MOVIE hardman Jason Statham and his model partner Rosie Huntington-Whiteley have bought a £20million beachfront “forever home” — and are spending another £5million renovating it.
Jason Statham and his model partner Rosie Huntington-Whiteley have bought a £20million beachfront ‘forever home’Credit: GettyThe couple are spending another £5million renovating the house
The contemporary new-build is set on 20 acres and has its own private beach, enormous tree house, boating lake and wild swimming pond.
Building work has been going on for some time, with experts estimating a further £5million is being spent.
He has always been upfront about his life goals, saying: “I just want to work hard, make money and eat with good people and love the same woman over and over again.”
Several high-profile celebrities also own homes in the area. Jason also has extensive properties in Hollywood and Cornwall.
The couple, who have a home in London, met at a party in 2009 and got engaged in 2016.
Jason also has extensive properties in Hollywood and CornwallCredit: AlamyRosie has a £30million fortune via fashion collaborations with M&S and Burberry, and acting rolesCredit: AFP or licensors
Rosie, 39, has a £30million fortune via fashion collaborations with M&S and Burberry, and acting roles in Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Mad Max: Fury Road.
She recently revealed she was moving to the countryside.
Rosie said: “I’ve been dreaming of this since I left home.
“It will be mud and kids climbing trees.” The couple were approached for comment.
Sir David Jason has opened up on the prospect of an Only Fools and Horses revival, saying ‘let’s go for it’
14:02, 25 Apr 2026Updated 14:03, 25 Apr 2026
Only Fools Horses was a huge hit for the BBC(Image: Getty Images)
Television icon Sir David Jason has spoken candidly about a potential revival of Only Fools and Horses – but acknowledges there’s one significant obstacle to resurrecting the beloved sitcom.
The BBC programme ran for seven series and 16 Christmas specials between 1981 and 2003 and is frequently voted the UK’s greatest ever sitcom. Only Fools transformed Sir David and co-star Nicholas Lyndhurst, who portrayed wheeler dealer brothers Derek and Rodney Trotter, into household names.
However, while there have been spin-offs in the subsequent 23 years, alongside a successful stage production, there hasn’t been a return to fresh TV episodes.
Sir David, 86, declared “let’s go for it” – but only if they “get a good script”. The actor believes this might prove somewhat problematic as the programme’s creator, John Sullivan, passed away in 2011. The Only Fools star described the scriptwriter as “a genius”.
He told the Daily Telegraph: “But the problem (with a TV revival) is that the man who created it is no longer with us. He wrote every episode and just happened to be a genius.
“I’m not so sure that we have a writer clever enough to take on his mantle. No one could write characters like he could. Providing we have a good script, let’s go for it!” reports the Express.
The Only Fools creator died in April 2011, six weeks after contracting viral pneumonia. Only Fools and Horses The Musical, penned by Paul Whitehouse and John Sullivan’s son Jim Sullivan, enjoyed a West End run spanning more than four years before concluding in April 2023. The programme centred on the Trotter brothers, market traders from working-class Peckham in south-east London, chronicling their schemes to strike it rich fast.
Sir David also shared his thoughts on cancel culture, as Only Fools and Horses repeats now feature trigger warnings. He revealed no one has criticised the programme to him directly.
The actor continued: “Not one person has ever complained about any show that I have done. No one has said they didn’t believe in it or didn’t enjoy it.”
Meanwhile, Sir David delivered a heartbreaking eight-word response after viewing a lost Only Fools scene.
The actor reunited with Tessa Peake-Jones, who portrayed his on-screen partner Raquel Turner. The duo filmed a new docuseries, Only Fools and Horses: The Lost Archive. The two-part programme featured the show’s stars watching previously unseen material from more than 10 classic episodes.
Grantchester actress Tessa has revealed that David made an emotional remark about the cast being “so young and so successful” while revisiting footage of himself and his co-stars.
Speaking on Lorraine, she shared: “David Jason was very, very poignant about it. There was one bit where he was like, ‘We were so young and so successful then.’ It’s quite depressing.”
