He's wowing audiences as Prince Charles in The Crown around the world but Dominic West is hoping for something else... to be on Strictly Come Dancing! Report by Jonesl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
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00:00 You're sitting on the balcony of Buckingham Palace right now.
00:03 Does it ever get normal?
00:05 Well, it's...
00:07 That is a fake palace, Buckingham Palace.
00:11 - Oh. - So you always knew.
00:13 This was on the lot and all you get, you see all the bit behind,
00:16 that was all green screen and there was a load of very bored-looking crew
00:20 looking up at us, you know, as we were trying to imagine
00:23 adoring crowds waving flags.
00:25 I used to watch The Crown before I was in it.
00:29 I always wondered how on earth they got permission
00:32 to go to Buckingham Palace, the exterior.
00:34 Have you not been in films before?
00:36 - Well, that's good. That's a good feedback. - Yeah.
00:42 - It looks real. - Yeah.
00:43 It does, yeah.
00:44 How are your waves, by the way?
00:46 Cos I don't think I'd wave normally again after I'd learnt...
00:49 Phil doesn't wave a lot.
00:51 I never quite worked out what Charles does.
00:53 He's sort of like that sort of thing.
00:55 It's almost like that.
00:57 I saluted a fair bit.
01:00 - Yeah. - Yeah.
01:01 It's funny cos I absolutely loved The Royals
01:03 and I've got some good memories.
01:04 I met the Queen, I went and lined up and saw her coffin.
01:07 12 hours, feet never recovered.
01:09 - Did you? Well done. - Yeah.
01:10 I went and saw the Charles B. Crown.
01:12 I was there in that crowd, but it wasn't a fake crowd.
01:15 - In the rain? - Yeah.
01:17 - Well done. - It was wet.
01:19 - Did he come over to you? - He let loose.
01:21 - The night before? - Yeah.
01:23 I just think, have you got fond memories of The Royals
01:26 when you were growing up?
01:27 Did you like them? Were you interested in them?
01:30 Well, I was six when the coronation happened
01:35 and my mother and father bought a television.
01:41 Our first television.
01:44 There was only another one in the street, I think, in North Wales.
01:48 And my mother put the blackout curtains up,
01:52 which she had from the war,
01:54 and it was a tiny screen.
01:57 And it was three days after my sixth birthday
01:59 and one of the presents I'd been given
02:01 was a toy cannon that fired matchsticks.
02:05 And I remember lying on my stomach, watching the telly,
02:08 and as the coach went past,
02:10 I was firing the cannon.
02:12 - You've been a Republican ever since? - Ever since.
02:14 - Even from being six? - Yeah.
02:16 That's so cool that that's a memory of yours.
02:18 Yeah, a vivid memory.
02:21 My mum was similar, but she had the FA Cup final on
02:23 for the first time on TV,
02:25 rather than inviting everyone around to watch the FA Cup final.
02:29 I always think it's a shame that we don't have moments like that really now,
02:32 but I guess we all kind of get together for moments, don't we?
02:35 - Oh, yeah. - Well, I think that's partly what the Royals are for.
02:38 It's because those are the only moments...
02:40 You remember the street party at the Golden Jubilee and stuff?
02:42 I suppose we still do them
02:45 and it's mainly centred around the Royals.
02:47 Well, in our house, it's mainly around Strictly.
02:50 That's when we gather for family viewing.
02:53 - Fan of it? Big fan? - Of Strictly? Me?
02:56 - Yeah. - Yeah.
02:58 Absolutely love it. Best thing on television.
03:00 - Off the ground? - After the crown.
03:02 - Slow horses. - And Bake Off.
03:05 - Oh, you're a Bake Off fan? - Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
03:07 - Are you any good at...? - I think it's the best television ever made.
03:10 It's just amazing. Because no-one can do it.
03:12 The Americans try, they can't do it.
03:15 - Have you been on Celebrity Bake Off? - No, I can't bake.
03:18 That's the other reason I watch it, trying to learn.
03:21 So, Strictly called you. Are you up for it?
03:23 Sadly, I, in my head, am up for it,
03:26 but my knees are not up for it any more.
03:29 You could be the comedy element.
03:31 You can...
