Lee Mead
Lee Stephen Mead is an English musical theatre and television actor, best known for winning the title role in the 2007 West End revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat through the BBC TV casting show Any Dream Will Do. As well as subsequent West End roles in Wicked, and The West End Men, Mead has pursued a music career, releasing four solo albums and undertaking concert tours in the UK and Japan.
In 2014, he joined the cast of the BBC One drama Casualty, playing the role of Ben 'Lofty' Chiltern, while continuing to tour the UK with his band between filming commitments. He returned to the stage in May 2016 as Caractacus Potts in the UK Tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. In 2017, he returned to the role of Lofty, but in Casualty's sister series, the BBC One drama Holby City. On 9 November 2019 Lee sang Morning Has Broken at the Annual Remembrance Day celebration service at The Royal Albert Hall.
Early career
After studying at performing arts college, Mead gained his first professional stage experience in cabaret as a cruise ship singer on the Portsmouth to Bilbao ferry and then in a summer season at Bridlington Spa Theatre. He moved into musical theatre in 2004, playing both Levi and the Pharaoh in the UK touring production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Following Joseph, Mead performed in the UK tours of Tommy and Miss Saigon before joining the West End production of Phantom of the Opera as an ensemble player and understudy for the role of Raoul.Any Dream Will Do/Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
While performing in The Phantom of the Opera, Mead auditioned for the BBC series Any Dream Will Do, hoping to win a six-month contract playing Joseph in the 2007 West End revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. From 10,000 initial auditionees, Mead was selected as one of the final 12 potential 'Josephs' who performed live on TV every Saturday night to win the public's vote.Immediately after he won the final, a single featuring Mead, with fellow Any Dream Will Do finalists Lewis Bradley and Keith Jack, was released in aid of the BBC's annual Children In Need charity appeal. The single, featuring Any Dream Will Do and Close Every Door reached number 2 in the official UK singles chart.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat opened in the West End on 17 July 2007 to generally good reviews: "Lee Mead… turns out to be both talented and enthusiastic… what distinguishes him is an attractive singing voice and, coming from beneath hair that owes more to Uncle Esau than father Jacob, lots of affable charisma… last night’s audience seemed enchanted" wrote Benedict Nightingale in The Times.
"Mead is in excellent form vocally" wrote The Stage's Lisa Martland. His performance of Close Every Door, "encapsulating both tenderness and defiance", was a highlight for her.
After 600 performances in the role, Mead played Joseph for the last time on 10 January 2009.
Post-Joseph career
Following his successful run as Joseph in the West End, Mead took a short course at the famous Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York City before taking on his first major play in a UK tour of Lord Arthur Savile's Crime. The play, which was adapted by Trevor Baxter in the style of a tongue-in-cheek Victorian melodrama from a short story by Oscar Wilde, opened at the Theatre Royal Windsor on 12 January 2010 and finished at the Theatre Royal Bath on 24 April 2010. Mead led the cast playing the title role alongside established performers including Gary Wilmot, Kate O'Mara, David Ross and Derren Nesbitt.Mead went on to appear in the role of Fiyero in the London production of Wicked, from 10 May 2010 to 5 February 2011 opposite Rachel Tucker as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch Of the West and Louise Dearman as Galinda, the Good Witch. Mead was nominated for the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Takeover in a Role for this role.
Mead then took over the role of Emmett in Legally Blonde in the West End from 20 June to 8 October 2011. He made his television acting debut in August 2011, guest starring in an episode of Casualty on BBC One as newly employed teaching assistant Harry Timms He also appeared in the second series of the science fiction drama, Bedlam, in the episode entitled "Jude" playing Scott, the brother of the title character, on Sky Living in June 2012. In December 2012, he starred in his first pantomime as the title character "Jack" in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton alongside Julian Clary and Nigel Havers.
Mead returned to the West End in May 2013, starring in The West End Men in concert at the Vaudeville Theatre alongside Matt Willis, Glenn Carter, Stephen Rahman-Hughes and David Thaxton. In December 2013, he starred in his second pantomime as "Robin" in Robin Hood at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth.
