Lindsay Honey, better known as Ben Dover, is one of the British porn industry's best known names. His career spans over twenty years, since he first answered an advert for models in 'The Stage' in 1979. His films are decidedly low-fi, shot in living rooms with normal looking models and surprisingly un-beardy men. As a result, they seem to be popular with women.

He decided on the Ben Dover format after spending years doing high end porn features for Private.

"I wanted to get back to basics and didn't want to be too 'glamourous'. I wanted to trip everything right down to the basic principle of just concentrating on the realistic portrayal of people having fun having sex, and not trying to act. I was trying really to do porn for the MTV generation, giving it a 'backstage' feel, to look like it's largely unedited and raw."

His films certainly manage to look realistic. From the un-porny undies - cotton knickers aren't uncommon in his films - to the pretty but real looking models, the natural style means that your attention is drawn to the sex, rather than picking holes in some tenuous plot. (The plot is always the same. 'Ben' and some relatively attractive bloke ask a young lady if she'd like to be in a porn film. She agrees. Sucking and fucking follows.)

So does he only use models from agencies or does he accept tapes from aspiring adult stars?

"Most of the performers get in touch by e-mail now. Anyone can contact me at ben@ben-dover.com I don't audition English guys any more though. They're all rubbish."

Other English men aside, Ben usually ends up getting in on the action. So is it just a ploy to get his knob sucked by lots of fit women? He jokingly replies "Bugger, my secret's out!!!" So how many people have seen his cock? "Thousands I suppose. Poor things."

So which is his favourite video?

"From an 'artistic' point of view I would say 'Forbidden Desires' It was my swansong for Private, and as a feature film I think it's my best effort. I don't have a favourite Ben Dover movie."

With a long history of making porn, Ben has numerous anecdotes.

"We turned up to do a housewives shoot and the lady had been called to a meeting with social services. She asked her next door neighbour if she'd do it instead. And she did! She had the time of her life."

So is there anything he'd like to do that he hasn't done yet? His answer is intriguingly diverse.

"Dwarves, bukkake (a woman getting masturbated on by numerous men) and transsexuals. I'd also like to do a porn movie specifically for disabled people, with disabled stars."

And anything he wouldn't film?

" I was hired to shoot a gay movie in LA once. I couldn't do that again."

We move on to responsibility. How often does he face the 'is porn exploitative' question?

"That question really never comes up any more. I don't even bother to give an answer if it does. I find a punch in the face works." And has he ever refused to use an actor because they didn't seem happy with what they're doing?

"I always make sure everyone knows what they're doing beforehand."

We continue with the heavy questions. What, if anything, do you think pornographers should be doing to fight against child porn?

"It's not our responsibility to do anything. This is criminal activity and should be the responsibilty of the police. Unfortunately they seem more interested in stopping me doing more than 50 mph on the A3."

And where does he stand on safer sex?

"In real life, it's a good thing. Movies are a fantasy and probably the safest unprotected way of doing it. An HIV test would be mandatory for all shoots."

So how does he think men and women differ when it comes to sex and porn?

"I've never thought about it. Most girls I've met who watch porn like seeing guys together. I guess it's not that strange, men like lesbian movies after all."

And after all this time, has he ever considered giving up making porn?

"Yes. I've made attempts to move into more 'mainstream' work but I think I'm considered too old. My ambition is to go into politics, but it's not financially viable unless a rich sponsor can be found."

Pornographer turns politician. It happened in Italy, so who knows, maybe it could happen here too.