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The Irish Sun
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I starred in Only Fools & Horses and Lock, Stock… now I run Kray twins crime tour & sell cannabis from the Caribbean
'SO HAS the interview started yet?' Vas Blackwood asks, as wind chimes rattle softly in the background. He's speaking over the phone from the Caribbean where he's polishing a film script which he plans to star in. 32 Actor Vas Blackwood splits his time between London and the Caribbean Credit: Vas Blackwood 32 Vas running a Kray twins tour in East London Credit: BRIT MOVIE TOURS 32 During his breakout performance in Only Fools and Horses as Lennox Gilbey Credit: IMBD 'I'm pleased with it, the funds have gone into bond, so we'll see what happens,' he explains. The 62-year-old is not necessarily an actor that everyone knows by name - but many of his characters have achieved cult status. His one-off turn as Lennox 'The Shadow' Gilbey in a 1986 episode of beloved BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, for one. Another is gangster Rory Breaker in Guy Ritchie's 1998 film debut Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. READ MORE NEWS The director told him during casting that he'd been a fan ever since he saw him as Winston in The 'Lennox!' When he's back in the UK, where he has a North London base, he says he gets stopped all the time by people shouting 'Lennox!'. I tell him he's a British TV and film icon and he laughs, saying: 'I feel blessed every day.' A jobbing actor all his life, dad-of-three Vas never stops working. Whenever he's not shooting, he can be found running a Most read in Showbiz 'I start at the Blind Beggar and roll from there,' he explains. 'I bring in the whole gangster thing, but it's centred on Ronnie and Reggie. 'There's a couple of locations from Lock, Stock and I talk about modern gangsters - by the time we're done, you are a gangster,' he adds, laughing. Gary Lineker tops BBC best-paid list with Naga Munchetty among biggest earners amid 'bullying' row as salaries revealed "It's all fun with Uncle Vas." But there's another reason for him being in the Caribbean: he's putting the finishing touches to his latest venture - a medicinal cannabis brand named after his Lock, Stock character. 'The Caribbean's going to be like Rory's sauce - Rory's sauce is coming from the Caribbean,' he says. 'I'm ironing out things whilst I'm here. It comes straight from the film - they take my cannabis and try to sell it back to me. It's a declaration of war! 'I'm working on slogans for it, I've got one: 'I'll chill ya',' he says. Rory's sauce It's currently illegal to sell products in the UK containing THC, the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis, but Vas is planning ahead. In several Caribbean nations, for example, the drug has been legalised for medical purposes. 'We'll start with CBD oils, things like that, without THC,' he says, referring to his plans for the UK market. 32 Vas is possibly best known as Rory Breaker in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels Credit: IMBD 32 Vas with his Lock, Stock cast mates, including Jason Statham Credit: Handout 32 Vas and Jones remain close friends Credit: Roger Donovan 'In the Caribbean it's legal, in the sense you can apply and get a licence to use medicinal marijuana and then go to your chemist. 'This is what's going to be happening in the UK in the not too distant He goes on to say: 'It's so structured with the THC, it's very controlled. You don't have to hang around with someone on a street corner to score a bit of weed, you can go to the chemist.' Vas adds: 'Rory Breaker is going with the guidelines - but don't worry about that, as soon as we're allowed, the Rory Breaker strain of cannabis will be the most popular.' I looked at them and all the lines in my head went - I was a fanboy about to watch an episode. Vas Blackwood on guest starring in Only Fools and Horses He explains how he was a 'ganja baby' in his teens, growing up around Highgate, but he took his acting career 'very seriously'. 'I vision boarded it, and you become what you are. I became what I am.' His big break, so to speak, came about with his Only Fools guest part when he was just 24. He'd been to drama school and done fringe theatre, as well as a few TV spots - and he was a huge fan of the show. 'I looked at them and all the lines in my head went - I was a fanboy about to watch an episode,' he said, recalling first seeing stars Unusual for the BBC show, The Longest Night episode from season 5 saw a guest star take centre stage. 32 Vas is about to launch a medicinal cannabis brand Credit: VAS BLACKWOOD 32 He is regularly stopped in the street by people shouting 'Lennox!' Credit: IMBD 32 Vas' tour starts at the Blind Beggar pub Credit: BRIT MOVIE TOURS Filmed in front of a live audience, it was set almost entirely on one room, with Vas - whose character took the leads hostage in a supermarket back office - in almost every shot. They'd done rehearsals for five days in a hall in Chiswick before doing the technical rehearsal at Television Centre, and then the next day the proper shoot. Recalling his sudden hit of anxiety, Vas says: 'I had to kick myself from within my soul, my centre, my core, all the way up. 'You're Lennox, you're Lennox'. 'David, when he saw me, did the shoulder roll. He said 'alright there, Lennox', and I just went, I was laughing to myself. 'The concentration level had to be very high. You'd start laughing if you dropped out of character.' As an actor you have to hold your own. They might be difficult but that's nothing to do with you. You're not here to be their friend. Vas Blackwood on acting As for his co-stars, Vas was full of praise, saying there was 'no ego', adding: 'They made me feel a million dollars. 'They could've treated me a lot different. The industry can be like that sometimes. 'As an actor you have to hold your own. They might be difficult but that's nothing to do with you. You're not here to be their friend.' During earlier rehearsals he remembers during a break Jason turning to Lyndhurst and asking 'how's the flying going?'. Vas says: 'I was thinking flying, okay, what's that about? Well, Nicholas Lyndhurst actually flies an aeroplane, and he was learning to fly at that point. 32 Twin brothers and organised crime bosses Ronnie and Reggie Kray in 1964 Credit: Getty 32 Vas is still close friends with director Guy Ritchie Credit: Andrew Sims - The Times 32 Only Fools and Horses stars David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Buster Merryfield Credit: BBC 'It hit me, they're so not like Del and Rodney, these two.' Vas still has copies of rehearsal scripts they used. 