Peel lands 'grumpy DJ' role and asks: Why me?

More than 30 years of being a laconic radio disc jockey with an obsessive interest in faintly obscure music have paid off for John Peel. He has been cast in a new British film - playing a laconic radio DJ with an obsessive interest in faintly obscure music.

More than 30 years of being a laconic radio disc jockey with an obsessive interest in faintly obscure music have paid off for John Peel. He has been cast in a new British film - playing a laconic radio DJ with an obsessive interest in faintly obscure music.

Mr Peel described his first film role in typical style yesterday: "I play a grumpy old man who spends his whole life filing records. How on earth they thought of me, I don't know."

Mr Peel, aged 60, and known for his eclectic shows on Radio 1 since 1967, filmed his part in Five Seconds To Spare earlier this year, with a cast that includes Max Beesley, Ray Winstone and Sean Pertwee.

"The film did appeal to me," he said. "I rather liked the idea of being in a retirement home, looking through the TV schedules and seeing it there in years to come." He said his part was not too taxing. Rather than counting the lines, he had been able to count the words, as there were only 57 of them.

The film, which its distributors hope will be in cinemas later this year, is a thriller revolving around a musician who goes to London to further his career but witnesses a murder.

"I was rather proud of it. The only other acting I have done was on [BBC Radio 4's] The Archers," said Mr Peel.