Question 21: Series 2, episode 8 ‘Marjorie Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’ was largely filmed on location in the north-east of England. The closing scenes see Oz approve of his son, Rod (Barry Holinshead), migrating to Italy whilst reminiscing on the banks of the Tyne prior to bidding him a heartfelt farewell. Such is the power and delivery of the script, your line “Never forget your roots son, you’ll always be a Geordie no matter where you go” continues to strike a chord with AWP fans making an everyday bus stop under the shadow of the Tyne Bridge arguably the most photographed in the north east! You’re proud of your Geordie roots both on and off screen. Through your performance, how does it feel to have placed Newcastle, its people and unique dialect firmly on the map?   JN - That episode was tricky; there was Oz being the concerned father, when from the off we’d watched him wash his hands of his wife and son. I reasoned it was just another example of Oz’s contrariness; you never knew which Oz you’d be dealing with from one moment to the next. I’ve known people like that. And that parting line was also something of a veiled threat; ‘Divven’t start acting all Italian, mind!’  As for the series’ impact, it’s lovely that recognition is due to something so beloved and fondly regarded but really, we were just one part of a long line of film, television and sports stars who flew the flag for Geordieland and mangled those vowels along the way; Stan Laurel, The Animals, The Likely Lads, Get Carter, When The Boat Comes In, Paul Gascoigne, and following on from us, Ross Noble, Sarah Millican, and Ant and Dec, television’s current favourite Geordies. For trivia buffs, Henry Travers, who as Clarence the angel saves the life of James Stewart in Frank Capra’s ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’, was born in Prudhoe, Northumberland. Prudhoe is about ten miles west of Newcastle but I say we make Henry an honorary Geordie.

Question 23: We recently touched base with Bill Paterson who welcomed the opportunity to revive his character as the superbly executed villain Ally Fraser to address some much overdue unfinished business with our Magnificent 7. Almost 20 years have passed since we last saw Oz with pals Dennis and Neville on a new adventure; destination Germany. Would you ever consider reviving your character one last time if the script and time were perfect and if not, why? JN - Never say never. In February 2020 I teamed up with Tim, Kevin and Chris to do some AWP scenes for Sunday for Sammy’s 20th Anniversary gigs. We had such a laugh I wrote the bones of a 30-minute pilot episode, kind of ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ meets ‘The Kominski Method’. Goodness knows if anything will come of it; times have changed in terms of the content broadcasters are looking for, and we’re all seniors; making tv shows is like waging a military campaign, it takes so much out of you. As you get older, you’re less inclined to want to roll that boulder up the hill. Question 24: Such is the timeless quality of writing, acting and production, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet stands up to repeat viewing with an ever-growing dedicated fanbase. Do you have a short personal message to fans who have followed the adventures of Dennis, Oz, Neville, Bomber, Wayne, Barry and Moxey and taken our Magnificent 7 into their hearts for almost 4 decades?  JN - It’s an honour to have been a part of something which to this day is held in such high regard by so many and has stood the test of time. On behalf of fans across the world, the team at the Official Auf Wiedersehen, Pet fansite would like to take this opportunity to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer our questions and for bringing the legendary Leonard Jeffrey ‘Oz’ Osborne to life on our screens.  JN - It’s been a pleasure. And well done to everyone for keeping the AWP flame burning.

Question 22: You co-formed the Sunday for Sammy  Trust with Tim Healy in memory of the late great Sammy Johnson who played tearaway Martin Cooper in series 2. Since the charity’s formation in 2000, it has raised in excess of £560K providing much needed funding for creative, talented and enthusiastic young people from the North East who aspire to a career in theatre, TV, film and music. During these incredibly difficult and challenging times, what advice would you give those wishing to follow in your footsteps in performing arts?   JN - I’m not the best person to ask as I had no real wish to be an actor yet I ended up having a comparatively successful career. That said, I would advise anyone thinking of becoming an actor to do it for the love of it. Don’t expect to make any money. If it’s a good living you’re after, then train to be a plumber or a software engineer. It’s almost impossible to make a decent living solely from acting, especially right now. For every part that comes along there are literally thousands of hopefuls chasing it. On top of talent and a large dollop of good fortune, an aspiring actor needs a heart like a lion, skin as thick as an armadillo’s and access to deep pockets.

The Official Auf Wiedersehen Pet fansite would sincerely like to thank Jimmy for taking time out of his busy schedule to speak with us and sharing his memories. Copyright: Jimmy Nail 2022. This article is not to be reproduced without consent. Missed parts 1&2 of our Jimmy Nail Q&A? Read it here.