'It was a big moment for me as a young actor, I was very fortunate, but you've got to give yourself a pat on the back,' he says. 'It was like a theatre performance and we had an audience. Theatre is my thing, most actors worth their salt love a bit of theatre. You hold the moment, it was great.' Being called to Television Centre Despite being a huge fan of Only Fools, he admits it was touch and go whether he would even take the part after it was offered. He was on the verge of being cast as a regular in a new Channel 4 show when he was called into White City by show producer Ray Butt. Many stars of the day had been impressed by Vas' performances in fringe theatre productions, and he'd already appeared with Dawn French and He believes he had also already been around the BBC at the time, though can't remember exactly how he came to the attention of Butt. 'It was all very peculiar how I got offered the job,' he recalls. The producer - looking every bit like Del Boy himself, wearing a flat cap and smoking a cigar - welcomed him into Television Centre and took him to a little office on the fifth floor. Handing him the script , he said he'd be back in 45 minutes. 32 Vas also appeared in Mean Machine with Jones in 2001 Credit: UIP 32 Vas was called into BBC Television Centre by Only Fools producer Ray Butt to read the script Credit: Alamy 32 Vas was full of praise for Sir David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst Credit: Doug Seeburg - The Sun Vas says: 'From the first page I was laughing, especially when he pulls the gun and says 'open the safe!'' When Butt returned, he excitedly asked what he thought, to which Vas replied: 'It's brilliant, Ray.' When he revealed he had another offer, Butt confidently told him: 'Don't worry about that, you'll do this - it's much better.' Vas says his thinking was: 'Getting a TV series would be worth more to me than working one-off for the BBC.' Butt wasn't deterred and as he led him out, Vas said he was thinking 'who is this man?' He dashed to a phone box and called his agent, who told him the Channel 4 producers were 'still making their mind up' - they wanted him but they were still deciding on the rest of the cast. 'A week or two later Ray was pressuring my agent,' Vas continues. 'In the end, I just decided to do Only Fools and Horses. It's little things like that - and I tell you what, I dunno whatever happened to that Channel 4 show, but this was the best thing that ever happened to me and I thank my lucky stars every day. Vas Blackwood on accepting Only Fools and Horses role 'It's little things like that - and I tell you what, I dunno whatever happened to that Channel 4 show, but this was the best thing that ever happened to me and I thank my lucky stars every day.' The show, despite coming to a finish after more than two decades in 2003, continues to top all-time favourite British TV charts, and is repeated almost daily on the likes of UK Gold. 'I go places everyday and people say 'ah Lennon, Lennox! Say the line!' Do you know how many times I've said it?' Without any prompt, Vas says: 'They seek him here, they seek him there, those policemen seek him everywhere. Is he in heaven or is he in hell, that damn elusive sha-a-dow.' 32 Vas worked with Lenny Henry in the 1980s after he spotted him in fringe theatre Credit: Rex 32 Vas worked with Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders early in his career Credit: Rex 32 Vas was not surprised that Jason Statham became a huge star in Hollywood Credit: Getty He adds: 'I get people in stitches every time - I look at it as a bit of a blessing, the stars looking down on me and saying you're still in this to win it, or whatever the case maybe.' The Only Fools performance was followed by the regular role of Winston in The Lenny Henry Show, as well as an episode of French & Saunders, and then three seasons of teen comedy Spatz. Through the 90s Vas also appeared in the likes of The Bill and Casualty before landing possibly his biggest role as gangster Rory Breaker. The black comedy crime caper, made for less than a £1million, was met with critical acclaim and major commercial success. 'To have worked with Guy on his first film, it set me in stone there and then. It's an iconic role, it's all there,' says Vas. To have worked with Guy on his first film, it set me in stone there and then. It's an iconic role, it's all there. Vas Blackwood on working with Guy Ritchie 'Watching that film just reminds me of London,' he continues, laughing. 'If you know the streets how I know them, there's all these characters, they might be shady but they have a sense of humour. 'It's all a mix-up and that's London to me.' Vas based Breaker on two people he knew growing up, one was Gilbert Wynter, a jeweller and enforcer for the Adams crime family who disappeared without a trace the same year Lock, Stock was released. 'I went to school with Gilbert, he was a soft touch, really, but a character,' says Vas. The other inspiration was Trevor Smith, a bank robber who rubbed shoulders with 'loveable rogues' in high end 32 Ronnie and Reggie Kray, seen here at home after helping police with their inquiries into a shooting in 1966 Credit: Getty 32 The Blind Beggar pub on Whitechapel Road in Mile End, East London, where the Krays used to regularly drink Credit: Getty 32 Vas hopes to work again with Ritchie - seen here shooting The Gentlemen season 2 Credit: Click News and Media The casting had been a bit of a mishmash. The film had been due to be shot the year before but then the investment fell through. Vas says: 'I wasn't attached at first. When the money came through again a lot of the actors cast had moved on to different jobs so there was availability. 'I can't say they got second best because it's such a successful film,' he says, laughing. 'It's all about timing. It wasn't the right thing with the first cast.' Lock, Stock casting process He remembers Ritchie telling him how much he loved his performance as Winston in the Lenny Henry Show, and how he'd watch it when he got home from college. 'He had me in mind from that role,' explains Vas. At one stage during the audition, Ritchie asked him to run his lines and began filming him from different angles. 'He knew he wanted me to do it, but he was more interested in the camera than what I was saying,' says Vas. 'He was fitting faces in his mind.' He recalled as they headed into another office, Ritchie began asking him about taxes. 