British film director Mike Leigh talks to Mark Lawson about his life and career.

Leigh talks about his upbringing in Salford, where his father was a doctor, and his early foray into acting with the local Jewish youth group. After a scholarship to Rada, Leigh did occasionally act, but always wanted to write and direct, and discusses his plays for both stage and television and his films. He talks at length about the collaborative creative process with his actors to build characters and why he doesn't want to work with Hollywood stars, but wouldn't mind a bigger budget. Show less