His career may be thriving, but, in these days of New Labour, socialists like Ricky Tomlinson are at the very least fish out of water. He enjoys the rare distinction of having been in more than one Ken Loach movie; he starred in Riff Raff and Raining Stones, and has just made the film 51st State with another actor who can make the same claim, Robert Carlyle. He first erupted on to the television screen in The Boys from the Blackstuff, went on to star in Cracker, appeared to memorable effect in Hillsborough, and became both a household name and a national treasure as Jim Royle, the ultimate couch potato, in The Royle Family.

His latest film to be released is Mike Bassett: England Manager, a gloriously vulgar mockumentary about what happens after England turns to Mike, manager of Norwich City, to manage the national team after the England manager has a heart attack. Mike is an old-fashioned sort of guy, patently the wrong man for the job, but the only one available, the kind of manager who writes his team selections on the back of a cigarette packet, which leads to everyone's surprise to players Ron Benson and Tony Hedges being included in the team, among other disasters.

Barefaced Cheek

The film also includes a full frontal of Ricky. All is revealed when Mike is surprised by the press pack pulling back his bedroom curtains on the day his appointment is announced. Ricky in the raw is something of a cinema tradition. He has even turned down a a substantial sum of money offered by a magazine to appear starkers. "Imagine fellows going into the shop and saying: Give us that magazine," he says in outraged tones. "I bared all in Riff Raff. My arse has been as widely seen as Mel Gibson's. But I did not want to do that."

He is a football fan in real life, was offered a trial for Scunthorpe shortly after he left school while playing for a pub club, but turned it down to pursue a career with a band playing the banjo.

"It was the right decision," he says. "I would not be playing football at 62, but I am okay doing what I am doing. It makes me feel very grateful and lucky, and I try to give a little bit back. I believe in doing my fair share of charity shows. I have some tremendous role models. I do quite a few shows with Ken Dodd, Frank Carson, and Roy Walker - just giving something back."

He was a plasterer by trade, and a trade unionist, which led to his serving time in prison in 1975. When he came out he continued playing the pubs and clubs, got his Equity card, and the rest followed. He says he has been to Wembley three or four times, and for a national stadium it is a disgrace.

Game For Encouragement

"We do need a new one. It is a nostalgic place. There are great memories of some wonderful footballers and cup finals, but I don't think it will be missed at all," he explains. "I don't agree with the way the game is going. It should be for the working classes and it has been stolen from them. Give it back to the schoolkids, provide them with facilities. That is why we have no genuine world champs, because we don't encourage the game. Not just in football. It's the same with cricket, tennis, whatever. We do not give them any bloody help. Give them lottery money, give them chances, take working-class kids away to schools for excellence. If we have potential, bring it out. Don't stifle it."

So, is he an endangered species, a real socialist, one of the last half-dozen left?

"I would love to be a proper one," Ricky says.

Labouring Under Disappoinment

"I am extremely disappointed with New Labour. That is why I gave Arthur Scargill a few quid to stand against Mandelson. I cannot see why the people of Hartlepool returned him. I don't think he is any good for the Labour Party. I don't have time for Labour. It has been hijacked. At least the Gang of Four had the balls to stand up and start their own party. Blair should have the balls to do that."

When he was in Lancaster prison, the governor gave him The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist to read. He found the book an inspiration and one of the things he has done to "give something back" is to send copies all over the world to people who might make a similar discovery. How about sending one to Jeffrey Archer? "It is a good idea, but he would probably say he wrote it," he says.

What about The Royle Family, which Caroline Aherne, who both wrote and starred in it, has decided must end? Is he sorry?

He says he is a bit like James Bond on the subject - never say never. There is going to be a Christmas special, and a documentary showing the out-takes, which are hilarious.

"I think when Caroline has had a well-earned rest she may very well do more," he says.

Mammy’s Boy

He says he has no idea what he does when he is on screen, but he cares. As to whether he just acts himself, that question will be answered when he has to play someone nasty and vicious.

"Jim is about 99% me. He, too, moans like hell when the phone bills come in and switches off lights sometimes when people are in the bathroom. He has the same working-class background. I owe everything to my Mam. She is incredible.

"She would do three jobs to keep us together. My Dad was a baker. They worked all their lives just to bring us up," says Ricky.

Was she proud of him? He says that when he was in Brookside making the two weekly half-hour shows it was hard work. They would be filming all day up to 10 or 11 at night. One day he had come home and told her he was shattered. "Shattered?" she said. "You only work one hour a week."