Somerset will be getting used to seeing a lot more of actor Anthony Head now he's hung up his tweed suit as Rupert Giles in the hit TV show Buffy The Vampire Slayer.  Over the last 7 years, work commitments in Los Angeles have meant 47 year old Tony has been a virtual stranger at the house he shares with his partner, animal trainer Sarah Fisher, and their daughters Daisy and Emily.

Tony, an established star in the theatre, with starring roles in Chess and The Rocky Horror Show, first broke onto our screens in the Eighties as the suave neighbour in the Nescafe Gold Blend ads.  When the ads stopped, Tony gambled on a move to Hollywood.  A decision made all the more difficult as it meant leaving a young family back in England.  But the gamble paid off.  For the past 5 years, Tony has been bookish Rupert on the cult Buffy, a role which has taken his career to a new level.

Now back home hopefullly for a while, Tony invited Hello! to his beautiful house just outside Bath to talk about Buffy, being a long distance father, instant coffee - and wearing high heels.

Why have you decided to step down your commitment to Buffy?

I missed my kids and Sarah and I wanted to be with them.  All you can do in life is go on your gut feeling and just as it felt right to start Buffy it also felt right to finish.

Was it hard being away from your daughters for so long?

Over the last year all four of us were like, 'it's time'.  For nearly 7 years Sarah has been practically a single mum raising 2 girls on her own.  About halfway through season 2 I told Emily and Daisy if they wanted me to come home I would.  But both girls were unanimous, saying 'no, no, the show's really cool, we'd like you in it, please'.  Fair dos to them both.

Why did you first decide to leave England?

Sarah and I talked about our options.  I was still being offered theatre, but in terms of film and TV, the Gold Blend ad had limited my profile here.  But the Americans have a slightly different attitude?

What attracted you to the part of Rupert Giles?

The initial premise was the 'fish out of water'.  He's a character steeped in tradition in a place where his idea of tradition doesn't really fit.  I first saw him as somewhere between Hugh Grant in Four Weddings and Alan Rickman's Sheriff of Nottingham, with a bit of Prince Charles thrown in for good measure.

Quite a contrast with your role in The Rocky Horror Show!  How did you get into character for that?

When I played Frank N Furter there was the make-up and the scanty clothes ritual but when I put the shoes on, everything changed.  You can't help it when you're standing in 3 inch spiked heels!

Did you ever go home in the gear?

There was a moment during the rehearsal period when I was hoovering at home and Sarah came in and said I looked extremely furtive.  So I stepped out from behind the bed in the heels they'd given me to practise in.

How did you two meet?

Tony: We met backstage at the National Theatre 18 years ago.  I was doing a play called Danton's Death and for the last entrance I had to come on as a soldier taking traitors to the guillotine.  I'd wait in a corridor at the back with my musket and one day this beautiful lady walked past carrying a pint of beer for some guy front of house.  I got there earlier and earlier in the hope I'd see her again.  Eventually, we'd sit and chat before I'd have to go on for a beheading.

Sarah: When the production ended I thought that was it.  But a while after I thought, 'I'm going to phone him and see what he's doing' - it wasn't until he'd left that I realised I'd missed him.  So I called him and they said he'd moved, but they'd pass my number on.  Two weeks later the phone rang - it was him.  That night, we got together and we've been together ever since.

Sarah, was it difficult coping while Tony was away making Buffy?

Many people have partners who work abroad - you've just got to trust it's going to work out.  It was difficult for Tony, too, especially if he phoned when friends were round.  He'd be happy that I was happy, but hearing everyone in the background made him homesick.  We now laugh about the fact that, although we've been together 18 years, it's probably only about four when you work it out.

Tony, how was your time divided between LA and London?

Usually eight and a half months of the year I'd be working.  In that time if I got 6 days off it was just enough time to come back to England.

Have you and Sarah ever thought about marrying?

For us marriage never really came into it.  Why introduce something into our relationship that might impose a strain?  We have children together and that's the way it is.

Do people still mention the Gold Blend ads to you?

People do still know it.  It's not all consuming like it was, more a generational thing.

Any regrets about stepping down from Buffy?

I know some people will think I'm mad and say, 'how can you turn down 22 episodes a year on an American salary?'  But for me that's the way it's got to be, it wasn't about the money.  I'm looking forward to spending more time in England and having a more settled family life, but ultimately I'll take whatever life throws at me.

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