Actor David Jason has reflected on the highs and secrets of Open All Hours as he took on one of the most iconic comedy roles on television in the 1980s
David Jason and Ronnie Barker were a perfect comedy duo(Image: BBC)
Sir David Jason famously landed two iconic comedy roles in the 1980s. One was the lead in Only Fools and Horses as wheeler dealer Del Boy Trotter.
The other was playing second fiddle to Ronnie Barker as unlucky-in-love errand boy Granville in Open All Hours. With such a workload, some actors might have ditched the co-star role and concentrated solely on being ‘the star of the show. But not Sir David.
Looking back on Open All Hours’ 50 th anniversary, he says he would never have turned his back on the loveable put-upon corner shop assistant. He says: “I was never grand about ‘Oh I’m above playing Granville.. I have got my own series.’ No, I was just happy to be doing another character which was so different. I had this character that was the total opposite. The leading man, the driving force, the wheeler dealer.”
Open All Hours is regarded as one of Britain’s top classic sitcoms. Viewers fell in love with penny-pinching stuttering shopkeeper Albert Arkwright (played by the late Ronnie Barker) and his endless efforts to woo ‘the lust of his life’ – the very buxom Nurse Gladys Emmanuel (the late Lynda Baron) while a string of regular customers would pop in and out of the shop in Yorkshire often being conned by his latest crafty tricks.
Added into the mix was Arkwright’s over-worked shy and awkward nephew Granville played by Sir David. The show was made for Ronnie in 1973 as one of seven new comedy pilots by the BBC who had lured him away from LWT to work for them.
Sir David, who is now 86, was excited to be among its cast as it meant working with the comic genius. Their paths had crossed when he appeared in his sketch show Hark at Barker in 1969 and he claims he learned so much from him over their years together.
In a new TV special called Open All Hours: Inside Out marking its 50 th anniversary this year, Sir David pays a fond tribute to the legendary funny man saying: “I couldn’t wait to work with him to see what I could learn from him.
“When we first started to work together he was a big star and I was in his shadow for years. Ronnie was at the top of his trade if you like. The rest of us crawled about underneath desperately trying to learn how to be as clever as Ronnie B but with that came the generosity of spirit he was so wonderful to work with he was good fun and he was respectful.
“It was a huge learning curve in my career to work with Ronnie B. It was a great journey to have travelled with him and learned his respect for showbiz and what it meant to be in it and to entertain people. A brilliant man.”
Audience research for the pilot of Open All Hours was very positive but the BBC wanted Ronnie for another show called Prisoner and Escort (which became Porridge). It meant Arkwright and Granville stayed on the shelf for three more years as the comedy was not fully commissioned until 1976.
But there was unrest about its scheduling on BBC Two on a Friday at 9pm. Writer Roy Clarke calls it ‘terrible’ and adds: “That was the equivalent of burying it.”
Even Sir David comments: “BBC One would have had the kudos over BBC Two but at least it was going out I suppose.”
Ratings for series one topped more than six million each week but, remarkably, the BBC went cold on the show. They wanted Ronnie to do more Porridge and more of The Two Ronnies with his pal Ronnie Corbett and writer Roy busied himself penning more episodes of Last Of The Summer Wine.
Meanwhile, Sir David landed the lead role in a new ITV sitcom called A Sharp Intake of Breath in 1977 and then in 1981 he was cast as Del Boy in a new BBC comedy Only Fools and Horses.
It was an immediate hit.
But at the same time, the Beeb decided to revive Open All Hours for a second series. This time it was scheduled to go out on BBC One. Sir David had no hesitation in juggling both roles as he loved playing Granville and knew fans loved the character too.
He says: “Granville appealed to the viewers as people saw a bit of themselves in him – a dreamer who wanted to see the world. Granville was wistful and a bit romantic. I was so happy to be working with that sort of personality.”
