BILL NIGHY - BILL NIGHY: LISTENING TO PIRATE RADIO MADE YOU AN OUTLAW

BILL NIGHY: LISTENING TO PIRATE RADIO MADE YOU AN OUTLAW

The Boat That Rocked star Bill Nighy has said the Richard Curtis comedy captures the illicit thrill of listening to pirate radio in the 1960s.

Nighy plays Quentin, the boss of offshore station Radio Rock in the Love, Actually director's new period comedy about rock, radio and romance.

And, admitting he was "probably" the only cast member to actually remember pirate radio stations such as Radio Caroline, the Bafta winner revealed the excitement of being able to hear the best music while living outside the law.

"I did - like the kid in the film - sneakily listen to my radio once my parents had gone to sleep," he told a London press conference.

"It was a big deal. You weren't listening to your mum and dad's music - which was people singing in evening wear - you were listening to Jimi Hendrix.

"You gained outlaw status merely by tuning in."

Nighy added: "And I know it sounds weird now, but it was the first time you could get a signal good enough to hear a song the whole way through!"

The Boat That Rocked is released on April 1st.