Kiefer Sutherland: I know the stigma of an actor doing music – I was very self-conscious

Kiefer Sutherland has highlighted the "stigma" actors face when making music.

The 59-year-old's fourth studio album, Grey, will be released on Friday, with a UK tour of small venues commencing Thursday.

Sutherland told BBC Breakfast: “I’ve been touring for about 15 years, but there were some original rules, like I was very self-conscious, because I certainly know the stigma of an actor doing music.

“And so my first rule was that I would play anywhere 50 miles outside of Los Angeles, and it started like that, and the people that I’ve had the great fortune of playing with over the years have been really good friends, and the time that we have together is really special.

Sutherland said he had been playing guitar since his early days playing Jack Bauer in 24 (Ian West/PA)

“And then I had a lot of help with the songwriting over the years, and that’s developed, and so I’m at a place now where I get to do something that I really love, but I actually feel that the songs are in a place that they’re worth people taking the time to listen to.”

Sutherland went on to say that he had been playing guitar since his early days playing American counter-terrorist federal agent Jack Bauer in 24 during the 2000s, and said he was so focused on making the show that he felt he was unable to keep up with technological advances.

He added: “I’m one of the few people you’ll probably ever meet that doesn’t have a computer, I work with people that have computers, and so I have access to it in a way, but I don’t go home and answer 300 emails, and I don’t really want to partake in that…

“Computers in society kind of came to be really part of society during the time I was making 24.

“And it was so ironic that we were making up stuff with different computer companies that we were using as gadgets on the show, but I was so focused on making the show that I did feel like if you weren’t kind of in the moment as it was happening, you were kind of feeling left behind.

“And so half of the reason I don’t have a computer is because I don’t want to answer 300 emails at night, but the other half is because I’m a little shy of it, I’m a little nervous by it, and so I think I know a lot of people that feel like that.”