Timothy Spall on Auf Wiedersehen, Pet at 35
The Official Auf Wiedersehen, Pet fansite recently
touched base with award winning actor Timothy Spall and
asked him about his memories playing the part of a ‘loveable
yet pedantic motorbike obsessed Brummie’. Read on for
some incredibly heartfelt words as we celebrate televisions
no.1 comedy drama…
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Acknowledgement: Shane & Timothy Spall
Site Release Date: 11th November 2018
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36 Years ago I was
sent scripts for a
wonderfully written
13 part
Drama/Comedy. I was
very pleased because
I was skint but also
cautious about committing myself to something that
might not be the right choice. (I was a young
newlywed hand-wringing idealist). I got the part and
accepted it and had a thoroughly good time making it.
I met some people who have become dear and
lifetime friends and sadly lost a couple too.
That series was of course ‘Auf Wiedersehen, Pet’. It
has become what can only be termed, ‘A cherished
popular classic‘. There have been times when I have
cursed it particularly when I couldn’t get arrested at
the height of its popularity because all the casting
directors thought I was a boring pedantic motorbike
obsessed Brummie, and couldn’t be perceived as
anything else. But my effrontery and grumbling
shameful ingratitude has long gone. The passage of
time has bought generation after generation of
people who discover it and love it once again.
“Hallo are you Tim Spall?. My Grandad showed me this
series he used to love back in the day now I’m a big fan
and can’t wait to be able to show it to my little girl when
she’s old enough!“ and other similar heartening
statements are a regular occurrence.
Now as a long time happily married man and still a
hand-ringing idealist I look back at the times making it
with huge affection and happiness. Rafe our son the
famous actor was born during the making of the first
series and Sadie our second daughter was born
during the second series so it was a momentous time
all round.
It’s fantastic to be part of something that has become
ingrained in the fabric of our entertainment culture
and held with such affection and esteem and
continues to go on delighting people as they discover
it anew. I don’t think there’s ever been anything quite
like it since, it caught a particular important time in
our shared consciousness and delivered it up with
great humour and seamless non sentimental
poignancy and I’m totally delighted to have been a
part of it. The fact that it goes on to delight people
who rewatch it over and over and those discovering
for the first time is a testament to its honesty, warmth
and humorous celebration of the British Working
Man.
Yours with the heartiest of best wishes
Timothy Spall
8th November 2018
Auf Wiedersehen, Pet 1983 - 2018