'It was due to him being a young director and not understanding everything, so I gave him advice and he was happy and we were on,' Vas says. 32 Vas in 2004 film Creep Credit: check copyright 32 Vas and Jones at the premier of Mean Machine, at the Odeon in Glasgow, with then Celtic players Steve Guppy and John Hartson Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd 32 Vas promoting the Change For Kids campaign Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd 'I just knew he was special, there was something about him.' He says the energy on set was electric, but everyone 'would come in ready to give 110%' each day. 'We all got our heads down and delivered for Guy.' Vas goes on to say: 'The shooting schedule was broken up unusually - it was how Guy wanted to work.' He remembers Ritchie sitting by a monitor rather than behind the camera on set for his scenes. 'He never once came and talked to me about my performance. I'd say 'Guy, how was that?' and he'd reply 'that's great, no problem'. 'It was all in the edit for him and I was doing exactly what was on the paper.' However, there was always room for ideas. Having grown up around Cypriots in Kentish Town, Vas had suggested he speak some Greek in the film - which Ritchie allowed, and even came up with the idea for Breaker's iconic wig. 'I met my character's minders and they had bald heads and I was bald, so I said 'maybe it would have more impact if I was wearing a wig',' says Vas. 'Guy said 'leave it with me'. I turned up on set to get my make up and costume sorted and they had a wig,' he says. Vas was due to appear in Ritchie's follow-up movie Snatch two years later but other commitments meant he was forced to drop out. 32 It was Vas' idea for Rory Breaker to wear a wig Credit: Polygram 32 Vas with Gary Lineker in comedy show Spatz in 1991 Credit: Thames Television 32 Vas based Breaker on two underworld figures he knew growing up Credit: Polygram While further Ritchie projects, which he didn't reveal, 'didn't fit quite right'. But the pair remain close. 'Guy's like a brother to me, we talk as often as possible,' says Vas. 'I'm sure we'll do something else - it's all about the style of the role. 'If it fits, it fits. They don't need to audition me, if they know there's something I could master. We don't beg for anything, it's how our relationship is. We're always batting and balling with things like that.' Working with Jason Statham In 2001, Vas would go on to appear in Mean Machine, reuniting with Lock, Stock castmates 'Jason was working his way up,' he says. 'He came over from America to do the role - he was very close with Vinnie. He was on that trajectory. 'Jason Statham has an appetite for learning. That's why he is where he is now, he takes everything on as mute, he doesn't take things for granted.' Vas says it was actually Jones who ensured Lock, Stock even got made. 'Not a lot of people know this but Vinnie was the seed investor for Lock, Stock,' he explains. 'He put 100 grand up. When he left football he was very serious about the acting and he was looking for stuff.' 32 The actor has continued to act regularly since the 1980s Credit: Rex Features 32 Vas appeared with James Buckley in The Comedian's Guide to Survival Credit: Rex 32 Vas provided voices for the video game Fable II Credit: Handout Ritchie and producer Matthew Vaughn were 'running around' with the script trying to find funding and it came by Jones, and he loved it, says Vas. 'He put the first 100k down, then more investors followed. The rest is history.' Vas had first met Jones through footballer pal Jon Fashnu, with Fashnu and Jones being part of Crystal Palace's infamous 'Crazy Gang'. 'With Vinnie Jones, you can be walking in a forest with him, or down a street - he'll say 'what tree's that?'' says Vas. 'If it's got apples you'll say 'an apple tree'. But he'll know exactly what tree it is and what birds live in it. 'He likes the outdoors and bit of the hunting. And with trees, if it's an apple tree he'll tell you what type of apple it is. 'A lot of people are talking about saving the planet, but they can't do that.' Vas would go on to star in the likes of horror film Creep (2004) and provide voice work for video game Fable II (2008) and TV series Thunderbirds Are Go, among other live action roles, including two White Collar Hooligan films and Inbetweener James Buckley-starring The Comedian's Guide to Survival (2016). He got involved in Brit Movie Tours in around 2018. His Lock, Stock co-star Stephen Marcus, who played Nick the Greek, had initially run it before relocating to LA. After a little hesitancy, Vas agreed to take it on for select dates when he's back in London. 32 Vas took over the Kray twins tour in 2018 Credit: BRIT MOVIE TOURS 32 The tour takes in various spots in the East End Credit: Vas Blackwood 'I get 50 plus people,' he says. 'I get loads of people, they love it. I do it like a theatre performance, you get value for your money.' Many customers want him to recite lines from his famous performances and he's happy to oblige. 'They say, 'can you say that line?' I say 'why not?' and pretend like they're the first-ever person to ask. If the lines were terrible they wouldn't say anything, so I don't mind.' He adds: 'You get dads and mums coming with their kids who are die hard Only Fools and Horses fans, and I'm thinking 'that's another market there'.' He's always fascinated by how much interest there is in infamous bad guys like the Krays. His daughter went on a Pablo Escobar tour in Columbia which is run by the drug king pin's son and which ends at his grave. 'You can have a line of coke on his grave,' he says. 'Not that she did.' Describing his own interest in the Krays, he explains: 'Whatever they got involved in, there's a lot of folklore, with a lot of bad there comes a lot of good. 'We shouldn't judge too hard. If you commit a crime and go to prison, who am I to judge you? 'You've been locked up for a period of your life and that's your punishment.' Referring to the Krays, he says: 'I've fallen in love with the in-between bits. 'We're all just getting on with our lives in our own way.' Do you have a story? Email
Scottish Sun
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I starred in Only Fools & Horses and Lock, Stock… now I run Kray twins crime tour & sell cannabis from the Caribbean
