Hugh's first for Number 10

May 3 2005 By The Evening Chronicle

Foppish Hugh Grant is the actor we would most like to see as Britain's next Prime Minister, a survey showed today.

The star played a PM who falls for tea lady Martine McCutcheon in the hit film Love Actually.

And the 44-year-old is our top choice to become the nation's leader in real life, according to a YouGov poll.

More than 1,800 people were asked which movie or TV politician they would most like to see in No 10.

Harrison Ford, who played US President James Marshall in the film Air Force One, came second.

Third was Martin Sheen, President Jeb Bartlet in Channel 4 series The West Wing.

Bill Pullman's President Thomas Whitmore in Hollywood blockbuster Independence Day and Kevin Kline's accidental president Bill Mitchell in Dave followed.

Yes, Prime Minister's hapless Tory leader Jim Hacker, played by Paul Eddington, was next in the survey by DVD company Silverscreen.

Other Brits in the list were Ian Richardson's slimy Francis Urquhart in BBC series House of Cards and Rik Mayall's outrageous Alan B'Stard in The New Statesman.

There was even a vote for Mayor Quimby from The Simpsons.

Silverscreen spokesman Aziz Tarafder said Conservative leader Michael Howard should start taking tips from Hugh Grant.

He said: "We chose the greatest movie and TV politicians of the last 20 years and asked people who they really wanted as Prime Minister.

"Some people say politicians are actors and that Parliament is one big theatre but our survey suggests that this is obviously not such a bad thing."

Top Ten

1 Hugh Grant - Prime Minister, Love Actually

2 Harrison Ford - President James Marshall, Air Force One

3 Martin Sheen - President Bill Mitchell, The West Wing

4 Bill Pullman - President Thomas Whitmore, Independence Day

5 Kevin Kline - President Bill Mitchell, Dave

6 Paul Eddington - Prime Minister Jim Hacker, Yes, Prime Minister

7 Michael Douglas - Senator Robert Wakefield, Traffic

8 Ian Richardson - Francis Urquhart, House of Cards

9 Mayor Quimby - The Simpsons

10 Rik Mayall - Alan B'Stard, The New Statesman