Being recognised for your work on stage and screen is such an odd thing.

You want adulation and attention, that’s why we do it, isn’t it? But, in my experience, it can come at a price.

Obviously, I haven’t had that many encounters, the odd stage door autograph, the odd photo on holiday once someone finds out you was in Game of Thrones, and sometimes maybe one or two people occasionally feel they know me, but nothing like the level of some.

Nevertheless, I had to deal with a great deal whilst still at school. I think people sometimes assume that if you work on stage and screen you must go to a stage school or something. I didn’t.

I went to a traditional comprehensive in Greater London and most of the kids there, like me, were from working class backgrounds.

Being different or doing very different things in any school environment can be a beacon for those that wish to be unkind.

But, imagine if you then add into the mix that one night most of the school are at home watching you on TV and the next day you’re there in amongst them - it wasn’t any easy ride I can tell you.

Being away from school doing something you love – being onstage or screen - is fantastic, but going back to school was always extremely uncomfortable.

I mean, if you’re off school due to sickness and then return that can be quite traumatic in itself, but if everyone knows that you’ve been off gallivanting ‘being an actor’, well, that creates an altogether different uncomfortable situation.

Naively, most also assume you’re a millionaire or something, which again couldn’t be further from the truth, but added an extra bit of spice to pot.

I was on £9 a performance in the West End, yes I know?! But who knew? I mean school is hard enough without having to try to deal with these kinds of things as well.

I remember having tremendous amount of unwanted attention when I returned from the national tour, West End and Broadway.

Mainly because no one knew what to do, I didn’t, they didn’t. Needless to say that once the stage and screen work kicked in, I was really reluctant to go back to school, it was just too much for me, especially as I became an unwanted guest at a place that I excelled and loved.

So, word to the wise, just be nice, be respectful, it’s not that difficult.

This column contains extracts from David Garlick’s forthcoming memoir, My Eyes, How Green! Broadway Davey G