I grew up in King’s Cross, in central London during the 60s. My father was the caretaker of rather a nice mansion block where Kenneth Williams and Stanley Baxter lived. All us kids used to go, “They’re on the telly.” My childhood was pretty relaxed and the atmosphere at home was good, but I always wanted to go out. I’ve always been someone who wanted to go out all the time.
I’ve got two sisters, one 10 years older than me and one five years older – they pretty much did their own thing and I did mine. I played football and went to the youth club and we never really did much together. I ended up bonding with them more as we got older. I see them a bit. They come and see my shows with my nieces and nephews. They are big supporters.
My dad died 15 years ago. He was very easygoing, a bit like me. Well, I’m a bit like him, I think. We had a pretty good relationship all the way through. We just had slightly different values – my parents were quite Victorian in some of their values. In those days, aunts, uncles and cousins were more important than they are today and we used to have parties at my aunty Gladys and uncle Don’s house and at our house.
We all went on holiday with my uncle Don because we didn’t have a vehicle, so we went in his Dormobile or my uncle Arthur’s Ford Anglia. We went to Camber Sands or somewhere like that – I used to love all that. Squeeze doing Pulling Mussels (from the shell) always reminded me of those holidays.
My parents were supportive. I’ve always been a very strong-willed person and they left me to it. They supported me being an actor, not that I became one intentionally. I got parts when I was a kid and no one ever said anything because I was making money and that is what it was all about. As long as I kept working, what was the point in doing anything else?
My mum is 92 and still doing very well, although she gets the Daily Mail. She doesn’t realise what she’s reading. She does the crossword every day but when I try to tell her, “Mum you can’t read the Mail,” she doesn’t get it, but I suppose it’s aimed at 92-year-olds. The only arguments we ever have are when we talk about politics as I’m left-leaning. She believes she’s left-leaning, but she reads the Daily Mail.
My mum’s always very happy and she goes to a club. Not a nightclub, but she does line dancing, and they do a bit of ballroom. It’s quite sad as men die before the ladies do usually, so all the old ladies end up dancing with the other old ladies because all of the men have gone. Mum was delighted when I was on Strictly Come Dancing, even if I didn’t enjoy it. The most excited she’s ever been about me being in anything wasn’t when I was in Quadrophenia or when I did Parklife [with Blur], but when I went on Pointless Celebrities recently. She loved that.
Becoming a father was interesting. Being an actor and not always working was great when Ella was little, as I saw a lot of her. She works in marketing in the City and she’s proud of me and a little impressed by my career, but she wouldn’t show it. I still see her quite a lot. It was tough for her when her mum died [Phil’s long-term partner Jan Stevens died from pancreatic cancer in 2012]. She was only 21 or 22 and to watch her mum be ill and die was not nice. We’ve been very close since then, as that’s all we’ve got – each other. There are no brothers or sisters. She’s done very well and got on with her life, and that’s what you’ve got to do, I’m afraid.
I’ve got a little dog called Chico. It’s just me and Chico in the house now and I sometimes think that Ella has come round to see the dog not me. He’s my family now. He’s someone to talk to.
• Phil is in Les Misérables at the Queens Theatre, London W1, lesmis.com
