The actor, 34, on gherkins, slugs and choosing his own bedtime
I’ve been broody since I was only one-year-old. My biological clock started ticking almost straight away. Growing up in England I’ve lost a bit of my Greek-Cypriot essence, but it’s there in my obsessive use of lemon and olive oil, and in my desire to be a father from an early age.
No matter how shit things are, salvation could be around the corner. My dad grew up in a village with no money, no shoes. He was sent to the UK aged 12 without knowing where he was going or being able to speak English. He lived on the street for a few months until he heard a Greek voice. That Greek family took him into their kitchen and let him wash up for his lodgings. By 18, he was a proper chef in posh central London restaurants. I’m very proud of him for that. It taught me an important lesson.