On 1 March 2014, he made his first appearance as Ben "Lofty" Chiltern in the BBC drama series Casualty. Mead was nominated as Favourite Newcomer in the 2014 TV Times Awards and shortlisted as Newcomer in the 2015 National Television Awards for this role. Alongside Casualty, Mead is continuing to tour the UK with his band, starred in his third pantomime as "Prince Charming" in Cinderella at the New Theatre, Cardiff in December 2014 and stars in his fourth as "Aladdin" in Aladdin at the Hippodrome, Birmingham in December 2015.
In 2016, Mead left Casualty to join the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang UK Tour as "Caractacus Potts" and ended the year playing "Prince Charming" in Cinderella at the London Palladium in a production that saw the return of pantomime to the West End after a break of nearly 3 decades. In 2017, he joined sister-series Holby City, reprising his Casualty role. He remained as a series regular until his final episode aired on 17 December 2019.
Guest appearances
Mead has appeared as a guest artist at a range of concerts and events.| Date | Concert | Notes |
| 1 July 2007 | Concert for Diana | Performed at a concert in Wembley Stadium, London in honour of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, singing Any Dream Will Do with other former Josephs Donny Osmond and Jason Donovan. |
| 19 August 2007 | Andrew Lloyd Webber Gala | Performed Close Every Door and Any Dream Will Do in a gala concert recorded at the Mermaid Theatre in London for BBC Radio 2. |
| 16 November 2007 | Children in Need 2007 | Opened the Children in Need 2007 charity event by singing Any Dream Will Do |
| 25 November 2007 | Trillogy at the Movies | Performed at charity concert in Southend in aid of Children In Need. |
| 18 March 2008 | The Prince's Trust Celebrating Success Awards | Performed Any Dream Will Do and new single You and Me at an awards ceremony held in the Odeon Leicester Square. |
| 21 June 2008 | West End Live, London | Performed Close Every Door and Any Dream Will Do at West End Live, a free event held each year in Leicester Square, London to give the public a taster of a range of West End shows. |
| 17 August 2008 | Lyrics by Don Black | Performed Some Of Us Belong To The Stars from the musical Billy, and Love Changes Everything from Aspects of Love in a concert at the London Palladium to celebrate the work of lyricist, Don Black. |
| 14 September 2008 | Andrew Lloyd Webber 60th Birthday concert. | Performed four songs at Birthday In The Park in Hyde Park, London: Love Changes Everything and All I Ask of You; a duet from The Phantom of the Opera with Hayley Westenra; Close Every Door and Any Dream Will Do. |
| 5 October 2008 | Tribute to Ian Fleming | Performed From Russia with Love at a concert in the London Palladium in honour of the creator of James Bond. |
| 29 March 2009 | Australia Flood and Fire Benefit | Performed Nothing Else Matters from his second album at the Palace Theatre, London |
| 10 May 2009 | Rhydian Roberts Concert | Appeared as a guest star at Rhydian Roberts' concert in the Bristol Hippodrome, singing You Raise Me Up with Rhydian. |
| 17 September 2009 | TOG Chorus | Performed a duet of 'We All Stand Together' with Hayley Westenra and two solo numbers at an event organised by Terry Wogan fans in aid of Children In Need at Longleat. |
| 25 October 2009 | Helping the Heart of Music | Performed at Royal Albert Hall concert in aid of the PRS for Music Members Benevolent Fund, singing two Marc Bolan songs. |
| 24 November 2008 | An Audience with Tim Rice. | Performed six songs at this event in Monaco, including four solos: Any Dream Will Do"; Anthem from the musical Chess; A Winter's Tale;and Heaven on Their Minds from Jesus Christ Superstar as well as two duets, Can You Feel The Love Tonight and A Whole New World with Emma Munro-Wilson. |
| 10 December 2009 | Spirit of Christmas | Headlined concert at Lincoln Cathedral in aid of the Muscular Dystrophy campaign. |
| 21 December 2009 | Christmas with Hayley Westenra | Performed two solo numbers and two duets with Hayley Westenra, including their first live performance of 'When the Stars Go Blue' from Mead's second album, at the Barbican Centre. |
| 3 October 2010 | A Handful Of Songs: A Tribute to Lionel Bart | Performed at a BBC Radio 2 'Friday Night Is Music Night' concert at the Hackney Empire, singing two songs, 'From Russia With Love' and 'Do You Mind' by Lionel Bart. Broadcast 24 December 2010. |
