OLIVER REED - FOREMAN UNDAUNTED BY OLIVER REED ROLE

OLIVER TWIST actor JAMIE FOREMAN suffered no anxiety about succeeding the revered OLIVER REED in the role of villainous BILL SYKES because he approached the part from a completely different angle.

Reed, who gave a mesmerising performance in the 1968 musical adaptation of the CHARLES DICKENS classic, was hailed as the definitive Dickens scoundrel.

But Foreman, 46, believes Reed's characterisation was limited by having to conform to the musical genre.

He says, "I didn't feel under pressure to live up to him. His part was a lot more about singing and dancing.

"I got to make mine a more rounded character. I gave it more dimension and focused on the danger and dark side of Victorian society.

"This film is a lot more about the different sides of human nature than previous productions."