Jane McGowan chats to musical theatre star Lee Mead about his latest role in family favourite Chitty Chitty Bang Bang coming to the New Wimbledon Theatre July 20-30
Lee Mead shot to stardom in 2007 after winning Any Dream Will Do – the BBC talent show that pitted would-be Josephs against each other in a bid to land the title role in a new West End production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic.
Since then, the 34-year-old has gone on to star in countless musicals, release four solo albums and star in his first ‘dramatic role’ as Ben ‘Lofty’ Chiltern in hit medical drama Casualty. But it is his new role of Caractacus Potts in the touring production of family favourite Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, that has got him really excited.
“This is a dream role for me,” explains Lee. “I have been watching the film since I was a boy, so this is brilliant. It’s the biggest role I’ve played in a show and it’s great fun, although I come off stage each night exhausted.”
Exhausted he may be, but this year is set to be one of the busiest of his career as once his stint in Chitty is over in mid-September (comedian Jason Manford then takes over), Lee once more hits the road with his one-man show performing a selection of his favourite Hollywood film tunes taken from his new album Some Enchanted Evening. And as if that wasn’t enough, he will end the year back in the West End in the star-studded pantomime Cinderella at the Palladium.
“I actually took time off from Casualty to find a house and do my share of the school runs,” explains Lee, who has a six year-old daughter Betsy with ex-wife Denise Van Outen.
“But this has turned into a very big year for me. I’m having a great time in Chitty and then the tour will be something different, just me and the band. And it’s good to be busy.”
Next year looks set to be just as demanding with Lee hoping to go back into Casualty to reprise the role which saw him nominated for a National Television Award in 2015.
“Years ago, I had played a guest role in Casualty as a supply teacher,” Lee explains. “The executive producer wrote to me saying, ‘Thank-you and I’ll be thinking of you for the future’. But you hear that a lot in this business, so I didn’t think too much about it.”
But when his agent called to say that a new character was being introduced, written with him in mind, Lee knew it was too good to miss.
“I got straight on the train to meet the team. I read a few scenes and the whole thing just clicked.”
But for now, Lee is very happy to be thrilling audiences in this heartwarming production. Although with eight-shows-a-week for the next 14 weeks, he may be needing a trip to Hushabye Mountain pretty soon.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang runs at the New Wimbledon Theatre from July 20–30. Visit atgtickets.com to book tickets
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