Ratings for the sitcom soared with an average of 13 million viewers tuning in. In addition to its main stars, the shop’s badly behaved till became a character in its own right. And the Carry On style humour appealed to the masses especially when Nurse Gladys used to comfort Granville in her ample breasts – something which always made Arkwright jealous.
Sir David now recalls those scenes with a chuckle: “She was so padded everywhere you couldn’t get any pleasure about being pulled into her bosoms.”
Open All Hours bowed out in 1985 after 26 episodes and even beat Corrie in the ratings. It always remained popular whenever it was repeated but fans never expected to see the corner shop again especially since Ronnie passed away in 2005 aged 76.
However, in 2012, Sir David went to the BBC head of comedy with an idea for a sequel. He says: “I always wondered what would have happened to Granville if Arkwright left the shop to him.. and the rest is history as they say.”
And in 2014, Still Open All Hours was launched with the actor reprising the role. However, the new twist was that Arkwright had died and left the shop to Granville who had turned into a miser just like his uncle and was now tormenting his errand boy son Leroy played by James Baxter.
James says: “I had the toughest role. I was nervous at the beginning but I was in very safe hands with David. He built this world, him and Ronnie and Roy so I never felt too scared. Arkwright and Granville are icons of British comedy. I will stand in that shadow. That is fine by me.”
Some characters from the original made appearances too including Lynda Baron, Stephanie Cole and Maggie Ollerenshaw. It was a huge hit and ran for six series. A seventh was planned but ended up being cancelled when the Covid-19 pandemic struck and the series was shelved for good.
Sir David – who has also starred in The Darling Buds of May, A Touch Of Frost and A Bit Of A Do – comments: “I always felt it would be nice to see how we round it all up so that we the audience would go ‘Oh that’s lovely, you know’.”
His wish is granted in the new TV special as he gets to dust down his old shopkeeper overcoat one more time as Granville for a final sketch penned by Roy Clarke. And he jokes about the script: “It might be rude. Knowing Roy Clarke it might be very rude.”
On the show’s 50 th anniversary he concludes: ““It’s as much as that? 50 years? Doesn’t time fly when you are having fun? I was so lucky to work with such lovely people who were so good at their job and had a wonderful sense of humour because this is what it is all about.”
*Open All Hours: Inside Outairs onU&OriginalsonThursday 7 Mayat8pm.
In the first of several significant flashbacks in “Over Your Dead Body,” Samara Weaving’s unhappy Lisa complains to a friend about a hunting trip her equally miserable husband Dan (Jason Segel) is taking her on. “You know how much I hate guns,” Lisa fumes. “So dangerous.” Turns out, she’s actually telling two lies, which is par for the course for this twisty yet underwhelming dark comedy that views marriage as both a hyperviolent blood sport and a battle to the death.
Based on Norwegian filmmaker Tommy Wirkola’s 2021 “The Trip,” “Over Your Dead Body” concerns a couple whose wedded bliss has faded along with their professional prospects. Dan directed a moderately successful sci-fi film several years ago but is now stuck shooting cheesy pop-up ads. Meanwhile, Lisa’s nascent acting career is flailing. As the movie begins, Dan conspicuously informs his production team that he and his wife are going hiking in the middle of nowhere — something, he insists, the risk-taking Lisa wants to do, despite how perilous that might be. What we soon realize is that he’s creating cover for his nefarious plan, which is to kill Lisa at his family’s forest cottage, making it look like she disappeared without a trace in the woods.
But director Jorma Taccone eventually reveals that it’s not just Dan who has murder on his mind. That first flashback rewinds to Lisa’s simultaneous scheming, claiming to those close to her that Dan longs to go hunting — when, in fact, she’s secretly brought a rifle so that the authorities will assume he accidentally shot himself. (Whatever fears she once harbored about firearms are, clearly, no longer an issue, if they ever were.) Dan is offended when he uncovers her plot: Why would she want to kill him? At least he’s justified, he believes, having caught Lisa in an affair with her scene partner.
