I worked alongside Roy Hudd on the Cameron Mackintosh National Tour of Oliver! The Musical in 1983.

I was cast as The Artful Dodger and Roy was the star of the show, playing Fagin.

I thought Roy was an outstanding Fagin, I’d seen him play the role before I joined the tour, but I really had no idea how brilliant he really was until I got to work with him.

Much to all our astonishment, although he seemed lovely, Roy wasn’t taking no prisoners.

I mean, I think we all believed we were ready after being cast from thousands and rehearsing for two weeks. Wrong.

From the get go Roy was pushing us all to do more - be more - work, graft, be ‘on’- don’t switch off for one second or he might just kick you up the backside, metaphorically speaking. He wasn’t threatening - maybe a bit scary, even without the costume and make up.

His heightened professionalism was, for us, intimidating. We weren’t used to it.

I came to realise that he was only doing it to get the best out of us all.

Roy taught me that by pushing those you work with propels you forwards too.

In that hour or so I could see for the first time how much this business meant to him - and how much it should mean to anyone working a stage – his passion for theatre and entertaining was infectious.

This was my very first professional acting lesson, ever - it was one that would sustain me until this day.

Roy managed in those few numbers to show me where the bar was, how high it was and more importantly how to achieve that height. I’m eternally grateful to him for that. I always will be.

I caught up with Roy last year at a cast reunion. I hadn’t seen him since we’d worked together, but he made me feel like it was yesterday. Roy’s warmth did that.

I remember that I began writing for TV and theatre in about 1991 and wanted advice. I wrote to him for help and he came back to me straight away with some advice and contacts - again his generosity was the rarest of things.

Roy was as grounded as any actor I’ve ever worked with. We’ve lost a magnificent man and truly great professional.

Thank you Roy, your legacy lives on me old china…

This column contains extracts from David Garlick’s forthcoming memoir, My Eyes, How Green! Broadway Davey G