Six degrees

Santa Claus … It’s almost time for the world’s favourite bearded fat man to gee up his reindeers again. Tomorrow evening, Santa will embark on another hectic round of chimney break-ins in order to feast on the sherry and mince pies traditionally left out for him by children. Or at least those in some countries: all Sinterklaas gets in Sweden and Norway are dollops of rice porridge. Father Christmas was portrayed as the Ghost of Christmas Present in A Christmas Carol, written by Charles Dickens …

The Rada-educated thespian insists long-term relationships are not for him. He has consistently pursued flings with artistic women and once described monogamy as “sexual imperialism”. With stardom thrust upon him after his role as a Nazi psycho in Schindler’s List, he promptly decided to marry his then partner. Years later it was revealed that during the marriage he had had an affair with an alluring Brazilian actress almost two decades his senior. His philandering ways may have helped him land the job of voicing Lord Quartermaine, the animated villain in Wallace and Gromit …