More surprises are in store as Dan and Lisa engage in a deadly standoff in the cabin, only to discover that they’re not alone. Another flashback details how two convicted killers, Todd (Keith Jardine) and Pete (Timothy Olyphant), escaped from a local penitentiary with the help of Pete’s girlfriend, prison guard Allegra (Juliette Lewis), and are seeking refuge at the cottage. Suddenly, the feuding married couple must work together to stay alive.
One-third of the comedy troupe the Lonely Island, Taccone previously directed the big-screen adaptation of the “Saturday Night Live” sketch “MacGruber” and co-directed the endlessly rewatchable mockumentary “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.” For “Over Your Dead Body,” he teams with producer David Leitch, whose 87North shingle specializes in R-rated action-comedies like “Nobody” and “Violent Night.” Taccone’s irreverent, slyly shocking style would seem a good match for a story in which the pain of romantic discontent is paired with myriad scenes in which a variety of weapons wreak grisly havoc, including lawnmowers, sports cars, gardening equipment and a sock with a pool ball in it.
But despite Segel and Weaver’s best efforts, they can’t make this bickering duo deliciously awful, the characters proving more grating than hilariously combustible. And when Pete and his cohorts arrive, they’re too broadly quirky to be either menacing or hysterical, although Olyphant’s long-suffering leader has some nice moments slowly processing how dumb Todd and Allegra are.
Other than one queasy homage to “Deliverance,” the film’s handling of the showdown between this drab married couple and the cartoonish criminals is rarely gripping. Instead, “Over Your Dead Body” delivers over-the-top fight sequences emphasizing grimaces and gross-out laughs. People aren’t simply shot in the head — the bullet transforms it into a gooey slab of meat. Fingers get sliced off, stakes are driven through hands and a foot is reduced to bloody tatters. Taccone handles all this with gleeful excessiveness but once you’ve seen one pulverized face, you’ve seen them all.
A droll irony is intended to unfold alongside the rising body count. Dan and Lisa embarked on this getaway to murder one another, but they’ll end up rekindling their love. To be sure, Segel and Weaving are much more winning once their characters start warming to one another. Still, the film feels like a missed opportunity for Weaving, who became a scream queen in the “Ready or Not” films. In those movies, as an unsuspecting bride thrust into a life-or-death situation, she appealingly balanced a convincing physical performance with an understated comedic streak, her beleaguered character enduring one absurdity after another.
Weaving finds herself in a somewhat similar role in “Over Your Dead Body” and this uneven action-comedy is anchored by her had-it-up-to-here performance, which provides a witty insight into marriage that the film otherwise ignores. It’s bad enough that Lisa has to deal with Dan’s insecurity — now she’s got to tangle with some dopey crooks? Women have to do everything in a relationship.
‘Over Your Dead Body’
Rating: R, for strong bloody violence, gore, sexual assault, pervasive language, and sexual content
For three seasons, Jimmy, a therapist grieving the loss of his wife, has used unconventional methods —think taking someone with aggression issues to a boxing ring — to get through to his patients. In the last moments of “And That’s Our Time,” Jimmy’s mentor and fellow therapist Paul (Harrison Ford) turns that approach on its namesake, flying across the country to give Jimmy a much needed push to move forward with his life. “Jimmy needed permission and encouragement from someone to say, ‘All right, it’s time,’” Segel says. “This is the end of this story and it’s time to start a new one.”
In the scene, Paul finally tells Jimmy he’s like a son to him. “I found ourselves writing a conversation that if we were lucky enough to have a conversation like that with our own fathers, we’d be grateful,” executive producer Bill Lawrence says. “A lot of my shows have an element of mentorship in them. To see Jimmy’s mentor come through for him in the way that I would always hope he would meant a lot to me.”
Lawrence had always envisioned the three-season arc for Jimmy ending this way. But when they found out the comedy would be returning for a fourth season, he and his fellow executive producers were faced with a dilemma: End the season the way they would have the series or push their original ending out for one more season. After much discussion, they decided to stick the landing.
