Sam Hardwick | Hay Festival
Actor Larry Lamb was sharing anecdotes and his own personal poetry at Hay Festival
Actor Larry Lamb has said he was “very lucky” to be able to work on the sets of Gavin and Stacey and EastEnders at the same time.
But he has described it as “very weird” juggling the characters of Archie Mitchell, Barbara Windsor’s on-screen husband in Albert Square, as well as Gavin’s dad, Mick Shipman.
He explained how he filmed some early episodes of the cult comedy in 2006 before landing the soap opera role in 2007, and later found himself working on both between London and Wales.
Lamb said it was unusual to be allowed to work on such programmes at the same time and that it was partly because the late Windsor wanted him as her “new love interest”.
The 78-year-old explained how he had already signed a contract agreeing to reprise his role in the comedy if it took off, and was then faced with a dilemma when it “started to come on” in popularity.
“And then I thought, well, in the old days I would have had to make a choice, which one would I do?” he told an audience at Hay Festival in Powys.
He said although “it caused all sorts of problems”, he was eventually allowed to work on both series.
Tom Jackson/BBC/PA Wire
Larry Lamb (Mick Shipman) front row left with other characters from Gavin and Stacey
“Playing two people that were so diametrically opposed in terms of their characters, in terms of what they were like – it was bizarre,” he said.
“Particularly when we were doing the Christmas special which always happened in September.
“You’re just over the summer and suddenly the whole studio is full of Christmas trees, tinsel, all piles of presents and everything else.
“And so you’re dressed up in deep winter gear, and it’s boiling hot everywhere, so everything’s all wonky.
“And then, you know, I’m in London, doing a war scene around the Christmas dinner table with EastEnders, and then running down the corridors throwing my clothes off with somebody picking them up while they get you in the car and drive down to Wales.
“There’s this whole different vibe to the day.
“So it was a really weird, contrasting thing to play both those characters, but [I was] very lucky to do it,” he said.
