Matt Smith's 'Christopher and His Kind' Radio Times cover

Matt Smith is the cover star on this week's issue of the Radio Times, ahead of BBC Two's transmission of 'Christopher and His Kind'.

Smith plays the lead role of gay author Christopher Isherwood in the drama, and has discussed playing the part in this week's edition of the TV listings magazine.

"In the first professional job I ever did at the Royal Court [Theatre in London], I played a 16-year-old gigolo. I had to kiss Phil Daniels. So it's not my first," he explains.

"I guess I've never taken it as far as Christopher does. It goes beyond kissing, shall we say," he smiles. "It's embarrassing having to get nude in front of 30 people on a film set. But it's not the first time I've done that. You just try to be as truthful as you can be and jump in feet first."

"Christopher smoked a lot. I was smoking all these herbal cigarettes and they're the worst thing in the whole universe. But you just tell yourself that it's not for ever and you get through it."

The full interview is available in the 19-25 March 2011 edition of the Radio Times, which is on sale from today.

Christopher and His Kind will be broadcast at 9.30pm on Saturday 19th March on BBC Two.