How did you enjoy making Virgin Virtuosos?
It was fabulous. Each week we had not just a different celebrity but a different location, too. We went to Stonehenge and to Flatford, where Constable painted the Hay Wain, all over East Anglia and down by the banks of The Thames, it was a totally different experience each time and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

How did the British weather hold for you?
We were so lucky, either side of some of the days there were the most violent storms and the weather forecast was terrible, and we’d get there and it was blue skies and balmy breezes. The only day we had very strong winds was down on the Thames when we did the Bill Bailey shoot. The tents collapsed on top of the crew and on Bill as well and he was just so funny about it, it was just wonderful.

Who showed the most talent? Were there any budding master forgers among the celebs?
I have to be very careful what I say here! No, there weren’t any! But I thought they were all so brave. These are people who are already famous, people like Nigel Havers, Maureen Lipman, Fern Britton and Keith Allen, so it’s a gamble for them. Unlike with Brush With Fame when all they had to do was sit down while I painted them, they actually had to do something. I thought, as soon as they picked up the brush, that they were fantastic for coming onto the programme, and I genuinely admired them.

Do you believe that there is an artist lurking in everyone?
As a matter of fact, I do, and I think this series proves it. Nigel Havers, for example, hadn’t picked up a brush since he was 12 and he just came on for a laugh. He painted in the style of his favourite artist, the landscape artist Edward Seago, who he also collects, and it was a really happy marriage between the celebrity and the artist.

How did you make the transition from master forger to TV presenter?
After the crime, there were quite a lot of television companies that came to interview me from all over the world. I got quite used to them being here, and one of the English crews said I was quite good on television and asked if I had ever thought about doing a show. He sent a small crew up to do a ‘taster’ in which I taught the sound man and the cameraman! They showed it to Sky Arts who loved it and suggested we make a programme.

 What are you hoping that people get from the series?
If people are sitting at home thinking ‘I can’t paint, I’m rubbish’ and they see someone else say the same and pick up a brush and have a go, and it makes them want to as well, then the programme has done its job.