Barrowman in his role as Captain Jack Harkness in the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood series.

John Barrowman, actor, singer and broadcaster, is best known as Captain Jack Harkness in Doctor Who and Torchwood. He performed at a sell-out concert at Fort Regent last year and his new album is released on Monday

What do you drive?
A Mercedes 380SL 1982 which is called Elphaba – the character in the book and the show Wicked. It’s the Wicked Witch of the West. I also have a 1936 Dodge, right-hand drive. It’s a burgundy red and is named after my character Zaza in La Cage Aux Folles. And I have an ML Mercedes which I call The Workhorse. It takes me back and forth from Cardiff to London. I have a few cars – put it that way!

What was your first car?
When we were all 16 my dad took me, my brother and my sister out and got us cars, because he always said that if he was able to do things for his kids that his family were never able to do for him and his brothers, he would do it. So on our 16th birthday he took us out and bought us cars. I was bought a fire engine red Volkswagen Scirocco with orange and black and white stripes down the side of it. When I heard that Volkswagen were doing a new Scirocco, I was so tempted to buy one.

What was your best/worst car?
I am a fan of Mercedes. I also have a Renault Avantime, which was one of 400 that were made and brought into this country. They say that one day it will be a classic. Unfortunately, mine was wrecked by a policeman. I don’t really have a worst car because – touch wood – I haven’t had any cars I’ve had problems with.

What is your dream car?
A Gullwing Mercedes, and I know they’re releasing the new SLS Gullwing. I’m tempted to get one of those, but I’m not sure if I really want to do that during a recession because it seems a lot of money to spend on a car.

Do you consider yourself to be a good driver?
Yes, I do.

What do you always keep in your glovebox?
A pair of sunglasses, and a digital camera in case there’s ever an accident which I need to photograph, or any bumps that happen with any other drivers and I need to take photographic evidence. I always keep information for the RAC for things like that.

What makes you angry behind the wheel?
People who think they own the road and have the right to slow you down just because they don’t want to drive top the speed limit, and people who deliberately hold up the traffic.

What’s the best music to drive to?
I don’t think there’s any one particular good piece of music to drive to, but when
I used to drive back and forth from Cardiff to London I used to listen to the show Wicked – hence the name of my car.

Have you ever had a crash?
I have, and it was one with the policeman I mentioned earlier.

Who would be your perfect passenger?
I like driving by myself.

Who cleans your car, and how often?
I used to have a driver but don’t any more. He used to clean my car, so my cars
at the moment are filthy. I would do them myself but I don’t have the time, so I will have to find a new person to do it.

Barrowman in his role as Captain Jack Harkness in the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood series. A specially adapted Range Rover (like the one above) used in Torchwood sold for £18,000 this week in a Bonhams auction of Doctor Who props