MEAN MACHINE I starred in Only Fools & Horses and Lock, Stock… now I run Kray twins crime tour & sell cannabis from the Caribbean 'SO HAS the interview started yet?' Vas Blackwood asks, as wind chimes rattle softly in the background. He's speaking over the phone from the Caribbean where he's polishing a film script which he plans to star in. Advertisement 32 Actor Vas Blackwood splits his time between London and the Caribbean Credit: Vas Blackwood 32 Vas running a Kray twins tour in East London Credit: BRIT MOVIE TOURS 32 During his breakout performance in Only Fools and Horses as Lennox Gilbey Credit: IMBD 'I'm pleased with it, the funds have gone into bond, so we'll see what happens,' he explains. The 62-year-old is not necessarily an actor that everyone knows by name - but many of his characters have achieved cult status. His one-off turn as Lennox 'The Shadow' Gilbey in a 1986 episode of beloved BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, for one. Another is gangster Rory Breaker in Guy Ritchie's 1998 film debut Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Advertisement The director told him during casting that he'd been a fan ever since he saw him as Winston in The Lenny Henry Show in the late 80s. 'Lennox!' When he's back in the UK, where he has a North London base, he says he gets stopped all the time by people shouting 'Lennox!'. I tell him he's a British TV and film icon and he laughs, saying: 'I feel blessed every day.' A jobbing actor all his life, dad-of-three Vas never stops working. Whenever he's not shooting, he can be found running a Kray twins tour in East London's underbelly. Advertisement 'I start at the Blind Beggar and roll from there,' he explains. 'I bring in the whole gangster thing, but it's centred on Ronnie and Reggie. 'There's a couple of locations from Lock, Stock and I talk about modern gangsters - by the time we're done, you are a gangster,' he adds, laughing. Gary Lineker tops BBC best-paid list with Naga Munchetty among biggest earners amid 'bullying' row as salaries revealed "It's all fun with Uncle Vas." But there's another reason for him being in the Caribbean: he's putting the finishing touches to his latest venture - a medicinal cannabis brand named after his Lock, Stock character. Advertisement 'The Caribbean's going to be like Rory's sauce - Rory's sauce is coming from the Caribbean,' he says. 'I'm ironing out things whilst I'm here. It comes straight from the film - they take my cannabis and try to sell it back to me. It's a declaration of war! 'I'm working on slogans for it, I've got one: 'I'll chill ya',' he says. Rory's sauce It's currently illegal to sell products in the UK containing THC, the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis, but Vas is planning ahead. Advertisement In several Caribbean nations, for example, the drug has been legalised for medical purposes. 'We'll start with CBD oils, things like that, without THC,' he says, referring to his plans for the UK market. 32 Vas is possibly best known as Rory Breaker in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels Credit: IMBD 32 Vas with his Lock, Stock cast mates, including Jason Statham Credit: Handout Advertisement 32 Vas and Jones remain close friends Credit: Roger Donovan 'In the Caribbean it's legal, in the sense you can apply and get a licence to use medicinal marijuana and then go to your chemist. 'This is what's going to be happening in the UK in the not too distant future. This is for life.' He goes on to say: 'It's so structured with the THC, it's very controlled. You don't have to hang around with someone on a street corner to score a bit of weed, you can go to the chemist.' Advertisement Vas adds: 'Rory Breaker is going with the guidelines - but don't worry about that, as soon as we're allowed, the Rory Breaker strain of cannabis will be the most popular.' I looked at them and all the lines in my head went - I was a fanboy about to watch an episode. Vas Blackwood He explains how he was a 'ganja baby' in his teens, growing up around Highgate, but he took his acting career 'very seriously'. 'I vision boarded it, and you become what you are. I became what I am.' His big break, so to speak, came about with his Only Fools guest part when he was just 24. Advertisement He'd been to drama school and done fringe theatre, as well as a few TV spots - and he was a huge fan of the show. 'I looked at them and all the lines in my head went - I was a fanboy about to watch an episode,' he said, recalling first seeing stars David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst in costume on the set. Unusual for the BBC show, The Longest Night episode from season 5 saw a guest star take centre stage. 32 Vas is about to launch a medicinal cannabis brand Credit: VAS BLACKWOOD Advertisement 32 He is regularly stopped in the street by people shouting 'Lennox!' Credit: IMBD 32 Vas' tour starts at the Blind Beggar pub Credit: BRIT MOVIE TOURS Filmed in front of a live audience, it was set almost entirely on one room, with Vas - whose character took the leads hostage in a supermarket back office - in almost every shot. They'd done rehearsals for five days in a hall in Chiswick before doing the technical rehearsal at Television Centre, and then the next day the proper shoot. Advertisement Recalling his sudden hit of anxiety, Vas says: 'I had to kick myself from within my soul, my centre, my core, all the way up. 'You're Lennox, you're Lennox'. 'David, when he saw me, did the shoulder roll. He said 'alright there, Lennox', and I just went, I was laughing to myself. 'The concentration level had to be very high. You'd start laughing if you dropped out of character.' As an actor you have to hold your own. They might be difficult but that's nothing to do with you. You're not here to be their friend. Vas Blackwood As for his co-stars, Vas was full of praise, saying there was 'no ego', adding: 'They made me feel a million dollars. Advertisement 'They could've treated me a lot different. The industry can be like that sometimes. 'As an actor you have to hold your own. They might be difficult but that's nothing to do with you. You're not here to be their friend.' During earlier rehearsals he remembers during a break Jason turning to Lyndhurst and asking 'how's the flying going?'. Vas says: 'I was thinking flying, okay, what's that about? Well, Nicholas Lyndhurst actually flies an aeroplane, and he was learning to fly at that point. Advertisement 32 Twin brothers and organised crime bosses Ronnie and Reggie Kray in 1964 Credit: Getty 32 Vas is still close friends with director Guy Ritchie Credit: Andrew Sims - The Times 32 Only Fools and Horses stars David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Buster Merryfield Credit: BBC 'It hit me, they're so not like Del and Rodney, these two.' Advertisement Vas still has copies of rehearsal scripts they used. 