The Guardian Weekend – 24th August, 2002

Here is Richard E. Grant (above) stepping into the shoes once filled by Status Quo – As he appears in a new advert for catalogue chainstore Argos.

The cheap graphics and Quo’s unmistakable “Whatever You Want” soundtrack have gone and in comes the Withnail And I actor with Ab Fab’s Julia Sawalha.

In the ad, Richard plays a hippy rock star on the comeback trail when his wife suddenly moves out and leaves him with nothing but his guitar and an empty flat.

His personal assistant, played by Julia, comes up with the cunning – and quite frankly instantly sackable – idea of decking his flat out in new gear from Argos. Richard loves the finished result and is even more impressed when Julia convinces him the furnishings were done by a Lithuanian designer named Arr Ghoos.

The ad is the first in a series that will feature Richard and Julia.

The above clipping was spotted in the 17-23 August 2002 edition of the “Hot Stars” Magazine – which comes free with the UK OK! Magazine.

Above picture taken from The Daily Telegraph.

To check out the Argos commercials on the Temple site, click here.