“I love Manchester. I always have, ever since I was a kid, and I go back as much …” — John Simm

I spent most of my youth in Manchester, in clubs and football grounds and the Manchester Apollo.

It's horrible to get a cameraphone shoved in your face every time you walk out the door.

I used to be mouthy. It was all to do with being a northerner and from Manchester, which was suddenly a big deal when I was in my 20s. When I read some of the interviews I did back then, I cringe.

I can't watch shows like 'The X Factor,' for instance. I just squirm for the people involved, for the way they're being used. It's the cruellest, most ridiculous show on television. It's ruined music, ruined everything.