'It was a big moment for me as a young actor, I was very fortunate, but you've got to give yourself a pat on the back,' he says. 'It was like a theatre performance and we had an audience. Theatre is my thing, most actors worth their salt love a bit of theatre. You hold the moment, it was great.' Being called to Television Centre Despite being a huge fan of Only Fools, he admits it was touch and go whether he would even take the part after it was offered. He was on the verge of being cast as a regular in a new Channel 4 show when he was called into White City by show producer Ray Butt. Advertisement Many stars of the day had been impressed by Vas' performances in fringe theatre productions, and he'd already appeared with Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders in ITV sitcom Girls on Top the year before. He believes he had also already been around the BBC at the time, though can't remember exactly how he came to the attention of Butt. 'It was all very peculiar how I got offered the job,' he recalls. The producer - looking every bit like Del Boy himself, wearing a flat cap and smoking a cigar - welcomed him into Television Centre and took him to a little office on the fifth floor. Advertisement Handing him the script, he said he'd be back in 45 minutes. 32 Vas also appeared in Mean Machine with Jones in 2001 Credit: UIP 32 Vas was called into BBC Television Centre by Only Fools producer Ray Butt to read the script Credit: Alamy 32 Vas was full of praise for Sir David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst Credit: Doug Seeburg - The Sun Advertisement Vas says: 'From the first page I was laughing, especially when he pulls the gun and says 'open the safe!'' When Butt returned, he excitedly asked what he thought, to which Vas replied: 'It's brilliant, Ray.' When he revealed he had another offer, Butt confidently told him: 'Don't worry about that, you'll do this - it's much better.' Vas says his thinking was: 'Getting a TV series would be worth more to me than working one-off for the BBC.' Butt wasn't deterred and as he led him out, Vas said he was thinking 'who is this man?' Advertisement He dashed to a phone box and called his agent, who told him the Channel 4 producers were 'still making their mind up' - they wanted him but they were still deciding on the rest of the cast. 'A week or two later Ray was pressuring my agent,' Vas continues. 'In the end, I just decided to do Only Fools and Horses. It's little things like that - and I tell you what, I dunno whatever happened to that Channel 4 show, but this was the best thing that ever happened to me and I thank my lucky stars every day. Vas Blackwood 'It's little things like that - and I tell you what, I dunno whatever happened to that Channel 4 show, but this was the best thing that ever happened to me and I thank my lucky stars every day.' The show, despite coming to a finish after more than two decades in 2003, continues to top all-time favourite British TV charts, and is repeated almost daily on the likes of UK Gold. Advertisement 'I go places everyday and people say 'ah Lennon, Lennox! Say the line!' Do you know how many times I've said it?' Without any prompt, Vas says: 'They seek him here, they seek him there, those policemen seek him everywhere. Is he in heaven or is he in hell, that damn elusive sha-a-dow.' 32 Vas worked with Lenny Henry in the 1980s after he spotted him in fringe theatre Credit: Rex 32 Vas worked with Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders early in his career Credit: Rex Advertisement 32 Vas was not surprised that Jason Statham became a huge star in Hollywood Credit: Getty He adds: 'I get people in stitches every time - I look at it as a bit of a blessing, the stars looking down on me and saying you're still in this to win it, or whatever the case maybe.' The Only Fools performance was followed by the regular role of Winston in The Lenny Henry Show, as well as an episode of French & Saunders, and then three seasons of teen comedy Spatz. Through the 90s Vas also appeared in the likes of The Bill and Casualty before landing possibly his biggest role as gangster Rory Breaker. Advertisement The black comedy crime caper, made for less than a £1million, was met with critical acclaim and major commercial success. 'To have worked with Guy on his first film, it set me in stone there and then. It's an iconic role, it's all there,' says Vas. To have worked with Guy on his first film, it set me in stone there and then. It's an iconic role, it's all there. Vas Blackwood 'Watching that film just reminds me of London,' he continues, laughing. 'If you know the streets how I know them, there's all these characters, they might be shady but they have a sense of humour. 'It's all a mix-up and that's London to me.' Advertisement Vas based Breaker on two people he knew growing up, one was Gilbert Wynter, a jeweller and enforcer for the Adams crime family who disappeared without a trace the same year Lock, Stock was released. 'I went to school with Gilbert, he was a soft touch, really, but a character,' says Vas. The other inspiration was Trevor Smith, a bank robber who rubbed shoulders with 'loveable rogues' in high end Chelsea. 32 Ronnie and Reggie Kray, seen here at home after helping police with their inquiries into a shooting in 1966 Credit: Getty Advertisement 32 The Blind Beggar pub on Whitechapel Road in Mile End, East London, where the Krays used to regularly drink Credit: Getty 32 Vas hopes to work again with Ritchie - seen here shooting The Gentlemen season 2 Credit: Click News and Media The casting had been a bit of a mishmash. The film had been due to be shot the year before but then the investment fell through. Vas says: 'I wasn't attached at first. When the money came through again a lot of the actors cast had moved on to different jobs so there was availability. Advertisement 'I can't say they got second best because it's such a successful film,' he says, laughing. 'It's all about timing. It wasn't the right thing with the first cast.' Lock, Stock casting process He remembers Ritchie telling him how much he loved his performance as Winston in the Lenny Henry Show, and how he'd watch it when he got home from college. 'He had me in mind from that role,' explains Vas. At one stage during the audition, Ritchie asked him to run his lines and began filming him from different angles. Advertisement 'He knew he wanted me to do it, but he was more interested in the camera than what I was saying,' says Vas. 