“It still felt right,” Lawrence says. “This particular story with these characters has been told and you should feel, in a good way, like it’s gonna be OK for Jimmy. Jason is so good at it, watching him play the agony of trying to get through it all and come out on the other side was my favorite kind of journey on the whole show.”
Segel spoke to The Envelope about filming this pivotal scene and bringing the third season to a close.
What did filming this final scene mean to you? To play this part of Jimmy’s journey coming to an end?
I’m always really interested in, “What is the dirty underneath? If we go one level deeper, what is the thing that the person is not saying?” This arc with Jimmy over the three seasons had been building up to Jimmy finally saying the actual thing, which is some version of, “Who’s gonna want me now?”
Paul answers that question by telling Jimmy that his scars are “evidence of a life well–lived.”
I had a therapist I was talking to about having to show up somewhere with people I knew from 25 years ago. I remember having a little bit of apprehension because I’ve had a twisty-turny life. I thought, “God, there’s so much to catch up on and I’m showing up covered in scars.” And this therapist said to me, just matter of fact, “What a shame it would be to show up anywhere at 45 years old not covered in scars.” And I went straight to Bill and [executive producer] Neil [Goldman], this is a year ago, and I said, “This is what Harrison says to Jimmy at the end of this arc.” And we worked it in.
What was the actual day of filming the scene like for you?
It was a difficult day. It was loud that day. There was a little bit of discombobulation on the street. There was construction and they couldn’t hold the cars right. It wasn’t the ideal environment for a scene like this where you would love to hear a pin drop. People were coming into the restaurant asking, “Are you guys open?” It almost felt like we were making a student film. And Harrison and I took a minute and we walked away from the set and we started running the scene, walking up and down the busy street to kind of acclimate ourselves. And I’m walking up and down the street with this man who I idolize and we are at that moment like equals and teammates. We have to go build this scene together. It is a real honor to have that dynamic with him.
Do you think it was important to have such a pivotal scene outdoors?
They’re a good reminder that the show takes place in the real world and that you’re like a representative of reality almost. I think that there’s something vulnerable about all that taking place outside. … There’s other patrons there. It’s surrounded by people, surrounded by life, and Paul is showing up and telling Jimmy, “It’s time to step into it. Look, it’s all around you.”
This season we met Jimmy’s father (played by Jeff Daniels), who never really connected with his son and, in a heartbreaking moment, chooses a fishing trip with his buddies over staying for Alice’s (Lukita Maxwell) high school graduation.
One of the things this show does really well is handle these situations honestly. Whether it’s Parkinson’s or loss or a complicated relationship with a family member. It’s not gonna magically change. None of it. And so the show is very much true to, “How do we get through it with each other?” That’s really the theme of the show. These issues are gonna be there. What are we gonna do with the realities of life? I think the reason they brought Jeff Daniels in is to highlight why Jimmy so desperately wants Paul’s affection. Where is this coming from? Bill is a genius in terms of setting something up in a previous episode so that there’s a payoff in the finale. I think that we understand suddenly how desperate Jimmy is to have somebody say, “You’re my son and I love you.” And he finally gets that at the end from Paul.
The other major event that happens in the finale is that Alice leaves for college.
To me, [Jimmy’s relationship with Alice] has been the heart of the show and the most important storyline. The show started out with Alice parenting a troubled child in her father. And that dynamic slowly, slowly, slowly shifted to being the right direction. Until finally he is able to see her off to college and she feels safe to leave him behind. He is the parent and she is the child and everything is the right size again. I think watching Lukita as an actor and a human being grow up over these past four years, it’s been really the joy of my career. When I met her, she called me Mr. Segel. I realized she grew up with my “Muppet” movie. I have the real honor of being more of a mentor than a contemporary to Lukita. To get to the point where I am being surprised and challenged and blown away and moved to tears in scenes with Lukita is like the coolest thing in the world.
Cobie Smulders and Jason Segel in “Shrinking.”
(Apple TV)
We see Jimmy sit down at the restaurant with his potential love interest Sofi (Cobie Smulders), but we don’t hear their conversation.
