He's polite, courteous and rather self-effacing. When you talk to the man, rugged individualism seeps from every pore.

His face has character, and through hard graft he's made a name for himself as a singer and, latterly as we know, an accomplished actor.

Of course, loads of people have done this, but few have a history behind them like Liam. For the record, he is also now a respected spiritual medium.

Liam had a tough upbringing and, by his own admission, was a bit naughty in his younger days.

Even now, some of his friends struggle with the concept that he has embraced a belief in the afterlife and accepts that communion with the dead is entirely possible.

When someone so close to the criminal fraternity opens up to spiritualism, the conversion is so radical then you know they're probably genuine.

Liam eventually became a member of "the Firm" ran by the Krays, and socialised with them frequently. In time, he commanded the respect of the vast majority of London's criminal fraternity.

Having read Liam Scott's life story, which he wrote with the well-known medium Billy Roberts, I can't find a single thing that would have motivated the man to embrace spiritualism for other than the noblest of reasons.

I asked Liam if he could recall any particular incident which galvanised his belief in the supernatural.

He paused, and then said: "Actually, yes. There was one time when I was sitting in the living room. We had a TV in the corner, and on top of it there were a number of ornaments. Without warning, they shot off the TV and landed at my feet."

Singer Lynsey de Paul actually wrote the foreword to Medium Rare. What does she think of Liam Scott, his "colourful" past and his conversion to spiritualism? He was always a little larger than life … generous and thoughtful … with a gentle heart inside a bear of a man. I witnessed his metamorphosis into healing and clairvoyance", she said.

Liam fully accepts that some of his past business ventures were, as he puts it, "not totally legitimate".

Offering a number of local coppers "sweeteners" in plain brown envelopes, was just one of the ways he managed to keep Her Majesty's Constabulary off his back.

Now, though, he's put all that behind him, and is happy to offer healing and spiritual insight to those who need it.

"When I look back to when I was a young man", says Liam, "I never thought for one moment that one day I would be a professional medium, travelling all over the world. Nor did I think that at the age of 72 I would receive offers from major television companies to take part in television programmes. It's not something that ever appealed to me.

"It's daunting enough standing on stage in front of 2,000 people, let alone demonstrating my mediumistic skills on television, before millions of people!"

But we should be glad he does, I would venture.

Medium Rare, by Liam Scott with Billy Roberts, is published by Apex Publishing and priced at £8.99. Don't miss it.