Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Ben Whishaw has just rebooted his computer. The Bafta, Emmy and Golden Globe winner is having sound problems.
“Hello. Is that any better?” he asks hopefully, but still sounds like someone gargling in a submarine.
The 41-year-old is known for roles ranging from Q in the last three James Bond films to the voice of Paddington Bear.
He has joined me online to talk about his new BBC One series This Is Going to Hurt, a seven-part adaptation of Adam Kay’s wildly successful book of the same name, about his experiences of being a junior doctor on an NHS labour ward.
Published in 2017, it shone a light on the long hours and life and death decisions medics must make while seriously sleep deprived. It also made people laugh and went on to sell more than 1.5 million copies.
Unfortunately, the thing that is “really going to hurt” during this conversation is my ears, so rotten is his internet connection. The interview is also meant for broadcast, so Whishaw kindly agrees to record his end of the chat on his phone so the audio is better quality and send it over afterwards.
The doctor is finally ready to see me.