'None at all. The script was bright, fresh and funny and I saw Vince as a character before I saw him as a gay man. No way did it freak me out.'

So, how did he get into his role as a raving Mancunian queer?

'Well, everything we really needed to know was in the script. We did spend the first week of rehearsals hanging out in the Gay Village, checking out the clubs and sizing up the local characters, but after that I just had to trust the script. Charlie and Aidan and I got on really well, so it all just kinda gelled - it was very natural.'

So natural in fact, that there's several full-on up-the-butt scenes, complete with sweat and panting and all that jazz. Was it embarrassing?

'It wasn't weird at all. It's the late 90s for God's sake, and as an actor I tried to do the best I could. I had no problem with acting out gay scenes, and it's all done really stylishly.'

So, he's not worried about a storm in a Daily Mail-shaped teacup. 'Oh please, I don't give a shit.'

Vince is the kinda guy that every gay boy thinks would make a great boyfriend, but that no one ever actually seems to go out with. I put it to him that Vince is a bit of a doormat.

'Not at all,' he replies, suddenly sounding defensive of his creation. 'He's not a victim, and not a doormat. The only person who treats him like that is Stuart, and that's only because Vince is so in love with Stuart he'll let him get away with it. He may be ordinary, but it's Vince who proves to be the stable influence through everything.'

If you recognise Craig, it may be that you remember him as the young radio operator in Titanic - the one who warns them all about the iceberg. 'I was supposed to be filming in Mexico for two weeks, and I ended up staying for three months, but it was all a great laugh.'

What's his insider take on Hollywood's golden boy, Leo?

'That bastard still owes me $30,' he laughs. 'I won it from him at poker and he said he wanted to win it back, but we never got around to it.'

With his acting star rising, maybe he'll get his chance in the not too distant future.

All set to become a camp icon playing the part of Hazel Tyler (Vince's mother in Queer As Folk), actress Denise Black already has her share of gay fans following her stint as a hairdresser Denise in Coronation Street. Could I ask her about the street...?

'Er... yeeess' she replies, but not sounding totally convincing.

Was it your decision to leave, or was that decision made for you?

'It was my decision. It was just time to move on and it fitted in with the story. There were lots of other things that I wanted to do. I enjoyed every moment, but you get that feeling when the time is right to move on, don't you?'

Were you worried that you may never work or earn that sort of money again?

'Yes,' she replies earnestly, before collapsing into giggles, 'I thought maybe that's the best moment of my life over. But you've got to do it.'

When you read the script for Queer As Folk, you must have known it was going to be controversial. Are you expecting complaints?

'Yes, oh dear, yes, probably. There might be a hoo-ey', she pauses, pondering her words... 'I was watching that Steven Lawrence drama the other night, and I thought it was brilliant. You totally found out about other people's lives. I think sometimes TV tries to flatter its characters too much, so that no-one finds anything offensive, but with this we wanted to make good drama. It's about life, it's not always flattering, but I think it's very... honest. When you put something so honest on the screen there are always complaints.'

That's a good answer, I tell her. 'Thank you,' she laughs, sounding genuinely pleased with herself. So, your character, Hazel, she's a bit of a fag hag?

'I didn't know that word before, I thought it was someone who smokes a lot,' she laughs, 'isn't that sad? Even now I'm not sure if it's derogatory. Is it?'

I think it's meant more affectionately.

'Oh, that's fine then. There was this make-up guy called Alan who worked on the show who said "I'll take you down Canal Street and we'll find Hazel". I love Canal Street, it's a nice place to eat or dance or have a drink. Anyway, we went to the New Union, because we thought that that was the sort of place that Hazel would hang out. There were some straight women there, and although we didn't find Hazel, there was a girl that we decided was essence of Hazel. She was dancing and drinking and laughing, and just having a good time. A little bit out of it, and probably feeling sexy, but not on the make. That's what Hazel's about. She's a glorious, diva-ish fag hag!'