~*~BoMbHeAd~*~
Bombhead aka Lee Otway
What were you doing before you started in the series? Before I started, I was at college, I was doing a BTEC but I’d done other acting work. That was where I was getting my money from, doing other acting jobs, and yeah, that’s really it! I’d been acting for a while, but then I stopped and I was doing college throughout the day, and when I got the chance to do some work, I’d go off and do that, then come back.
What made you go up for a part in HOLLYOAKS? My agent got me the auditions, and actually my first audition was for the part of Lee Hunter who is my best friend in the show now. I was also recalled for some of the HOLLYOAKS: MOVIN’ ON parts. Then I tried out for Jamie Nash and after that the programme phoned my agent and said they had pencilled me in for a role I hadn’t auditioned for. A couple of weeks later I found out it was for a lunatic called Bombhead, and then I started three days after that - got my script through, and started three days later!
What were you told about the character of Bombhead at the start? I was reading the stage directions and it was saying he was a bit daft, a bit of a lunatic, and I could just tell by the lines that he was a bit of a plum. So I just thought that I’d play him how I read it and how I interpreted it. A few weeks down the line, some of the producers spoke to me, but originally I hadn’t been told much about Bombhead.
Tell us about your first day on set …My first scene was a belter! I was in the school where we do all the exterior school scenes, like the playground scenes, and in my first scene I was having my trousers nicked off me by a group of girls. I’d sold my trousers for £2 and she swapped my pants, and I was running round and the only thing I had on was some Y-fronts that they supplied me with.
Bombheads infatuation with Mrs C is his first big storyline. How are you finding it? Loving it! I really enjoyed the episodes that have gone out so far, and I’ve got a bit of feedback as well! A lot of people have stopped me and said it’s really funny and stuff like that. I think it’s a nice little storyline and I’m really enjoying it, and Kathyrn George, who plays Helen Cunningham is fantastic. I’ve learnt a lot from her, and Bernie Latham (Mr C) is brilliant as well. Its been fantastic working with those two because they’re old pro’s, but its brilliant working with Alex Carter and Jamie Luke as well because everyone here is fantastic to work with.
What have you made of the response from fans? So far, its all been really good, I might get some bad stuff along the way, but so far everything’s been good feedback. I don’t know if I can tell you this, but I was out clubbing a few weeks ago, and there were some lads at the other end of the bar going “Bombhead, Bombhead!” A few weeks ago, I went out again - I went into Leeds with my mate and a couple of lads recognised me (it was just the week after the Mrs Cunningham thing) and were singing “There’s only one Bombhead, one Bombhead”. It was a good laugh. It’s just nice when you get a bit of feedback like that, and a lot of lads who watch HOLLYOAKS tend to like my character as well.