He was in two Bond films, the first Harry Potter and the Oscar-winning Shakespeare In Love. But Joe Hepworth is only a household name in his own household.

He has acted alongside some of the biggest names in showbiz including Gwyneth Paltrow, Pierce Brosnan and Dame Judi Dench.

But Joe is unlikely to be nominated for an Academy Award just yet.

He's carving out a niche as one of the country's most prolific film extras.

Joe, of West Stoke, near Chichester, has run up an impressive string of walk-on roles over the past five years in a variety of film and TV features.

He is about to pass on the wisdom of his experience in a handy "how-to" guide to the trade.

His book, How To Succeed As A Film Extra, is almost finished and contains tips on how to behave on the set and how to avoid rogue agents.

His acting CV boasts a range of characters, from an aristocrat in the Anthony Trollope adaptation The Way We Live Now to an Albert Square tramp in EastEnders.

Having played the ghost of Henry VIII in Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, he is about to take part in a BBC History programme.

He spent two weeks hoisted 30ft above the ground on high wires for the Harry Potter film to give the illusion he was flying.

Joe, 57, said: "Considering I weigh 15 stone it was lovely to have the weight taken off my feet. I made it on screen for about 2.3 seconds of the final version."

Pierce Brosnan let his dashing 007 persona slip when he confided to Joe his fears about close-up shots when filming Tomorrow Never Dies.

Joe said: "I couldn't understand what he was worried about but he said, 'I always think my face looks a little distorted'.

"The stars go through their lines so they don't want to be disturbed. But sometimes they start up conversations.

"When I did The Way We Live Now, David Suchet was a gentleman. Every morning he would shake my hand and he was so helpful.

"Despite his fame, he was just as worried as anyone else about forgetting his lines."

Joe was introduced to the business by a man he met at a party who had regular work as a stand-in for Jonathan Pryce and put him in touch with an agency.

Joe said: "The people who succeed are those who show agents they are keen, turn up for every casting they are sent to and know how to behave.

"It is such an enjoyable job. You meet so many nice people and if you go to castings there is a chance to earn anything from £3,000 to £19,000. Some places look after you with great food, too.

"The great thing about doing films is you only have to do it once. I would be bored stiff doing a play night after night."

When not on the set, Joe sells an anti-snoring device called Snorban.