'He was fitting faces in his mind.' He recalled as they headed into another office, Ritchie began asking him about taxes. 'It was due to him being a young director and not understanding everything, so I gave him advice and he was happy and we were on,' Vas says. Advertisement 32 Vas in 2004 film Creep Credit: check copyright 32 Vas and Jones at the premier of Mean Machine, at the Odeon in Glasgow, with then Celtic players Steve Guppy and John Hartson Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd 32 Vas promoting the Change For Kids campaign Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd 'I just knew he was special, there was something about him.' Advertisement He says the energy on set was electric, but everyone 'would come in ready to give 110%' each day. 'We all got our heads down and delivered for Guy.' Vas goes on to say: 'The shooting schedule was broken up unusually - it was how Guy wanted to work.' He remembers Ritchie sitting by a monitor rather than behind the camera on set for his scenes. 'He never once came and talked to me about my performance. I'd say 'Guy, how was that?' and he'd reply 'that's great, no problem'. Advertisement 'It was all in the edit for him and I was doing exactly what was on the paper.' However, there was always room for ideas. Having grown up around Cypriots in Kentish Town, Vas had suggested he speak some Greek in the film - which Ritchie allowed, and even came up with the idea for Breaker's iconic wig. 'I met my character's minders and they had bald heads and I was bald, so I said 'maybe it would have more impact if I was wearing a wig',' says Vas. 'Guy said 'leave it with me'. I turned up on set to get my make up and costume sorted and they had a wig,' he says. Advertisement Vas was due to appear in Ritchie's follow-up movie Snatch two years later but other commitments meant he was forced to drop out. 32 It was Vas' idea for Rory Breaker to wear a wig Credit: Polygram 32 Vas with Gary Lineker in comedy show Spatz in 1991 Credit: Thames Television 32 Vas based Breaker on two underworld figures he knew growing up Credit: Polygram Advertisement While further Ritchie projects, which he didn't reveal, 'didn't fit quite right'. But the pair remain close. 'Guy's like a brother to me, we talk as often as possible,' says Vas. 'I'm sure we'll do something else - it's all about the style of the role. 'If it fits, it fits. They don't need to audition me, if they know there's something I could master. We don't beg for anything, it's how our relationship is. We're always batting and balling with things like that.' Advertisement Working with Jason Statham In 2001, Vas would go on to appear in Mean Machine, reuniting with Lock, Stock castmates Vinnie Jones and Jason Statham, the latter of which was already making waves in the US. 'Jason was working his way up,' he says. 'He came over from America to do the role - he was very close with Vinnie. He was on that trajectory. 'Jason Statham has an appetite for learning. That's why he is where he is now, he takes everything on as mute, he doesn't take things for granted.' Vas says it was actually Jones who ensured Lock, Stock even got made. Advertisement 'Not a lot of people know this but Vinnie was the seed investor for Lock, Stock,' he explains. 'He put 100 grand up. When he left football he was very serious about the acting and he was looking for stuff.' 32 The actor has continued to act regularly since the 1980s Credit: Rex Features 32 Vas appeared with James Buckley in The Comedian's Guide to Survival Credit: Rex Advertisement 32 Vas provided voices for the video game Fable II Credit: Handout Ritchie and producer Matthew Vaughn were 'running around' with the script trying to find funding and it came by Jones, and he loved it, says Vas. 'He put the first 100k down, then more investors followed. The rest is history.' Vas had first met Jones through footballer pal Jon Fashnu, with Fashnu and Jones being part of Crystal Palace's infamous 'Crazy Gang'. Advertisement 'With Vinnie Jones, you can be walking in a forest with him, or down a street - he'll say 'what tree's that?'' says Vas. 'If it's got apples you'll say 'an apple tree'. But he'll know exactly what tree it is and what birds live in it. 'He likes the outdoors and bit of the hunting. And with trees, if it's an apple tree he'll tell you what type of apple it is. 'A lot of people are talking about saving the planet, but they can't do that.' Advertisement Vas would go on to star in the likes of horror film Creep (2004) and provide voice work for video game Fable II (2008) and TV series Thunderbirds Are Go, among other live action roles, including two White Collar Hooligan films and Inbetweener James Buckley-starring The Comedian's Guide to Survival (2016). He got involved in Brit Movie Tours in around 2018. His Lock, Stock co-star Stephen Marcus, who played Nick the Greek, had initially run it before relocating to LA. After a little hesitancy, Vas agreed to take it on for select dates when he's back in London. 32 Vas took over the Kray twins tour in 2018 Credit: BRIT MOVIE TOURS Advertisement 32 The tour takes in various spots in the East End Credit: Vas Blackwood 'I get 50 plus people,' he says. 'I get loads of people, they love it. I do it like a theatre performance, you get value for your money.' Many customers want him to recite lines from his famous performances and he's happy to oblige. 'They say, 'can you say that line?' I say 'why not?' and pretend like they're the first-ever person to ask. If the lines were terrible they wouldn't say anything, so I don't mind.' Advertisement He adds: 'You get dads and mums coming with their kids who are die hard Only Fools and Horses fans, and I'm thinking 'that's another market there'.' He's always fascinated by how much interest there is in infamous bad guys like the Krays. His daughter went on a Pablo Escobar tour in Columbia which is run by the drug king pin's son and which ends at his grave. 'You can have a line of coke on his grave,' he says. 'Not that she did.' Advertisement Describing his own interest in the Krays, he explains: 'Whatever they got involved in, there's a lot of folklore, with a lot of bad there comes a lot of good. 'We shouldn't judge too hard. If you commit a crime and go to prison, who am I to judge you? 'You've been locked up for a period of your life and that's your punishment.' Referring to the Krays, he says: 'I've fallen in love with the in-between bits. Advertisement 'We're all just getting on with our lives in our own way.' Do you have a story? Email
