The 5-minute Interview: Alan Dale, actor

Alan Dale, 60, recently starred as publishing mogul Bradford Meade in 'Ugly Betty'. The New Zealand actor lists 'Lost, The O.C, 24 and The West Wing' as credits. You also may remember him as Jim Robinson in 'Neighbours'. Dale is currently playing King Arthur in 'Monty Python's Spamalot' at the Palace Theatre, London

If I weren't talking to you right now I'd be...

Having dinner with my family; my beautiful wife and two little boys.

A phrase I use far too often is...

"I'm buggered if I know." As you get old you realise you don't know anything.

I wish people would take more notice of...

Their clothes' lines. The oil crisis could be solved if people didn't use dryers.

The most surprising thing that happened to me was...

Being offered the role of King Arthur in Spamalot.

I'm not a politician but...

Who the hell voted for George Bush? Politically I agree with Barack Obama.

A common misperception of me is...

That I'm Australian. People still call me Jim but I don't mind. Neighbours provided a stable income for me and my two older sons for eight and a half years.

I'm good at...

Very little. Really, nothing.

I'm very bad at...

Everything. I'm a terrible father, husband, cook.

The ideal night out is...

Me and my girl Tracey having a lovely dinner.

In a moment of weakness, I...

Bought an E-Type Jaguar.

You know me as an actor but in a another life I'd have been...

A motor racing driver.

The best age to be is...

40. You know what has to be done and how to do it.

In a nutshell my philosophy is...

Never, never, never give up.

Jennifer Clark