It originally ended with a hard cut to black. Then then they did this beautiful cinematic pullback. I think the most important line is, “Hello.”
As the scene ends, Paul tells Jimmy that he can either “stay stuck” or “go make new scars.” Paul advises Jimmy to “choose wisely” and then winks at Jimmy. It’s a subtle nod to the famous “choose wisely” scene from “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”
Harrison is not so secretly one of the funnier people I know. He always knows exactly what he’s doing and we’ve had a few of those throughout the season, some little nods to Harrison’s body of work. It was a perfect way to end that scene. Paul slash Harrison is always just a little smarter than you. One of the great qualities that they have is they’re just a little bit ahead of you, which a great mentor should be, right?
Have you thought about how it will be to play Jimmy in the show’s fourth season now that this particular story arc has come to an end?
I think an equally interesting and complicated and fun area is someone deciding they’re ready to be happy. Because God knows it’s one thing in your house alone in front of the mirror [to say], “Now I’m gonna be happy.” And then you go out and in practice, it’s its own set of complications, right? And so, I’m actually really excited about that idea of someone saying, “OK, I’m ready to take it for a spin.” And then seeing that’s its own thing.
JASON Statham has shared some very rare family snaps from his holiday to Turkey with fiancee Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and their two young children.
The actor, 58, took to social media to post photos from their time at five star hotel Regnum at The Crown in Antalya, where rooms cost up to £3,000-a-night.
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Jason shared a rare family update from their holiday to Antalya in TurkeyCredit: InstagramHe and son Jack, eight, were seen taking in the viewCredit: InstagramProud dad Jason messed around in the pool with four-year-old daughter IsabellaCredit: Instagram
Jason and model Rosie, 38, are parents to Jack, eight, and four-year-old Isabella.
Fast & Furious star Jason showed off his close bond with the kids while they relaxed at the hotel’s stunning crystal cove pool.
He and Jack were seen taking in the view with their arms around each other, while another snap showed the young lad standing on his dad’s shoulders in the pool.
Meanwhile Isabella was seen taking a dip in the water and one photo showed proud dad Jason lifting her into the air.
Jason didn’t include any photos of Rosie in his upload, which he captioned: “The cave.”
The couple have been together since 2010 and got engaged in 2016.
But Rosie previously confessed they’re in no rush to walk down the aisle.
She told Entertainment Tonight: “We’re looking forward to that time. It’s also not a huge priority for us, we’re so happy.
“I think it will be fun to do it when the baby’s [Jack] grown up a bit and he can be involved in the wedding.”
Rosie and Jack live in a Georgian townhouse in London and have spent two years renovating it together.
Revealing how the process has been, she told Vogue Australia: “Jason has the most impeccable taste.
“He taught me so much about architecture and furniture.”
Rosie added that being in a relationship with Jason for 16 years has been “very grounding”.
The father and son duo showed off their acrobatic skillsCredit: UnknownJason and Rosie have been together for 16 years – but are in no rush to tie the knotCredit: Rosie Huntingdon-Whitely and dau
Comedian Jason Manford, who will tonight present the BBC’s Big Night of Musicals is a father to six children from two marriages. While he prefers to keeps his family largely out of the spotlight, the funnyman has offered glimpses of his life behind the scenes
Jason Manford is heading up The Big Night of Musicals (Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/TBI Media/Scott Garfitt )
Jason Manford might be a household name for his comic prowess, but his personal life is far less well-known. The 41-year-old funnyman, actor and impressive vocalist has been captivating audiences since making his television debut back in 2007 with a minor role in the BBC Three comedy Ideal, and now he’s taking on hosting duties for the BBC Big Night of Musicals by the National Lottery.
He said ahead of the show tonight (28 March) that it was a “real honour” to head up the night of musical performances, but said in his view, “The real talent is in the orchestra and the performers on stage, and I just love being a part of it.” His illustrious career has certainly flourished over the years, with highlights including presenting the prestigious Royal Variety Performance twice and serving as a panellist on ITV’s Starstruck alongside fellow judges Adam Lambert, Beverley Knight and Shania Twain.