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Inside Encrochat crime - how drug lords using secret app were caught
More than 200 murders have been stopped since the secret network EncroChat was busted by the National Crime Agency, a top investigator who worked on the major case says With its five-and-a-half-inch screen and homepage apps, it looked like just any other smartphone. But the give-away was the handset's £1,500 retail price, the £1,500-a-month 'line rental' – and the fact it wasn't for sale in any mobile phone shops. The device allowed users to connect to EncroChat – a secret network offering military-grade secrecy that allowed international criminal gangs to chat with apparent impunity. But five years ago today, police made a breakthrough in cracking the network, and British officers began a huge operation to nail the exposed gangsters. Today, the top investigator on the case tells how they believe busting the network helped stop up to 200 murders. And in the last five years, more than 200 hardened criminals have been jailed with sentences totalling 14,000 years. Thousands of people have been arrested, some £83million in ill-gotten gains have been recovered, 175 guns have been seized and eight tons of cocaine – the weight of an Asian elephant – have been taken off the streets. When French and Dutch experts cracked the code for the EncroChat network, Britain's National Crime Agency launched Operation Venetic. They went on to find kingpins brazenly swapping encrypted messages in supposed safety. Detectives, sworn to secrecy, worked around the clock to analyse mountains of data and spy on dangerous crooks. And while they were smashing the drugs gangs, National Crime Agency investigators gained an unprecedented insight into the lives of Britain's biggest criminals. One £45million plot was scuppered after drug lord Danny Brown, 57, shared a picture of his French Bulldog Bob with his partner's phone number on his tag. NCA investigators downloaded the snap and used it to identify Bob's owner. Meanwhile, Carl Stewart, 39, was jailed for 13 years after his fingerprints were analysed from a photo he shared of a block of M&S Stilton, earning him the moniker 'Cheese Man'. Wayne Johns, from the NCA, said: 'There was absolute trust in it [the phone] and that went to the messages. Literally pictures of your tea, Happy Birthday messages, pictures of themselves… 'Here I am in the garden'.' The selfies and messages sent via EncroChat helped police build a picture of who they were tracking and eventually helped to convict them. Other images show guns and even gold bars hoarded by the gangs who used EncroChat. The phones worked on a private network and were completely anonymous so downloaded data had to be matched to real people before arrests could be made. Users could pay extra to customise their phones and having a personalised username became a status symbol. Mr Johns, the senior investigating officer on Operation Venetic, said: 'People were looking for ones affiliated to football clubs or for ones, bizarrely, that attributed to Only Fools and Horses. There's some brilliant names there. You've got Ball-Sniffer and there was one, Terry F***ing Tibbs.' Users trusted the network so much that they discussed every detail of their lives, giving up vital information. Mr Johns added: 'One of my favourite stories – we call him Cheese Man – was a man from the North West who had a penchant for really nice cheese and he was sharing images of them. ''I've just bought this one and it's cost me…' whatever it's cost. On the picture, you can see the profile of his hand and his fingers. We're sat in a room just looking at him and laughing at the banality of what he's sharing. Then, one of the intel team said, 'That's his fingerprint'. And all of a sudden, it's like the light switch.' The team developed an algorithm to go through every picture looking for hands and dog collars. Mr Johns called these 'golden nuggets'. After the arrests started, criminal gangs continued using the phones, thinking it was safe to do so. 'What we did see was a whole series of people questioning absolutely everything except the phones,' Mr Johns said. 'They blamed everything except the device for being the reason the police were able to intervene and prevent somebody from being murdered.' The information shared via the phones will be used as evidence to jail British drug gangs for years to come. And among the data collected before EncroChat was shut down were intimate pictures. Mr Johns said: 'The work we did around identifying fingerprints in the data brought up other appendages that look a little bit like a finger. That gives you an example of the level of trust.' An estimated 50,000 devices were in use worldwide with 10,000 of those based in the UK. After months of negotiation and preparation with law enforcement on the continent, the call finally came announcing that the EncroChat hack was on. The NCA team had no idea how long they would be able to collect data for, so investigators worked night and day to make the most of it… during the pandemic. Mr Johns said: 'In February 2020, Covid is really starting to bite. Police are starting to struggle in terms of what they're being asked to do.' The NCA was the gateway for data from European partners and spread the information to regional crime agencies. Mr Johns added: 'We had to swear people to secrecy. If it was compromised, if we were responsible, we would lose access to the data and effectively be booted out of the group. We were a bit nervous, but everybody saw the opportunity.' Data was collected for 10 weeks over the summer of 2020. Mr Johns went on: 'We recovered 175 guns and over 3,500 rounds of ammunition – proper mass casualty weapons but they're not on the street any more. 'Around £83million of criminal proceeds were seized across the country and nearly eight tons of cocaine. Some 202 people have been convicted to date with 87% of defendants pleading guilty and a 94% conviction rate – at least 14,228 years of sentencing so far. 'We've still got over 500 defendants waiting to go through the courts and this material being relied on. We will always be grateful to our French and Dutch colleagues who were able to provide this capability. 'I fully expect I won't see anything like it again in my career. It's been inspiring. What you saw was a coming together of all of our capabilities behind a common aim. It has been described as the most impactful operation against serious organised crime ever undertaken.'
