Lee Otway
Encyclopedia
Lee Otway is an English actor best known for his role as David "Bombhead" Burke in the British television drama Hollyoaks
.
A keen singer, Otway has also appeared in Stars in Their Eyes
and Abbamania 2 and was a contestant in the ITV
reality singing competition Soapstar Superstar
. In 2006 he featured in reality TV show Love Island
.
-based soap Hollyoaks
in 2001 as the best friend of Lee Hunter. His character, Bombhead, was an eccentric character who dabbled in various careers, including a magician, a chef
and a priest
, before leaving in 2005 to join the circus
with his recently-discovered father, who was a clown
.
In 2004, he was nominated for the Best Actor award at the National Television awards, as well as being nominated for a host of well respected categories at the 2005 British Soap Awards.
Otway previously appeared in another top-rated British drama Heartbeat.
(April 2008) He is currently his feature film debut Breathe
opposite Zara Dawson
and Ricci Harnett
.
It was announced in March 2008 that he will be starring in a new British film Mixed Up alongside Adele Silva
, Billy Murray
and Terry Stone. Mixed Up is Executive Produced by Martin Kemp
on Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes
and won the competition, and in 2006 did extremely well in the television competition Soapstar Superstar
due to his large fanbase with £45,000 being made from his votelines. Some said his performance of Richard Marx
's hit Right Here Waiting
was almost as good as the original. Otway has said he would not mind having a career as a professional singer, and is currently recording songs with mentions of a record deal in the pipeline.
In 2006, Otway appeared on ITV's show, Love Island
. Where he fell for ex-playboy bunny Colleen Shannon. Upon rejection from the model, Lee had an embarrassing tantrum on live television. This culminated in a rather amusing outburst in the beach hut. The reason for his outburst was that he had "invested feelings" in Colleen thus making him say "I feel awful".
A keen charity supporter, he recently ran for Sport Relief.
Shared a flat with Chris Brosnan, son of actor Pearce Brosnan
He currently runs a drama school called Screenworks in Mansfield and Chesterfield with Marc Jordan.
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
.
A keen singer, Otway has also appeared in Stars in Their Eyes
Stars In Their Eyes
Stars in Their Eyes is a British television talent show that ran on Saturdays nights from 21 July 1990 until 23 December 2006 in which contestants impersonate showbiz stars...
and Abbamania 2 and was a contestant in the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
reality singing competition Soapstar Superstar
Soapstar Superstar
Soapstar Superstar was a reality singing competition produced by Granada Television which first aired on British television station ITV in 2006. In the competition, ten soap opera actors perform in front of a celebrity panel, which included Cilla Black, Billy Sammeth and Chris Cowey...
. In 2006 he featured in reality TV show Love Island
Love Island
Love Island was a daily British reality television programme. In the show, twelve single celebrities spent five weeks on an island in Fiji. Viewers would vote for the couple they would like to see in the "love shack" where the two would get to know one another better...
.
Acting career
Otway joined the cast of ChesterChester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
-based soap Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
in 2001 as the best friend of Lee Hunter. His character, Bombhead, was an eccentric character who dabbled in various careers, including a magician, a chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
and a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, before leaving in 2005 to join the circus
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
with his recently-discovered father, who was a clown
Clown
Clowns are comic performers stereotypically characterized by the grotesque image of the circus clown's colored wigs, stylistic makeup, outlandish costumes, unusually large footwear, and red nose, which evolved to project their actions to large audiences. Other less grotesque styles have also...
.
In 2004, he was nominated for the Best Actor award at the National Television awards, as well as being nominated for a host of well respected categories at the 2005 British Soap Awards.
Otway previously appeared in another top-rated British drama Heartbeat.
(April 2008) He is currently his feature film debut Breathe
Breathe (film)
Breathe is a 2009 British independent film directed by Nicholas Winter and starring Ricci Harnett, Zara Dawson, Lee Otway and Jing Lusi. The film was shot on location in London and Somerset in 2007, and debuted at the Genesis Cinema in London in 2009...
opposite Zara Dawson
Zara Dawson
Zara Dawson is an English actress and television presenter.-Career:Her most high-profile television roles to date include Down to Earth , Holby City, Doctors, Mike Bassett: Manager and Family Affairs, in which she played Eve O'...
and Ricci Harnett
Ricci Harnett
Ricci Harnett is an English actor, best known for his role as Carlton Leach in the film Rise of the Footsoldier. He debuted in 1991 in The Object of Beauty alongside John Malkovich. He has also appeared in the film 28 Days Later as Corporal Mitchell...
.
It was announced in March 2008 that he will be starring in a new British film Mixed Up alongside Adele Silva
Adele Silva
Adele Silva is an English actress and television personality who has been on stage and television since she was a young girl. She is best known for playing the role of Kelly Windsor in the television soap opera Emmerdale....
, Billy Murray
Billy Murray (actor)
Billy Murray is an English actor, best known for playing Don Beech in The Bill from 1995 to 2004, Johnny Allen in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 2005 to 2006, Captain John Price in the video games Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare...
and Terry Stone. Mixed Up is Executive Produced by Martin Kemp
Reality TV career
Otway also has a background in singing. He has toured the U.K in Andrew lloyd Webbers' 'Evita'. He performed as Richard MarxRichard Marx
Richard Noel Marx is an American adult contemporary and pop/rock singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He had a string of hit singles in the late 1980s and 1990s, including "Endless Summer Nights", "Right Here Waiting", "Now and Forever", and "Hazard"...
on Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes
Stars In Their Eyes
Stars in Their Eyes is a British television talent show that ran on Saturdays nights from 21 July 1990 until 23 December 2006 in which contestants impersonate showbiz stars...
and won the competition, and in 2006 did extremely well in the television competition Soapstar Superstar
Soapstar Superstar
Soapstar Superstar was a reality singing competition produced by Granada Television which first aired on British television station ITV in 2006. In the competition, ten soap opera actors perform in front of a celebrity panel, which included Cilla Black, Billy Sammeth and Chris Cowey...
due to his large fanbase with £45,000 being made from his votelines. Some said his performance of Richard Marx
Richard Marx
Richard Noel Marx is an American adult contemporary and pop/rock singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He had a string of hit singles in the late 1980s and 1990s, including "Endless Summer Nights", "Right Here Waiting", "Now and Forever", and "Hazard"...
's hit Right Here Waiting
Right Here Waiting
"Right Here Waiting" is a ballad recorded by Richard Marx on his second album, Repeat Offender. "Right Here Waiting" hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100, the 700th song to do so. It also peaked at #2 in the United Kingdom.-Background and writing:...
was almost as good as the original. Otway has said he would not mind having a career as a professional singer, and is currently recording songs with mentions of a record deal in the pipeline.
In 2006, Otway appeared on ITV's show, Love Island
Love Island
Love Island was a daily British reality television programme. In the show, twelve single celebrities spent five weeks on an island in Fiji. Viewers would vote for the couple they would like to see in the "love shack" where the two would get to know one another better...
. Where he fell for ex-playboy bunny Colleen Shannon. Upon rejection from the model, Lee had an embarrassing tantrum on live television. This culminated in a rather amusing outburst in the beach hut. The reason for his outburst was that he had "invested feelings" in Colleen thus making him say "I feel awful".
Personal life
Otway currently lives in Sheffield.A keen charity supporter, he recently ran for Sport Relief.
Shared a flat with Chris Brosnan, son of actor Pearce Brosnan
He currently runs a drama school called Screenworks in Mansfield and Chesterfield with Marc Jordan.