Paul Abbott and Kay Mellor.

who within three years were ruling television.

But that was a normal office at Granada.

Mellor, Band of Gold, the million shows she's done, Fat Friends, Fat Friends the musical, that was a glorious thing.

She's sadly passed away now and just the most wonderful woman.

And Paul Abbott.

Paul Abbott is reckless, shameless, state of play, a million things.

People in the lifts, the security guards, the reception, everyone going, "Wasn't that brilliant last night?" Which is a very rare thing for a television station to do, to buzz like that.

And I got in the lift, and I went to my office on the fifth floor, and I went in for my first meeting of my first job at Granada with the creators of Children's Ward, which is Paul Abbott and Kay Mellor, who were, like, three years away from ruling the whole of television.

I mean, what a training.

How lucky was I? And they are the loveliest people.

...

Paul Abbott.

Yes.

And Kay Mellor-

... two years ago.

And so I started work at Granada on this show called Children's Ward.

On day one, on the Monday morning, go into a room, Paul Abbott and Kay Mellor, who within two years ruled television, and ruled it for, like, 20, 30 years with an iron grip.

And they were so lovely.