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Jay Blades 'just weeks away from starring in new reality TV show' before arrest
Former BBC Repair Shop host Jay Blades is said to have signed up to a brand new ITV reality show but was dropped when news of his arrest emerged weeks before filming started Axed BBC star Jay Blades was reportedly set to appear on a brand new reality TV show before his arrest came to light. The former Repair Shop host pleaded not guilty following being charged with engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour towards his estranged wife last year. Blades, who rose to fame on the hit BBC show, was arrested on May 3. It was the same day his wife Lisa Zbozen publicly announced her split from the presenter after 18 months of marriage. He was said to have signed up to new ITV show Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters before his arrest. However, the show was reportedly thrown into chaos after allegations emerged with bosses taking swift action to remove Blades. 'Attracting a popular BBC star to be in the new ITV series was a big win for bosses," a source told the Sun. 'But as soon as Jay Blades was arrested in March 2024, they knew they had to make a quick decision about the future of the show. 'He was given the boot. Producers got lucky as they hadn't started filming or doing any promotion yet so were able to replace him with someone else." They added travel plans had been put in place for those taking part, so his exit caused "upset and disruption" behind the scenes. Blades became a household name when he began hosting The Repair Shop in 2017 when the show first aired on BBC Two. In October 2022 the dad-of-three was the lead presenter for a special edition of the BBC series featuring the newly crowned King Charles. He then worked on a 15-part restoration series with Only Fools and Horses star Sir David Jason. David and Jay's Touring Toolshed aired at the start of last year and was a hit with viewers. However, recent episodes were pulled from the BBC schedule and catch-up programmes. Blades was due to head to the Bahamas alongside the likes of Sir Lenny Henry and Call the Midwife 's Helen George to overcome their fear of sharks in the ground-breaking new show premiering this week. Ross Noble, Countdown's Rachel Riley, McFly's Dougie Poynter, Amandaland's Lucy Punch and TV presenter Ade Adepitan also took part in the series that marks 50 years since the release of iconic film Jaws. They were taught to dive by an instructor with missing limbs and challenged to confront their greatest fear and flown to the island on Bimini in the Bahamas, home to around 10 different species of shark. Weeks after the series was announced, Blades was arrested and charged. He appeared at Worcester Crown Court in October where he spoke to confirm his identity and entered his not guilty plea. The trial begins on August 26 and is expected to last two weeks. The Mirror has contacted ITV for comment.
Scottish Sun
25-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Scammer dubbed ‘Tetley Tam' jailed for £500k ‘Scottish' tea swindle
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A TEA scammer dubbed Tetley Tam was jailed for 3½ years - as he apologised in court for bringing shame on the cuppa industry. Fraudster Thomas Robinson, 55, tricked luxury hotels and stores into buying 'Scottish-grown tea' that was actually from abroad. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Thomas Robinson (AKA Tetley Tam) was jailed for his £500k tea scam Credit: Central Scotland News Agency 5 DG6J3N THE DORCHESTER Credit: Alamy 5 EDINBURGH, UNITED KINGDOM – 2021/07/13: The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Dinendra Haria/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Credit: Getty 5 J2Y1FB Cup of tea Teapot Tea Pot Refreshing Refreshment Crockery Stimulant Beverage British Credit: Alamy 5 Bundles and piles of UK sterling banknotes Credit: Getty The conman -who appeared in BBC podcasts about his bogus venture - fleeced customers of more than £500k as part of the tea leaf scam. He said he is wracked with guilt over his five-year scam of buying cheap foreign tea and selling it at a premium as 'Scottish'. Robinson, 55 — who asked clients to call him Mr Tea — told a sentencing hearing he is plagued with remorse about the 'reputational damage' he caused to genuine tea growers here. He said: 'I've had time to wrestle with this over sleepless nights, coming to realise how wrong and stupid I've been. 'The stigma of misleading others — I should have been much more transparent and owned up to the situation.' We told how Robinson told customers his cuppa leaves had been grown on his Perthshire estate. But he was importing them at a fraction of the cost he charged. Speaking at Stirling Sheriff Court via a video link from HMP Low Moss, where he was remanded last month, Robinson pleaded to be spared a jail term. He said: 'I go to church, I'm perfectly aware that a sin is not only to do something, but also not to do the right thing. 'The shame of that hangs over me every morning, every time I wake up in my cell. Shameless moment crook counts £30k in cash he swindled from vulnerable pensioners 'I solemnly hope my actions have not detracted from the success which can be achieved for people who want to grow tea in Scotland. "I can only offer my sincere apologies if my actions have besmirched that capability.' Robinson's victims between 2014 and 2019 included Edinburgh's Balmoral Hotel, the Dorchester Hotel in London and top end store Fortnum & Mason. Trading as the Wee Tea Plantation, the crook also flogged 22,000 £3 plants from Italy to Scots growers for £12.50 each. His scam echoes that of Del Boy in Only Fools and Horses who filled bottles with tap water and sold them as a premium product called 'Peckham Spring'. Robinson, also known as Tam O'Braan and Thomas O'Brien, was rumbled by Food Standards Scotland investigators. And Perth and Kinross Council checked if he had a food processing licence. Lead investigator Stuart Wilson said: 'He'd created such a story that people were taken along. 'Once we started digging into it, it was quite clear that not only could the quantity of tea not be grown but the plants he sold couldn't have been grown either in the quantities claimed.' Balmoral general manager Andrew McPherson said: 'To have been deceived in such a calculated manner left us all profoundly disappointed and embarrassed.' Fantasist Robinson, who said he got Scottish Government support for his 'scheme', even claimed one of his brands was 'the Queen's favourite'. Jailing him for three-and-a-half years, Sheriff Keith O'Mahony said: 'By any measure these convictions must be regarded as significant. People were convinced on false pretences to hand over significant sums of money.' Rob McNaughton, of the Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit, said: 'The custodial sentence reflects the scale and impact of Mr Robinson's deception.'