| 10 October 2010 | Apollo Victoria's 80th Birthday Concert | Performed at concert celebrating the Apollo Victoria's 80-year history, singing 'Paint It Black' by The Rolling Stones, who performed there in 1961. |
| 4 March 2011 | Daniel Boys cabaret | Joined Boys to sing duet version of 'More Than Words' from Mead's second album. |
| 18 June 2011 | West End Live, London | Made his debut as Emmett from at West End Live 2011, a free annual event showcasing the best of London theatre, performing 'Chip On My Shoulder' with Carley Stenson as Elle |
| 28 June 2012 | Top That! A Tribute to Irving Berlin, Watford | Performed at a BBC Radio 2 'Friday Night Is Music Night' concert devoted to the songs of Irving Berlin at the Watford Colosseum. Broadcast 7 September 2012. |
| 6 July 2012 | Olympic Torch Relay Event | Performed a new song, 'Gold' especially composed for the occasion at Sparks Will Fly, an Olympic Torch Relay event in Chelmsford. |
| 25 November 2013 | The Salvation Army Christmas Concert | Performed 'Bring Him Home' and 'Blue Christmas' at this annual Christmas Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London. |
| 29 March 2014 | Stephen Rahman-Hughes cabaret | Sang 'Father and Son' and two duets with Rahman-Hughes, 'Luck Be a Lady' and 'I Believe '. |
| 5 April 2014 | ISS Choral Spectactular | Guest at The Salvation Army International Staff Songsters Choral Spectacular at Regent Hall, London. |
| 11 July 2014 | Stephen Rahman-Hughes cabaret | Sang three numbers at The Pheasantry, London. |
| 28 August 2014 | Daniel Boys cabaret | Mead joined Boys in an unusual all-male duet of 'As Long As You're Mine' from Wicked. |
| 12 October 2014 | Gala Spectacular | Performed three songs at Bobby Davro's charity concert in aid of Woking & Sam Beare Hospices at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking. |
| 10 May 2015 | Let's Hear It for the Boys | Performed at charity concert hosted by Louise Dearman in aid of Alzheimer's Society. |
| 7 June 2015 | In Harmony with your Gut | Performed at charity concert in aid of Crohn's and Colitis UK and the St Mark's Hospital Foundation at St Paul's, Covent Garden, London. |
| 18 October 2015 | Brian McCann 40..15! Cabaret | Mead joined an impressive line-up of West End talent to sing at this cabaret at The Phoenix Artist Club, London. |
| 8 December 2015 | Christmas with the Stars | Performed two songs at the annual charity concert in aid of Bloodwise at the Royal Albert Hall, London. |
| 25 February 2016 | Music of the Movies | Performed a number of songs from his new album, released the same day, and Pure Imagination accompanied by a massed children's choir at this annual event in aid of youth charity Hybu at the Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. |
| 30 June 2017 | Don't Stop Us Now! | Co-hosted and performed three songs at this 10th anniversary event in aid of youth charity Hybu at the Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. |
| 3 September 2017 | Sennybridge Show Concert | Joins Rhydian and others to perform at the annual Sennybridge Show Concert at Sennybridge, Brecon. |
Concerts
UK and Ireland
Mead undertook his first solo concert in his home town of Southend in May 2010 and continued to tour the UK and Ireland during 2010 and 2011 with his own band. A second tour, The Love Tour, followed in February 2012 to coincide with the release of his third album, Love Songs. In the summer of 2012, Mead joined forces with Stephen Rahman-Hughes and Matt Rawle to tour as the , supported by special guest, Kerry Ellis. A further short tour with the West End Men followed in November 2012 with Ramin Karimloo replacing Matt Rawle in the line-up. Mead also starred in a month-long run of the West End Men from May to June 2013 at the Vaudeville Theatre in London.Mead completed further UK solo tours in the autumn of 2013 and in 2014 then in 2015, announced a new collaboration with Stephen Rahman-Hughes to form duo, Steve and Lee, their show Both Sides Now debuted in October of that year. Mead's new Some Enchanted Evening tour kicked off in July 2015, followed by the launch of his new album of the same name in February 2016, which is marked by a series of intimate London gigs with further UK-wide tour dates announced for March and October 2016. In November 2016, he joined other West End stars for two Broadway in Concert dates and a further Both Sides Now show with Stephen Rahman-Hughes. Mead has announced a monthly Up Front and Centre residency at London's Pheasantry throughout 2017, the first of its kind for the Chelsea cabaret venue.