03:33 You're too big now to do reality TV, you two.
03:39 You wouldn't do anything, Dominic?
03:41 I've been dying to be on Strictly.
03:43 I did a whole dance routine in a film I did with Imelda called Pride,
03:47 and I was hoping, as everyone would say,
03:49 "Ooh, you'll be on Strictly."
03:51 Not a tinkle from the telephone.
03:53 I wouldn't qualify because of my years in musical theatre.
03:56 - Yes, he's a professional. - I'm trained.
03:58 - Because you're a winner. - I mean...
04:00 You wouldn't give anyone else... You wouldn't have a chance.
04:03 No. Well, I might have better knees, which I don't.
04:06 Well, I'll put a good word in for you,
04:08 and maybe next year we can see you in Suspenders.
04:10 - My knees gone. - Yeah.
04:12 I've just been speaking to Bertie.
04:14 He said he wants to play you, Dominic,
04:16 in a film playing Prince Charles.
04:19 A bit of a Black Mirror-type weird thing.
04:22 - Wow. God, I'd love to see that. - Who did he talk to?
04:24 - I suppose Bertie. - Bertie Carvel.
04:26 - Tony Blair. - Yeah, I know who he is.
04:30 I was there that day.
04:32 - I mean, that's amazing. - He was amazing.
04:34 Yeah, well, he's played Trump.
04:36 I suppose I'm, you know, next.
04:38 I mean, he's played so many different characters,
04:42 as have you, both of you.
04:44 Has learning lines and things evolved?
04:47 Has technology evolved? Have your skills changed?
04:51 How do you learn things these days? Do you use technology at all?
04:54 Is it always the same thing you've always done?
04:56 Well, just learning them anyway is a major feat at my age.
05:04 No, I don't use anything different.
05:06 There's a huge difference between the theatre and television
05:12 in that, you know, you're doing small bits of dialogue,
05:17 and I mostly learn them while I'm doing them
05:20 or during the camera rehearsal,
05:23 especially if they're conversations.
05:25 Well, Melda told me that she didn't want Jim being involved
05:28 in helping her learn her lines at home,
05:30 so I was wondering if anyone else helps you or do you use...
05:33 No, I can't stand being corrected by my wife, so...
05:37 I'm desperate for... I'm trying to learn a play at the moment.
05:40 It's true, with telly, you can... Short-term memory is...
05:43 My short-term memory is pretty good,
05:45 but as technology gets better, my brain gets older and worse,
05:49 but trying to do a play is a very different story,
05:54 and trying to get someone at home to help me is really hard.
05:57 - Just talk to the mirror. - So boring.
06:01 And you obviously were the son on this.
06:04 Was he a good boy? Was he a good son? Did he behave himself?
06:07 Well, it's... I don't know about that, but...
06:10 - Horrible. - Horrible dad.
06:12 The relationship between Philip and Charles,
06:14 which you see played out in The Crown,
06:17 was a very tricky one,
06:20 and so what you see in this upcoming episode of The Crown
06:26 is Philip in some ways making good his behaviour to Charles through William,
06:33 so he becomes a better grandfather to William
06:37 than he ever was a father to Charles in The Crown.
06:41 We don't know if that's true or not.
06:43 I spoke to Dominic last year at the premiere,
06:45 and I said to you,
06:46 "What would you do if Prince Charles were watching at home?
06:48 What would be your advice?"
06:49 And you said, "Turn it up."
06:51 It's what you told me.
06:53 Has that advice changed at all now? Now he's king?
06:56 Well, I...
06:59 Well, I would never...
07:00 One would hesitate to give anyone of his seniority any advice,
07:05 but I mean, I think it's highly unlikely he's watching this particular part of his life,
07:10 but it would be...
07:13 You know, I'm a big fan of his,
07:16 so I, you know, like you, I've sort of grown really fond of him
07:22 and certainly doing this.
07:24 The more I find out about him, the more I like about him, actually.
07:27 That's so good.
07:28 You are brilliant, both of you.
07:29 Thank you very much indeed.
07:30 I'm just well gel.
07:31 This looks like a lot of fun.
07:33 I want to be here all day with you.
07:34 Thank you so much.
07:35 Thank you.
07:36 Thanks a lot.