Surprisingly, I Rather Like It When Things Don't Run According To Cynical Expectations

It's easy (and often a lot of fun) to mock British stars when they decide they want to go to Hollywood and seek a big-screen career, or otherwise 'break America'.

For every Beatles or Hugh Grant, there are thousands of Jordans or Chris Quentins or Robbie Williamses, failing to get anything even remotely like the level of fame in their homeland, and often coming home slightly bruised and battered by the experience.

It looks, however, as if Sean Maguire, formerly a cast member of Grange Hill and EastEnders, has -and I believe this is the correct term within the film industry - 'done a Guy Pearce'.

I saw a few episodes of his US sitcom Off Centre late at night a few years ago, and I thought he was pretty good in it, and he's clearly kept working at the whole acting thing, so good for him.

(This uncharacteristic lack of cynicism on my part is in no way related to the fact that my brother, in his teen years, used to look a lot like Mr Maguire. Honest.)