He's played a soldier, a detective and a psychologist but Robson Green says his latest role as a teacher has taught him the most about life. In the gripping two-part thriller Like Father Like Son - which starts on Monday on ITV1 - Robson plays Dominic Milne, an English tutor accused of murdering one of his pupils.
The Geordie actor stars alongside top actress Jemma Redgrave, as a mum who fears her son is following in the footsteps of his dad - a vicious serial killer. And Robson told us the nature vs. nurture debate scares the life out of him!
" It's a terrifying notion that destructive behaviour can be hereditary and that comes across in the film. As a dad it really made me stop and think," he said.
" It really struck me just how important parenting is to a child. The decisions parents make when they are bringing up a child have a profound effect. If you bring youngsters up in a violent background, there's a chance they'll be violent in some way too. And if you abuse or traumatise a child, you can destroy their life."
In the film, Jemma's character Dee is terrified her son Jamie will find out the sinister truth about his father - who he happily believes is a Gulf War hero. Robson told us: " I honestly think that keeping secrets from a child is the worst thing you can do. The secret Dee has kept has a traumatic effect on her son. A child's love is unconditional and they need 100 per cent honesty."
Robson's performance in the drama, to be broadcast on Monday and Tuesday next week, has won rave reviews. But it's not just critical acclaim he's achieved, the star - who won the nation's heart in Soldier Soldier - says as well as picking up valuable parenting lessons, he's also learned to multi-task.
" It was great, by the end of filming I'd really nailed writing on the blackboard and talking at the same time! Playing a teacher is really interesting but I must admit it was strange going back to school. And we had to talk about Othello, which wasn't my favourite play. "
Jemma Redgrave describes Robson as "immensely talented." In the drama he plays her boyfriend. "He's a terrific actor and a great bloke who's very easy going. I thoroughly enjoyed working alongside him - and that's not just because he's easy on the eye!" she added.
The housewives favourite, who celebrated his 40th birthday last month, told us getting old doesn't bother him in the slightest.
" Reaching the big 4-0 is strange but I like it. I remember being seven and looking at a person of 40 and thinking it was so old. But here I am and nothing much has changed, I'm still the boy of seven. I've just acquired a vocabulary and a bit of a hairy chest ! "
As one of the UK's best acting talents, Robson has enjoyed enviable success. Roles in Trust, Touching Evil, Reckless and Take Me won him critical acclaim and how could anyone forget his singing career alongside Soldier Solider co-star Jerome Flynn!
The star, who is happily married to ex-Page 3 model Vanya, told us: " In the past I've been described as the ever-developing Robson Green. I've been acting for 20 years and I've worked on some great shows and some not so great shows - it's all part of the game. This industry is about survival and if I've survived for as long as I have, I suppose I can't be doing badly. I'm very happy with what I've achieved, I honestly don't crave recognition."
So, we won't be catching Robson on the next series of Celebrity Big Brother ? " There's no way I'd ever go on anything like that. I honestly worry that reality TV is just about people with a desperate need of approval, a desperate need to be liked and a desperate want of attention. Those sort of shows shouldn't be the future of TV. We need to bring back good storytelling because that's entertainment at its most fundamental. "
Robson's next project is a drama called Beaten. The actor admits the production, about domestic violence seen through a child's eye, is a real shocker. In the opening frame, a little boy sees his mother fly across the room after Robson hits her in the face.
" It is certainly the most controversial film I will have made - so watch this space, " he added.
Louise Compton- 22 Janvier 2005
Robson Green says filming Like Father, Like Father taught him a valuable lesson about parenting.
" It really struck me just how important parenting is to a child. The decisions parents make when they are bringing a child up have a profound effect. If you bring that child up in a violent background, they will be violent in some way. And if you abuse or traumatise a child, you destroy their life. "
" Keeping secrets from a child is the worst thing you can do. The secret that Dee has kept has a traumatic effect on her son Jamie. A child's love is unconditional and they need 100 per cent honesty. Hopefully this show will make people think. "
The themes of the story were part of what attracted Robson to play schoolteacher Dominic Milne, the boyfriend of Dee Stanton (Jemma Redgrave).
" I thought the script was very interesting. It starts off with very ordinary people leading very ordinary lives, and suddenly their history, secrets they've kept from others are revealed, and all the skeletons come out. It's a destructive background to what is in a sense a love story. "
" Dominic is a teacher who's happy with his lot. He's had trauma in the past but he's got over that. But suddenly, you turn a corner and chaos hits you. Trauma can happen to you in a millisecond, and if there's chaos around you, the way you behave becomes chaotic. When Dee tells him she was married to a serial killer it actually makes her more attractive to him, because she has survived it all. But it also has the potential to destroy everything that's precious to him."
Adds Robson : " It was a very enjoyable job and Jemma was really good to work with. She's got amazing charisma and she's incredibly professional, totally committed to the work. Dee has to deal with her demons and if you're going to go down that road, you've really got to go for it and Jemma did. She's a very powerful actress. I was also very impressed with the young cast. I went in to read with them and they were fantastic, word perfect and confident, which was terrifying ! "
Playing an English teacher required Robson to go back to school.
" I had to write on the blackboard and give lessons, but thanks to my role in Wire in the Blood I can now multi-task - write about something and talk about something completely different at the same time. We had to talk about Othello, though, which wasn't my favourite play. "
" I was a bit nervous about walking into a girls' school because I thought there was going to be so much attitude. But we couldn't have had a more helpful set of young people. It did take me back and it was nice when they asked me to do a little chat on their awards day. "
Robson has just filmed a new series of Wire in the Blood with his company Coastal Productions, but working for Ecosse Films meant time off from worrying about budgets and schedules.
" It was nice not being the main lead and having a couple of days off while Jemma was doing all the work! On Wire, I'm always thinking about how much things cost. It was great not to have to worry about that and just think about the work. Ecosse is a very good company and Like Father, Like Son was very relaxed."
Robson can also be seen in ITV1 festive drama Christmas Lights with Mark Benton.
" It's a gem of a script about two friends who become enemies. The only way they can get back at each other is by outdoing each other with their Christmas lights. It's about male bonding and male stupidity and I'm really proud of it."
Robson is spending Christmas with his wife Vanya and five-year-old son Taylor before returning to film Coastal's first commission for the BBC, daytime drama Beaten about domestic violence seen through a child's eyes.
But before that he celebrates his 40th birthday. " I remember being seven and looking at a person of 40 and thinking it was so old. But here I am. Nothing much has changed. I've just acquired a vocabulary and a bit of a hairy chest. I never take anything for granted and I always try to see the good in people. "