Beyond his professional achievements, what else is there to discover about the entertainer’s personal life? Here’s what we’ve uncovered.
The funnyman tied the knot with his first spouse, Catherine, back in October 2007. The couple went on to have twin daughters in 2009, followed by a third daughter in 2010, and then a son in 2012. Their relationship encountered difficulties in 2010 when it emerged he had been messaging female admirers online. The 34-year-old subsequently chose to step down from his presenting duties on The One Show to prioritise his family commitments.
Speaking at the time, he stated: “I have decided after careful consideration to stand back from The One Show to concentrate on my family.” The marriage ultimately ended in 2013. During a frank conversation with the Mirror in 2021, Jason acknowledged he hadn’t devoted sufficient “care and time” to his first marriage.
He reflected: “My first marriage really disintegrated on my theory of, ‘I don’t want my children to have the childhood I had’. So I was out working all the time, and I didn’t put the care and time into that relationship that it deserved and needed. “It’s only now I’m starting to realise, ‘Oh, I’m not giving the children the childhood I had’, which is good in one thing but bad in another. Because I got to spend so much time, and we had laughs with my parents.”
Jason’s second marriage
Jason wed his second wife, Lucy Dyke, in December 2017. The pair exchanged vows in an intimate Manchester ceremony surrounded by loved ones, before celebrating at a local curry house. Lucy, like Jason, works in television as a producer, with an impressive portfolio including Black Mirror, The Split, Ripper Street and numerous other productions. Jason has frequently championed his wife’s professional accomplishments, even encouraging his followers to tune into BBC’s Better, a drama she produced.
Sharing promotional images of the crime series on Instagram, he enthusiastically wrote: “My wife made this excellent show! It’s an absolute smasher and will fill the hole that Happy Valley has left. “BETTER! Starts tonight 9 pm, BBC1. Crime thriller with a twist!”
While largely keeping their domestic life private, he revealed in 2021 that he’d tested Lucy’s tolerance while cultivating sideburns for his theatrical role in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Speaking on the Manatomy podcast with Danny Wallace and Phil Hilton, he recalled: “When I was Caractacus Potts in Chitty [Chitty Bang Bang] I grew big sideburns and I got them right down to here, right down to below the lip sort of thing and my wife hated them, like genuinely hated them.
“I guess a lot of fellas do this, once you are married and they can’t leave you for trivial reasons, like having mutton chops. You can do what you like, but if you have dated someone once and they have got mutton chops, you don’t have to have a second date, but once you have got kids, that’s a really trivial reason to go through the process of divorce.
“So I think we as men do things that sort of annoy our wives, but it’s sort of like us testing the boundaries. I knew she hated it, but I still grew them and I was in that show for 18 months.”
Jason’s children
The funnyman is dad to six youngsters in total – four from his initial marriage and two from his current one. Jason shields his offspring from public attention and seldom posts pictures of his clan online.
That said, he does occasionally offer glimpses into family moments on social media. In July 2022 the beaming father shared an uncommon snapshot of his lad observing him perform live.
He wrote beneath the touching Instagram image: “My little boy watching me on stage today at @festunderthestars,” adding a broken heart emoji. During Father’s Day 2020, Jason uploaded an unusual picture showing him embracing all six of his children.
He appeared delighted as the youngsters gathered round for a cuddle while Jason positioned himself before a table displaying a PlayStation Four game and Celebrations chocolates. Within the caption, Jason informed followers: “A lovely Father’s Day. Recording radio show first thing, had pancakes and Nutella!
“Lots of cards and cuddles. Last of Us 2 on PS4 (and a promise of a day off chores this week to actually play it!). A visit to our new house/building site which is finally back up and running and ended the day with a lovely 5k walk which left everybody knackered. Early nights all round. Hope you all had a lovely day, and for those that had a tough one for various reasons, tomorrow is just a Monday and that’ll be easier.”
Big Night of Musicals airs this evening (March 28) from 7:45 pm on BBC One.
