Mr T

The A-Team star on why he loves to travel — and losing his gold chains

“When people see me at airports, they always say ‘Wow, I thought you didn’t fly’, because on The A-Team they had to knock me out with milk and cookies to get me on a plane. So I always make it a point to go buy some cookies and milk before boarding, so people will think I’ll pass out, just to mess with them.

“Flying is OK, though. I listen to my music, I meditate. Other than that, all I need to take with me is my Bible and I’m good to go. And getting through airport security has been much easier since 2005, too. I stopped wearing my gold then – I thought it would be a sin against God after the people of New Orleans lost their homes in Hurricane Katrina. So now I can just step on board with my regular luggage and that’s it, much easier.

“I do love travelling in Europe, and one of my favourite places is London. I like the people, I like the accents, the London cabs, and I love to see all the sights – the palace guards with the big hats and Big Ben.

“A few years ago, I was in Germany, too. I went to see a boxing fight – it was this guy called Rocky Gianni, he was a lightweight. I had a great time, you know I like the fisticuffs.

“I never went on holiday when I was young, though, we just didn’t have the money. I only started travelling after The A-Team took off. We went to Amsterdam to promote the show back in 1984. It was wonderful. I saw the big windmills and the canals. They gave me some wooden shoes, too. Oh wow, that was exciting.

“Travelling is a great thing. There’s a big world out there that I want to see. I love time away – it’s like a reward, and it’s a time to regroup. You work hard and you should be able to relax to regenerate your body. As they say, ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy' – so you need to balance the scales.”
MR T IS CURRENTLY PROMOTING SNICKERS BARS. READ HIS MANIFESTO AND SEE VIDEOS AT WWW.GETSOMENUTS.TV INTERVIEW: SIAN THATCHER