Steve, BBC3’s snappily titled Hair will see you showcasing young British amateur skills in hair styling…
Yes, and the very fact that I know absolutely nothing about cutting hair is really the point; they wanted a layman in there who would ask questions that the average member of public sitting at home would want answered. The less polite way of saying that is they wanted someone who could ask stupid questions, and I really can do stupid!
Do you, erm, like hair?
I think there is potentially a lot of humour in a show like this. The stylists come up with some fantastically high and heavy awkward hairstyles, then the models have to show them off by walking for a short distance, with as much dignity and grace as they can muster. The more outlandish the design, the more the poor model struggled to keep their dignity. I thought that was hilarious and I struggled to hold it together!
**What’s been your worst ever hairstyle? **
Growing up in Wales, I once asked for my head to be shaved by the local barber. But I lost my nerve and ended up with these horrible wispy bits - rats tails - hanging down. I looked a total mess. But the worst hairstyle of all was probably seen on the late, great animal guy; Terry Nutkin. He had a bald head and very long hair down the sides. That combination is just not right together.
I can do stupid!
Do you ever have a bad hair day?
We all do, don’t we? Though I think my really bad hair days are a thing of the past, thanks to Alain Pichon (the show’s celeb snipper) who gave me a cut on the first day of filming. I’m calling it The Pichon - although I was a bit concerned that he was so keen to cut my hair, as soon as he met me. Did it really look so bad?
Your last big TV project was the X Factor USA – what did you most miss about home when you were across the pond?
I obviously missed family and friends but I guess it was the British humour. I know it’s an old cliché but it’s true that Americans just don’t get it. I’d make a joke about myself and the person I was with would say, ‘That’s really funny, Steve’ with a totally straight face and I’d know it was the least funny thing that anybody had ever said to them.
Are you done with America now?
Not necessarily, although a lot of what I am being offered now is over here. I’m living back here now, ironically with my American girlfriend!
Tell us more…
Well, I’m not going to reveal her identity but we are very happy together and she is obviously quite serious about me, otherwise she wouldn’t have followed me over here! And we’ve started a family…. of dogs! We have two French bull terriers, Dexter and Francis. Man, they’re lovely.
Hair, starts Tue 25 Feb, 9pm on BBC3
By Tim Oglethorpe