Consider yourself a fan of British TV comedy? You’ve probably encountered Ryan Sampson. The Rotherham-born actor and writer is increasingly ubiquitous on screen, with lead roles as Tommo in raucous northern comedy Brassic, loveable Roman slave Grumio in Plebs, and recently, Mr Collins in the BBC’s new period drama The Other Bennet Sister. He also penned (and stars in) Sky’s Mr Bigstuff alongside Danny Dyer, who won a BAFTA for his performance.
But what is Sampson up to on his days off? We asked the east Londoner where he loves to eat, shop and relax – and found out that he rarely ventures beyond a 10-minute Lime bike radius from his house.
Hi Ryan. How would you describe yourself and what do you do?
I'm an actor and a writer. I've always been fascinated by the internal mechanics of people – what makes them who they are. I think, sadly, it stems from a seriously lonely childhood. I was a very, very weird kid and resultantly completely friendless while I was at school. But I think that being forced to the sidelines, always observing people, opened up a sort of superpower for me. I spent so much time watching, that I started to see why people behaved the way they did. And so it made me able to make characters myself. I'd stand in front of the bathroom mirror for hours, practising becoming a different person; a neighbour or a relative. And eventually I'd get this glimmer – when I became them and I lost myself for a moment. I think I still look for that glimmer now, whether it's when I'm playing Grumio [in Plebs] or Tommo [in Brassic], or when I'm writing and trying to get under the skin of these characters.
What do you love to do on a day off?
I am an extremely greedy man. For food and drink, but also for just new experiences and the like. Also I've got quite a strong whiff of the old ADHD brain (who doesn't, now? I blame phones). It's a particular combination which means I need to constantly be doing stuff; I'm rubbish at relaxing. I try and do so much that I find I'm then incredibly stressed and desperately want a day off, only to fill it up with stuff again when I get one. The main thing I like to do: seeing friends. Obviously. But I've noticed I've got a particular taste in friend. They're either A: hyperactively excitable enthusiasts who are committed to making plans, or B: so scathingly brutal, at my expense, that it almost hurts (something in me enjoys being completely roasted. Must be a masochistic streak, what can I say?) The only small issue is when group A, the “excitables” and group B, the “brutals”, interact. It's a completely unpredictable outcome; like a horrible Channel 4 “social experiment” from the ’90s where everyone ends up in tears and tells the cameras to stop filming.
What inspires you about living in London?
Getting out of London.
What’s your favourite London restaurant?
Okay, buckle up. If you're not east London-based, you can skip this because I absolutely refuse, now that I'm in my fourth decade, to travel further than a 10-minute Lime bike radius from my house. Mambow in Clapton is one of my all-time favourites. It's Malaysian food seen through the eyes of this really interesting young chef; the food is spicy and sour and when I first went I had zero idea what I was eating at any time (perfect, exactly what I want in a dining experience).
Next one: Leo's Bar & Restaurant on Chatsworth Road. My favourite food is raw food: tartare, oysters, carpaccio; my favourite drink is something that feels like a punch in the face. Leo's does both of these things really well. Also I asked for a cocktail that the bartender had never heard of (a “perfect Martini” – sweeter than a normal Martini – try it you'll never go back) and he made one so good that they decided to put it on the menu. This is part of my campaign to get my name also on the menu, above said cocktail: “Anyone for another Sampson?”.
Lastly Casa Fofò by Hackney Marshes. The food is unreal. My partner took me for my 40th to have the tasting menu. The courses were so beautiful that I broke my rule of not photographing food.
Where are you taking someone you want to impress?
Sadly for me I am a feckless little man and don't have much desire to try and impress anyone. However me and my best friend Lee (firmly in the “brutals” category) like a big ridiculous day or night out every now and then. We do “high-low” vibes. We'll start somewhere old-school establishment classy, like J Sheekey. Somewhere that will serve a slice of white fish so thin that you're not even quite sure you've eaten. Then we'll end up at The Shacklewell Arms in Hackney – it's long been excellent, but it remains a brilliantly grotty pub with the most excellent music nights. Perfect.
Where do you shop?
As a diminutive gentleman, I clothes shop basically wherever I can find something that fits, only embracing Mothercare as a last resort. My body type is “gnocchi”, so it's not exactly easy to find things that fit. Currently Ami Paris is doing me well.
For house objects, I absolutely love a flea market. Hackney has some great ones. Also I am absolutely not above taking a bit of old furniture off the street and giving it new life. I had an old flatmate who used to call me “skip rat”. Charming. But my house is now full of salvaged finds and I think it makes it all the better when someone asks where you got an item from and you say “just outside number 42”.
What or who is making London a better place right now?
Tell you who I really like? There's a group of Hackney gardeners near us who make tiny unused plots of land into lovely wildflower beds. They turn these scruffy little corners into really beautiful little spaces, and then they go on upkeeping them. I like them for it. Presumably so do the bees, and I'm very much on the side of the bees.
What (in your opinion) is the essential play, TV show, song, book or film about London?
Okay so I went through a huge Morrissey phase when I was in my early ’20s. Absolutely idolised him. Only with the benefit of years, and him speaking out repeatedly on subjects he has absolutely sod all understanding of, have I slowly learned to separate the artist (let's be honest he's a tit) from the art (really rather good). With that in mind, I absolutely love Come Back To Camden by Stephen himself. It's ridiculously melodramatic and indulgent, but somehow just reminds me of a certain time and place in my life.
Who is the funniest Londoner?
Me, duh. Actually no it's probably Lee (see above).
And where in London do you visit if you want a laugh?
I love going to see scratch comedy nights at Moth Club in Hackney Central. I've seen Harry Hill there (one of me idols) doing a set so weird and abstract it was borderline terrifying. I've seen brilliant young comedians (Jack Shep) and amazingly weird double acts who I have come to adore (The Lovely Boys). The tickets are cheap and you never know quite what you're going to get – amazing.
