WHEN it comes to being suave and sophisticated, actor Peter Egan more than fits the bill, having played smooth Paul Ryman in the popular 1980s sit-com Ever Decreasing Circles. So he was perhaps the perfect choice for Noel Coward’s sumptuous play, A Song At Twilight, which arrives in Windsor this week.

In his latest role, the 62-year-old actor plays Sir Hugo Latymer, an internationally-acclaimed author who lives in Switzerland with his wife (played by The Bill actress Kerry Peers). The couple invite actress Carlotta Gray (played by Belinda Lang) to dine with them, but it seems she has information in her possession that could completely ruin Sir Hugo.

Peter, who currently lives in Hampstead with actress wife Myra Frances, tells me: “It’s a wonderful play and actually the very last one that Coward wrote. In the past, I felt many of his works were brittle, high camp theatricality, but this one is bittersweet and rather touching.

“There’s also a rather intoxicating cocktail of characters drawn in an interesting way and that’s very exciting for an actor.”

Playing Sir Hugo is just one in a long line of suave and aristocratic roles that Peter has played over the years, which include dukes, lords and princes, but in reality the star’s upbringing was anything but privileged.

Raised in a council flat in north London, Peter reveals he left school at the age of 15 and was “pretty much illiterate” until he made the decision to become an actor.

Two years later he was offered a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London and his life changed from then on.

“Going into acting was without doubt the best choice I ever made,” says Peter. “This is what I wanted to do and it gave me a direction and organised my life. The profession also educated me, because I left school with very little education, so in many ways acting was a great gift.”

By the time Peter left RADA, it was the mid-1960s and the country was “booming”.

Peter tells me: “It was fantastic, like the best party in the world. People say if you lived through the 1960s you won’t remember it, but I do vividly. It was a great time of optimism for theatre, film and television and there was plenty of work around.”

Initially touring with rep companies around the country, Peter eventually landed his first television role in 1968 with Cold Comfort Farm.

A year later he starred as a gangster in the controversial series Big Breadwinner Hog, which led to plenty of offers in television, including four series of Ever Decreasing Circles, alongside Richard Briars and Penelope Wilton.

Peter recalls: “It was hugely popular and wonderful to work on. In some ways the programme became my calling card, and I’m absolutely delighted about that, but it was just a part of my career.”

For Peter, theatre has always been important and he is still committed to treading the boards.

“I’m so happy in theatre,” he tells me. “I’m happiest when doing good material that I feel really committed to, because that’s really why I became an actor.

“I’ve gone through a huge arc in my career, but now I’m back on the stage, doing what I want to do.”

A Song At Twilight arrives from Monday, February 23 to Saturday, February 28 at Theatre Royal Windsor. Performances Monday to Saturday, 8pm. Matinees Thursday 2.30pm and Saturday 4.45pm. Details and tickets: 01753 853888 or www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk