Katherine MacAlister talks The Archers and Flare Path with Graham Seed

Imagine the scenario. There you are revered, beloved and famous, with one of the safest jobs in the business, reigning supreme in Britain’s most famous radio soap, until 27 years in, your character falls off a roof and you’re back out in the cold.

Dusting himself off and climbing straight back on the horse, Graham Seed has barely had time to take stock since his controversial character Nigel Pargetter died as part of The Archers 60th birthday celebrations:“I did feel like a sacrificial lamb,” Nigel admits, when his part was written off. “But it meant I had to get out there again.”

Graham’s controversial exit from The Archers did at least raise his profile sufficiently for him to land Basket Case with Nigel Havers, A Night with Jimmy Saville with Alistair McGowan, Yes Minister and Dead Sheep, a play about Geoffrey Howe and Margaret Thatcher.

Flare Path now beckons, Terence Rattigan’s Second World War classic coming to the Oxford Playhouse from Tuesday. Casting Graham Seed as Squadron Leader Swanson is genius, being terribly David Nivenesque in real life: “I have to count the pilots in and out, while wondering if they will come back alive, and the despair and challenges involved. It’s good stuff,” he promises.

Flare Path depicts a woman married to an airman who’s been called up, whose former beau comes back to claim her: “It’s very patriotic and there is a lot of humour involved, stiff upper lip stuff, all set against the noise of planes taking off, shaking the theatre when they dive low, so very atmospheric,” Graham adds.

“Plus I get to dress up in uniform and play a soldier, which I know is childish, but it’s what all actors want to do,” he laughs, “so I knew it would be fun and it’s a really strong company.”

With all this going on, has he had time to miss Ambridge then? “Of course. I miss The Archers and my mates in Birmingham, but I also miss Nigel – I really threw myself into that part. I remember thinking I’m going to really go for it, to be bold.

“But actors have always been rogues and vagabonds – always moving around – so in a way this has been good for me. I have had to really push and stretch myself.”

Has it been like starting out all over again? “Well live theatre is where it all began for me – I went to RADA after all. I wasn’t very clever at school but luckily I was good at acting,” the 65 year old recounts. “I remember my headmaster calling me in to his office and telling me it was army, church or the stage for me, so I said: ‘It had better be the stage then sir’”. Loving his chosen profession from the word go, Graham remembers: “It was such a bohemian life and I hoped I would never grow up. My parents thought it was just a phase I was going through and would grow out of it.”

So does he think he’ll ever get away from The Archers permanently? “No, probably not,” he shrugs. “People still call me Nigel all the time.

“But even while I was in it I made myself accept theatre jobs to keep my hand in, because as much as I love radio, it doesn’t make you nervous in the same way. Not that it gets any easier. You get more nervous the older you get because you know what can go wrong. But this has meant I have had to reinvent myself.”

Where and when
Flare Path 
Tues, Feb 2 – Sat, Feb 6
Oxford Playhouse 
01865 305305 oxfordplayhouse.com