What was the stupidest answer you ever heard on Catchphrase?

There were two rodents on the screen, and to help the contestants I said it was a line from a Jimmy Cagney movie. And this woman said, ‘You dirty mouse?’

Have you ever wanted to inflict physical violence upon the more stupid contestants?

No, it’s never got that bad. There are a few you’d like to kick up the arse and say, ‘Get a move on!’ They arrive in the studio and they’re all Jack The Lad, but when the lights go down and the crowd comes in, they wilt.

Which catchphrases do people shout at you the most?

‘Say what you see’ – that’s the number one. The students like, ‘It’s good, but it’s not the one!’ The funniest hecklers are the ones who don’t really know the phrase. They see you and shout, ‘Hey Roy, say what you know!’

Does it freak you out when you hear the Catchphrase noises on people’s phones?

No, every time I hear that I think, ‘Ah there’s another couple of bob in the bank!’ I had it on mine for a while, but I don’t now because it’s a bit sad.

There’s a popular clip on YouTube where Mr Chips looks like he’s having a wank…

Yeah, the snake charmer! I couldn’t believe it when it came up. The audience picked up on it right away and we’re all laughing. But the girl got really serious about it. She said, ‘Song and Dance Man’ – and that’s what it does look like. He’s a song and dance man doing a snake-charming act. So she nearly got it. But it’s not rude until you see it the second time. The first time it’s funny and the second time it becomes rude.

Do you look back fondly on your days on [70s stand-up show] The Comedians?

Oh yes, but comedy could be very cruel in those days. I can remember Frank Carson doing a joke, and only he could do it. He said, ‘My wife went to the butcher’s and said, “Is that a sheep’s head you’ve got in the window?” And he said, “No love, it’s a mirror!”‘

You used to be a boxer. Ever get knocked out?

Yeah, but only once. In the last fight I had, I was fighting this guy who’d come down from light-heavyweight, so he was a big guy. I had him on the ropes but he came off them and swung at me. I never saw it and the next moment they were bringing me round with smelling salts.

What was your strangest experience in the Army?

I was in active service in the Borneo jungle in ’63. We were living among the animals at night. All night long you’d hear birds and parakeets, and we caught a bear.

You caught a bear! How did you catch a bear?

We caught it! It was a beautiful thing. It had something wrong with one of its paws so we had to keep it under observation. But even as a plaything it was very, very dangerous.

We’ve always known you with grey hair. When did that happen?

Quite young – in my twenties… I don’t care what colour it is, as long as I’ve got it!

Roy will be appearing at the Edinburgh Festival, Assembly Rooms Ballroom, 31 Jul-25 Aug

{BODY_COPY}