| Year | Tour | Venues and dates |
| 2010/11 | An Evening With Lee Mead | 2010 dates: Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea ; The Anvil, Basingstoke ; Alban Arena, St Albans ; Embassy Theatre, Skegness ; Grimsby Auditorium, Grimsby ; Opera House, Buxton ; Town Hall, Leeds ; Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury ; New Wimbledon Theatre, London ; Derngate Theatre, Northampton ; Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham and Coliseum Theatre, London. 2011 dates: Mayflower Theatre, Southampton ; Hawth Theatre, Crawley ; The Sage, Gateshead ; Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham ; De Montfort Hall, Leicester ; Venue Cymru, Llandudno ; ending in Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff. Following the tour, there were further solo concerts in National Concert Hall, Dublin with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra; Kilworth House Theatre, Kilworth ; The Forum, Bath and Barbican Hall, London. |
| 2012 | The Love Tour | Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth ; Bridgewater Hall, Manchester ; Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea ; St David's Hall, Cardiff ; Colston Hall, Bristol ; Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool ; Symphony Hall, Birmingham. A further concert, 'An Evening With Lee Mead' was held at the Assembly Hall, Worthing. |
| 2012/13 | West End Men | Fort Regent, Jersey ; G Live, Guildford ; Beau Sejour, Guernsey ; Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow ; The Sage, Gateshead and De Montfort Hall, Leicester and Vaudeville Theatre, London. |
| 2013/14 | Lee Mead in Concert | 2013 dates: The Pheasantry, London ; Villa Marina, Isle of Man ; Forum 28, Barrow in Furness ; Shanklin Theatre, Isle of Wight ; The Platform, Morecambe ; Camberley Theatre, Camberley ; Civic Hall, Bedworth ; and Town Hall, Cheltenham. 2014 dates: Sherman Cymru, Cardiff ; Queen's Theatre, Barnstaple ; Octagon Theatre, Yeovil ; Beck Theatre, Hayes ; The Capitol, Horsham ; G Live, Guildford ; Theatr Hafren, Newtown ; Cliffs Pavilion, Southend ; Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Aberystwyth ; Wycombe Swan Theatre, High Wycombe ; West Cliff Theatre, Clacton ; and Garrick Theatre, London. |
| 2015 | Steve and Lee - Both Sides Now | The Pheasantry, London ; The Capitol, Horsham. |
| 2015/16 | Some Enchanted Evening | 2015 dates: The Pheasantry, London ; Civic Hall, Bedworth ; Shanklin Theatre, Isle of Wight ; West Cliff Theatre, Clacton ; Camberley Theatre, Camberley ; The Apex, Bury St Edmunds ; Queen's Theatre, Barnstaple ; Octagon Theatre, Yeovil ; Theatre Royal, Winchester ; Lichfield Garrick Theatre, Lichfield ; and Garrick Theatre, London. 2016 dates: The Pheasantry, London ; The Playhouse, Weston-super-Mare ; Lighthouse Theatre, Kettering ; The Lighthouse, Poole ; Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa ; City Varieties Music Hall, Leeds ; Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl ; Marina Theatre, Lowestoft ; Embassy Theatre, Skegness ; Pomegranate Theatre, Chesterfield ; