A selfish actor, an unselfish spouse.

IT would have been disappointing if Dad's Army star Arthur Lowe had turned out to be a happily married family man without a care, emotional or financial, in the world. But previous editions of Reputations have suggested this was never going to happen.

There's always a dark side to a comic, or a drink, drugs or sex skeleton waiting to be freed from the cupboard. The profile of Lowe even found people willing to say not entirely nice things about him.

He played Leonard Swindley in Coronation Street and co-star Betty Driver, still pulling pints behind the bar as Betty, describes him as "a remote, quiet man, quite a selfish actor".

The thrust of the tale was that his wife, actress Joan Cooper, held him back. As Captain Mainwaring in Dad's Army, he became one of Britain's most famous comedy characters. He could have gone on to even greater success, if he hadn't insisted on producers giving his less-talented wife roles alongside him. Lowe even got her a part in Dad's Army. "She was a competent actress, so we used her when we could," says writer Jimmy Perry.

She was both his Svengali and "destroying angel". Their love was so intense that it spelt destruction for both of them and Lowe ended his career back where he'd begun, touring provincial theatres.

They were an odd couple from the start. She was blonde and bubbly, he was short and bald when they met in 1940. She was also married with a young son, so the deeply conventional, straight-laced Lowe found himself having a secret affair. As her career stalled, his took off. She basked in the reflective limelight and took to drink. "She was ever such a sweet drunk," says actress Pamela Cundell.

As their son Stephen grew up, she wanted to return to acting. Lowe never recognised their talents weren't equal. "They say love is blind," says his agent Peter Campbell.

Those in the most-watched soap in the country - the monarchy - star in Who'd Want To Be... A Royal?, a ramshackle but highly entertaining romp along the Mall, reminding us of our royal family's cock-ups and bloomers. After watching what they have to suffer, you almost agree they should be awarded the Queen's Award for bravery. If you thought carefully about the job, you wouldn't go outside," says royal observer Nicholas Owen.

They're asked to do the most ridiculous things during public appearances - play the cello, ride in kiddie cars, toss cow pats, and drink in a pub like common people (and Prince Harry).

While the Queen maintains a straight face and reluctance to act for the camera, Prince Philip is "a bit of a clown", according to writer Penny Junor. "He doesn't mind laughing at himself if he's set himself up." He's also wise enough to refuse to wear a hair net at a cheese factory because he knows he'll look silly in the newspaper photographs. Unlike Prince Edward's bride Sophie, who was said to resemble a Latvian air hostess in one of her fashion outfits.