Wilson initially unsure of 'Merlin' role

Richard Wilson was initially dubious about accepting a part in the BBC's new fantasy drama Merlin.

The veteran actor, best known for One Foot In The Grave, told Digital Spy that plenty of persuasion was needed for him to take the role of Merlin's mentor Gaius.

"I thought quite hard about it because it's a long commitment," he said. "Filming has been in Wales and France, so it's a long time away from home, which is not particularly attractive. Eventually I decided 'yes'... it's been very exciting to be a part of."

Wilson also revealed that he visited a theme park with younger members of the cast - but not for long. "When we were filming in France I went to Disneyland with them and lasted about half an hour," he said. "I thought there were much more interesting things around than Disneyland. Initially I wanted to see it, so I went on Magic Mountain with them. But that was enough."

> Click here to read our full interview with Richard Wilson