The Pawnbroker Paul Whitehouse David's first lesson in the skills of life is at the expense of Micawber's local pawnbroker. In theory a ruthless negotiator, David's innocent integrity always seems to get the better of him. "I'm glad you rang," said Paul Whitehouse in a telephone interview. "I was thinking my role might have ended up on the cutting room floor." Admittedly, the star of his own BBC Television series, The Fast Show, only had 15 lines of dialogue but, as he says, "They can't cut me out. My role is such an important plot point. It's just a little cameo role. I have a battle with the young David Copperfield, who has been coached in haggling by Mr. Micawber." Whitehouse won the Top Male Comedy Performer and Best Comedy Series for The Fast Show at the 1996 British Comedy Awards.