Brian Cox: Scottish independence is a case of 'when not if'

Actor Brian Cox has said Scotland's independence is a case of 'when not if' - as he called on the SNP to change its name.

Cox, 73, said he does not like nationalism and wishes the political party would rename it the 'Scottish Independence Party'.

Cox, from Dundee, was speaking on the next series of the podcast, titled Football, Feminism and Everything in Between.

Cox, 73, said he does not like nationalism and wishes the political party would rename it the 'Scottish Independence Party'.

"It is possible for us to be independent and internationalist and I would be much happier if they were the 'Scottish Independence Party'.

"If I felt Scotland could be an independent country in Europe, that would be my ideal now.

"The idea that this government has the faintest clue or interest in Scotland - forget it."

Cox was speaking to podcasts hosts, Alastair Campbell, the ex-Downing Street Press Secretary, and his daughter Grace, a comedian and activist.

Back in the UK briefly before filming begins for series three of hit show Succession, Cox discussed the global success of his latest TV venture.

Set in New York, award winning Succession follows the Roy family who control the biggest media and entertainment company in the world.

Cox plays head of the family, media tycoon Logan Roy, in the hit HBO show and despite the unscrupulous nature of the character, Cox - an ardent socialist - relishes the role.

He said the show has 'absolutely' been good for Scottish tourism, with parts filmed in Dundee, also the birthplace of Cox's fictional protagonist.

Cox said: "It was hard work though, we had to do the filming of the main scenes in the museum through the night when the place was closed.

"And I was a bit pissed off about some of the other shots - the house Logan

was supposed to have grown up in - they shot it in Glasgow.

"Dundee has very different stone on the houses.

"I took some of the team on a tour of the real Dundee, showed them where I was born, where I grew up. It's still there."

Cox said he is impressed with Succession's success since its launch in 2018, having won a raft of awards He scoped best actor in the television series drama category at this year's Golden Globe Awards.

He said: "When [writer] Jesse Armstrong called me and told me about the idea for the show, and what kind of man Logan was, I could tell - this is going to be good."

"Not just the US and the UK, which maybe you'd expect.

"It's doing well pretty much everywhere.

"The Spanish have apparently gone crazy for it."

"It's such a great part.

"And the other characters are so well drawn.

"We have more fun on set than you would believe.

"We're like a family, a proper family, without all the hatreds of the Roys."

Cox knew he wanted to be an actor when he was two-years-old, but said for actors starting out today it's all about who you know.

He said: "I knew I wanted to be an actor from the age of two, when I stood on a box and danced and sang for the family.

"And when I first came to London, I had a grant.

"So many in that generation had grants to train as actors, to travel, and then you had great working-class writers too.

"I remember seeing Albert Finney in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, and thinking 'that is the kind of thing I am going to do'.

"And I could, and I did.

"I never became a luvvie, never got in with the Ian McKellen crowd.

"I can look back on my career and think I did a lot of what I set out to do.

"But kids starting out today, it's back to who you know and have your parents got money. Feudal."