Neil Morrissey reveals he got told off by The Night Manager’s director for cracking a joke

‘She was angry!’ Neil Morrissey reveals he got told off by The Night Manager’s director for cracking a joke during the read-through because she was ‘very, very serious’

Neil Morrissey has revealed he was told off for cracking a joke while rehearsing for The Night Manager because the director was ‘very, very serious’.

The actor, 58, spoke with Radio Times about his time on set of the BBC drama on Tuesday, he portrayed MI6 turncoat Harry Palfrey in the show which also starred Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston.

The spy thriller, which is based on the late John le Carré’s book of the same name, follows hotel night manager Jonathan Pine (Hiddleston) get recruited to infiltrate the inner circle of arms dealer Richard Roper (Laurie).

‘She was angry!’ Neil Morrissey (pictured in The Good Karma Hospital) revealed on Tuesday he got told off by The Night Manager’s director for cracking a joke during the read-through

Looking back on the show, Neil referred to Hiddleston as ‘the muscly blond boy’ after he failed to remember the title.

When reminded of the show’s name, Neil told the publication: ‘Yes, well I did that and the director [Susanne Bier] was very, very serious and oh, she was angry. 

‘So we’re in a giant shiny boardroom and everyone’s got suits on, as have I, and we’re running the lines.

‘I said something funny to lighten the mood, added an extra line or something, and everyone laughed except her. She said, “It’s not funny.”‘

Shock: Neil reflected, 'I said something funny to lighten the mood, added an extra line or something, and everyone laughed except her"' (Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie pictured)

Shock: Neil reflected, ‘I said something funny to lighten the mood, added an extra line or something, and everyone laughed except her”‘ (Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie pictured)

Serious role: Neil portrayed MI6 turncoat Harry Palfrey (pictured) in the show which also starred Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston

Serious role: Neil portrayed MI6 turncoat Harry Palfrey (pictured) in the show which also starred Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston

Neil also shared his thoughts on the struggle working class actors have in finding work, as he claimed: ‘When Oxbridge people are pumping a lot of money into a production, they want their own.

‘We’re [working-class actors] always under-represented, because it’s hard to sell a bunch of Northerners to an American network when they consider Brits to be slightly fey James Bond-ish types, not people who work in a factory.’

However, this isn’t something that concerns him as he added: ‘I’m not a networker. 

Thoughts: Neil also gave his thoughts on working class actors struggling to find work, saying: 'When Oxbridge people are pumping a lot of money into a production, they want their own' (L-R: Laurie, Hiddleston, Elizabeth Debicki, Olivia Colman and Tom Hollander)

Thoughts: Neil also gave his thoughts on working class actors struggling to find work, saying: ‘When Oxbridge people are pumping a lot of money into a production, they want their own’ (L-R: Laurie, Hiddleston, Elizabeth Debicki, Olivia Colman and Tom Hollander)

For more: Read the full interview in Radio Times

For more: Read the full interview in Radio Times

‘I was in a couple of successful things, then the networks came looking for me.’

Neil first hit the big-time in the early ’90s when he replaced Harry Enfield on Men Behaving Badly, starring opposite Martin Clunes, Caroline Quentin and Lesley Ash. 

He also found success when he went on to star in Line of Duty, starring as the shifty and decidedly crooked policeman DC Nigel Morton.

The actor has gone on to star in a number of productions, and will next be seen in the new season of The Syndicate. 

Read the full interview in Radio Times

A blast from the past: Neil first hit the big-time in the early '90s when he replaced Harry Enfield on Men Behaving Badly, starring opposite Martin Clunes, Caroline Quentin and Lesley Ash

A blast from the past: Neil first hit the big-time in the early ’90s when he replaced Harry Enfield on Men Behaving Badly, starring opposite Martin Clunes, Caroline Quentin and Lesley Ash