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A star of both the stage and screen, Ian Hart is a critically acclaimed actor who has worked in the industry for over 20 years.

Why did you get involved in When Harvey Met Bob?

I like Domnhall! Also, when I met the director, I realised I wasn't the obvious person to be cast for Harvey which I think is often a good reason to take a part. If it's not obvious, there must be some other thought process behind it.

Harvey is a great character and the script was a good combination of the two characters. I thought it would be a lot of fun and I thought I'd enjoy myself. If you're going to go to work you may as well enjoy it!

Did you know much about Harvey Goldsmith before starting the project?

Yes, I knew who he was and a lot of the things he'd done with The Who and The Prince's Trust. I didn't get the chance to meet him but I did some research on him – 10 years after Live Aid they interviewed everyone involved. So there are hours and hours of footage from which I did most of my research.

How would you describe Harvey's relationship with Bob?

I know Harvey described the working experience as having two bosses in the office, when he was only used to one – himself. Suddenly he had someone else coming in making decisions, often at odds with his own, so immediately there's a point of conflict. Harvey thought there had to be one voice, and Bob kept changing his mind, which was frustrating for him as that's not how he did business.

You've played real people before like John Lennon in Backbeat. How do you approach playing a character based on a real person like Harvey Goldsmith?

As an actor I stick with the writer's version of the character. The production team do all the research and decide on a version of that character that they wish to portray and your job is to bring that to life.

The Harvey that I played seemed very sweet, although he is very different in business. I think he's a businessman, he gets what he wants and has certain expectations and sets himself incredibly high standards.

I became very fond of him through listening to his tapes and watching footage. I think his heart was always in the right place. He does a lot of work that no one sees such as The Prince's Trust; he's always worked on charitable causes.

What are your personal memories of Live Aid?

I didn't watch it. To be honest, at that point in my life, those bands weren't my cup of tea! I remember it being on, the build-up to it and all the news reports on the famine. I can recall the footage that was shown in between the bands much more than whether Status Quo was any good!

Have you ever worked with Domhnall before?

No, I haven't. I've worked with his dad a couple of times and I know a lot of people who have worked with him. He's a lovely guy; I had a feeling that he'd be right, he's tremendous. You couldn't ask for a better 'Bob Geldof'. He's so committed, hard-working and focused and he puts me to shame!

How was the atmosphere on set?

There was a lot of fun and jokes; you've got to do something in that spare time. You can't maintain your character or their mood for eight hours so you have to have a break and take your mind elsewhere. It's human nature, we all do it.

What's the next big project for you?

I'm doing a TV series for HBO soon called Luck. Michael Mann directed the pilot and it's written by David Milch, who's a great writer and wrote Deadwood. Dustin Hoffman, Nick Nolte are all in it so that should be good.