To some, he was a Jackie-magazine-fuelled adolescent obsession and the soundtrack to their youth.
To others, hes a star of musical theatre.
ToEastendersfans, hes antiques dealer and father of four, Eddie Moon.
In addition to the many things David Essex is, hes also a little bit of a flirt.
Both of us thought of that, Billy Cook my son, and myself.
So I said Id play Blackberry.
So I went down and had a scene with Billy and I was just blown away.
I just thought he was so truthful and focussed, so I didnt worry anymore.
I thought, ah, hes going to be fine.
Is that important to you, truth?
To present the truth of the gypsy community?
The film isnt a softened portrait of the gypsy lifestyle, there are bare-knuckle fights.
Theres a cock-fight at one point…
Thats right.
Sometimes that can cross over a bit.
You mentionedMy Big Fat Gypsy Wedding.
Is the film intended as a sort of answer to that representation of traveller life?
No, no its not.
Theyre quite resonant with me I think, so thats why I got involved.
Well, he has a lot to live up to.
Yeah, but we dont see it that way, thats why hes Billy Cook and not Billy Essex.
Or not even Joey Essex!
[To the PR] They keep saying hes my son.
People say thats your son isnt it?
And I said okay.
It hasnt done you badly has it?
No, its worked hasnt it?
EvenSilver Dream Racerhad your love of bikes in it.
Was that your choice or has that been just what comes to you?
No, I suppose its choice.
Whatever comes, if it sparks a real interest…
The play Im doing wouldnt be an autobiographical one, its calledThe Dishwashers.
Not based on your life then.
Though you did do some grafter jobs before it all happened for you though, didnt you?
Ive done proper jobs, yeah [laughing].
No, I was very professional.
I would creep off.
My wife and my daughter were with me on the Isle of Wight.
We had a house in Shanklin, so I would attempt to get away.
I knew if I didnt come off inThatll Be The Day, it wouldnt be a film.
Theres a lot of peoples dreams and aspirations that youre carrying and youre responsible for.
Theres that sense of duty and professionalism Ive always tried to hang on to.
If Im doing a show, I wont tear the arse out of it, Ill go to bed.
Boring, but thats the way it is.
I grew up around where you were filming on the Isle of Wight…
Did you?
Well, you know that film ran there forever, because everybody was in it.
So theyd all go and watch themselves and say There I am!
and it ran there for months and months and months.
One of my teachers was an extra in it.
Its a lovely place.
[Laughs] No!
I dont think Ill ever be a Spanish Duke again with that strange French/Jewish accent!
Do you have fond memories of filming that?
It was mad, it was mad.
Your other co-star was Christopher Lee of all people.
Is it right that he saved your eyesight on set after a stunt went wrong?
I was ready to go on, but Christopher Lee said No, youve got to get it treated.
[Laughing] It was mad.
Does that go back to your old manager, Derek [Bowman]?
Have you internalised his sort of, No, David, dont do that?
Occasionally I think of him, yes.
Because he was always very very suspicious of television, so Ive not done much TV.
Well youre a busy man.
For a lot of performers, that would be a full-on schedule.
I know, what happened there?
What drives you then?
Im less driven then it was.
I always wanted to get to tomorrow today.
Like youre making progress?
Yeah, its a change.
A change is as good as a rest, isnt it?
How have things changed in the industry from your perspective?
For instance, Traveller is only a limited release.
Yeah, well, Thamesmead.
Its about gangland warfare between two generations.
Id like to see more of that.
Id like to see more poetry in British film.
Do you think there used to be poetry in British film, but its gone?
Brief Encounteris a beautiful film isnt that a great film?
I know its very posh and very clipped and of a bygone era, but its absolutely beautiful.
Its quite a small film isnt it?
I mean in terms of story, its very contained, just about two people.
Yes, its lovely.
Theres no… its just people, its about people.
I like films like that.
I prefer films like that.
I cant stand films where theyve got all special effects.
I mean, I went to seeSkyfalland thought, what a waste of money this is.
Oh, youre not a Bond fan?
Michael Apted [Thatll Be The Daydirector] went on to do one of those.
No, I like films about people and what happens to them.
Youre not a fan of those East End gangster films as a rule then, Danny Dyer films?
Do you watch Jason Statham films?
I think Ive seenBrief Encounter, Ive seenTerminatorand a few films on the plane.
You must have seen your own?
Number one,Silver Dream Racer, thenThatll Be The Day,Stardust, and dont forgetShogun Warrior.
No, cinema to me seems like a waste of time.
I enjoyed thatThe Great Gatsby, I saw that on the airplane.
The Baz Luhrmann one?
Jay-Z did it I think.
Yeah, I saw that.
I thought it was really good.
I went to seeWar Horserecently and I thought, Why didnt they shoot the horse?
[Laughter] You must have been the only person to come away thinking that!
[Laughing] I was, the only person.
Ive got this dark side to me that likes that.
Its funny, because onSilver Dream Racer, they changed the end for American audiences.
If you read the Wikipedia entry now it says the film ends with Danny crossing the finish line first.
They had to change it because America couldnt stand the fact that the hero died.
Is that reluctance to have a big, shiny happy ending is something to do with being British?
It might be, it might be.
It might just be a [adopts mysterious ominous voice] a strange darkness in my character.
Your innate need to kill off horses… Did you consider it?
[Sings] Youre the one that I want, ooh ooh ooh.
Do you ever do that one on karaoke?
I never do karaoke.
I dont enjoy singing to be honest.
Just now or…?
Ive never really enjoyed it.
Im a drummer thats what really I am, and its gone downhill from there!
I just have a cup of tea, have a fag and go and do it.
Its just a job to you?
Its the communication I like.
I had to learn in front of audiences.
Out of your dressing room then, is just the sound of biros drumming on the desks and walls?
Ive got over that.
Thats a syndrome that drummers have, but Ive kind of got over that.
Im not still doing my paradiddles.
Shall I teach you how to do a paradiddle?
So if Im ever called to the stage…
you’ve got the option to paradiddle.
And I can say I was taught by a master.
[Laughs] Theyre military rudiments that you learn as a drummer.
So youve got that [starts tapping away, getting faster and faster].
You need that speed, right?
[more impressively fast drumming].
[I dont have that speed] The idea of you inGreasereally tickled me.
Well, not because you wouldnt have been great in it.
Oh, I dont know about that!
But becauseThatll Be The Dayis almost an opposite toGreaseisnt it?
OnessoEnglish and about being an English teenager in a realist way, and the otherssoAmerican and marshmallow-y.
It is, yeah.
I was saying to a journalist earlier, fame and fortune has never been my motivation.
Its always been the project or the adventure of doing something rather than, I want to be famous.
Thats vacuous, thats pointless.
Because once youre famous, what is there?
Thats the message ofStardustin a nutshell isnt it?
Yeah, I suppose thats part of my make-up.
I am a nice person I think.
I think Im a good person.
Dark things appeal to me much more than pink and frilly.
Thats what I look for.
I look for levels and obviously, there is no drama without conflict, so you need that.
Yeah, Ive got five grandkids now, I like to get out and about and get their stuff.
So like the rest of us then, you must hearA Winters Talea few times with every shopping trip?
I dont think that way.
Give us a verse.
David Essex, thank you very much!
