All About Oliver

Oliver Reed was one of this country's biggest film stars but his career was overshadowed by his reputation as a drinker and hell raiser - an image he perpetuated through his many infamous chat show appearances.

Oliver Reed

Oliver Reed: The Interviews looks back over his life and career, shedding light on his childhood and early days as an actor, as well as charting his increasing dependence on alcohol through his drunken, erratic and extremely memorable appearances on television.

With a distinguished family heritage in the performing arts, it was no surprise when Oliver showed an interest in acting. What was a surprise was how he went about it - shunning formal training in favour of learning to act by watching people in pubs.

Despite this unconventional education, Oliver would become one of the country's most bankable movie stars, appearing in Women in Love, The Devils, The Musketeers films, and of course, his final performance alongside Russell Crowe in Ridley Scott's Gladiator.

But away from the limelight he kept horses and developed an interest in wildfowl but his reputation as a wild man was what most people remember.

Always outspoken and unpredictable, Oliver kept audiences, interviewers and fellow guests on the edge of their seats. Hollywood actress Shelley Winters famously poured a glass of whisky over him after he'd made sexist remarks, and his appearance on late night talk show After Dark, where he got drunk and tried to kiss feminist author Kate Millet, has become the stuff of TV legend.

A professional entertainer who gave the public what they wanted? Or a drunken buffoon who wasted his talent - Oliver Reed divided opinion throughout his life.

But one thing was for sure, he was never dull.

The Interviews continues every Wednesday at 9pm exclusive to Gold.