Holby City star Lee Mead heads to Newark Palace Theatre for tenth anniversary tour
TEN years ago a young performer won over the nation to win the television talent show Any Dream Will Do to win the starring role in the West End revival of Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. To mark that milestone, Lee Mead has embarked on a tenth anniversary tour, looking back on his career so far.
It includes a date at Newark’s Palace Theatre on Friday, October 26.
Since winning the talent show, whose judging panel included Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lee’s career has taken him across the world, to hit West End shows to television — more recently as Ben 'Lofty' Chiltern in BBC’s Casualty and Holby City.
"It's very exciting. I still can't believe it's been ten years since I played Joseph at the Adelphi Theatre after the BBC show,"he said.
"I don't know where the last ten years have gone but I am very happy with how it has gone. From musicals to pantomime, to huge shows at the Palladium and television with Casualty, I have just tried to embrace every opportunity every day."
To mark his ten years in showbusiness, Lee will perform a collection of songs from his career, including from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Phantom Of The Opera, Miss Saigon and, of course Joseph. He will be joined on stage by a five-piece band.
"I wasn't going to do anything to mark it and then my family said it would be nice to do something so I got to work on an album, and that led on to the tour," Lee said.
"It was so difficult to choose the songs. I had hundreds to choose from and I love them all.
"In the end I went for the ones I really love, songs I haven't performed for a few years, and songs I think people would want to hear.
"I feel very lucky that I get to tour with such a great show and great band. It is a lot of fun and the audiences have been great."
Over the last ten years the singer's priorities have changed, mainly thanks to his eight-year-old daughter, Betsy.
As a result, he is only performing three dates over one weekend a month to give him more time at home with his family while juggling the recording of Holby City.
He is also choosing places he has never visited before and arriving early to make sure he can look around the towns.
"In my 20s I was doing a lot of tours, year-long tours, but I have done that and this is a nice balance for me now," he said.
"I do one weekend a month. I usually film Monday to Friday but once a month I do concerts Friday to Sunday. It is something that works well. I still get weekends to myself and to spend with Betsy."
With lead roles in major West End shows, solo musical success and serious acting on television, the performer can now afford to choose his next career move.
He said: "I got my break playing Joseph, which led to more lead roles, and I think I will always do a show but I would love to do more recording work in future.
"If I am being honest, I like doing the big musicals but I love my solo concerts - going out just me and my band and singing to an audience. There's nothing better."