Damned United star admits 'I claimed to be Bazza's nephew'

The star of footballing flick The Damned United, actor Michael Sheen, has admitted that, when at school, he lied to friends that biking superstar Barry Sheene was his uncle.

Sheen, who plays Brian Clough in the film and who, ironically, has made a career out of portraying famous figures such as David Frost and Tony Blair, told The Sun that when at school racer Sheene was at the height of his fame.

“People would always ask me if I was related to Barry Sheene and I have to say, to my great shame, that I said yes,” he admitted.

“Then, of course, it used to get more complicated because people would ask for his autograph, so I would have to fake his autograph.

“Then, one of the worst moments of my life, the paper boy came to our house and he was at my school.

“I heard him ask my dad ‘So is Barry Sheene your brother then?’ ‘Oh no, finally the lie is going to be exposed,’ I thought. Then my dad said ‘That’s right’. My dad had saved me.”