Quotes from Russell Tovey

I'm not a romantic lead. I have sticking-out ears and a little troll nose.

I'd actually quite like to try working behind a bar for a while. I'd give that a go.

Be nice to people and look after your relationships.

I sort of challenge people's perceptions of what a gay man is, which is kinda good.

For me to play gay, it has to be something special because it might actually be more of a risk. So I'm waiting for that role - I want it to be something that moves things forward.

I still feel I'm going to wake up any moment, and my skin's going to break out all over.

You can be cocky and confident, but when you start developing feelings for someone, suddenly your self-esteem drops a bit.

My mum used to think it was the pill that made you gay. There was too much estrogen in the water, and people started taking the pill in the '60s, and it made everybody gay.

Presently, I really admire Rebecca Warren, the artist. She continues to keep creating wonderful sculpture. And I met her, and she is really cool.

I loved 'Star Wars'. I had the toys.

I was a hairdresser's assistant. I used to get 20p tips for washing an old woman's hair. I used to get there at 8 A.M., leave at 6 P.M. and get £10.

At Christmas time, I spent an extortionate amount of money on Buzz Lightyear toys, baby clothes, Disney cars and the like.

When I was really young, I wanted to be a history teacher because I was obsessed with the past.

When I was ten, I spent a school holiday watching a lot of films: 'Dead Poets Society', 'Stand By Me', 'Home Alone' and 'The Goonies'. It completely inspired me. I told my parents I wanted to become an actor after that.

I've always put out positivity, and I've always been very open and proud throughout my whole career, and at no point have I ever tried to cause controversy or just say something that wasn't totally in support of everyone in the community.

I'm not a controversial person. I'm not trying to polarise people.

Someone outed me when I was 20, and I thought, 'Well, that's out there now...' Nobody made a massive fuss because I wasn't very well known.

When I left 'Being Human,' that was painful because the show was going on without me. But with 'Him & Her,' we finished on such a high together that if it is the end, it couldn't have stopped at a better time. But I hope with 'Him & Her' that we'll get another crack of the whip: that the writer might change his mind and write some more.

I grew up in Essex, and all my life I wanted to live in London - now I do. I feel very privileged to be able to live here.

I came out to myself when I was about 15 or 16, and to my parents when I was 18. When you come out to your parents, that's when it's properly official.

I never felt I was attractive to women. I felt I was attractive to men when I was growing up. And even now, if a woman fancies me, I find that a bit alienating.

'Doctor Who' would be overnight fame that would last for three years, and then what? I'm in this for the long term.

The only thing I can give to young gay people is that when I was growing up, there were no role models that were blokey that were men. Everybody was flamboyant and camp, and I remember going, 'That's not me, so even though I think I am gay, I don't think I fit into this world.'

I was so envious of everyone who went to Sylvia Young Theatre School. I wanted to go, but my dad flat-out refused. He thought I'd become some tapdancing freak without qualifications. And he was right in a way. I'm glad I didn't go. That might have changed.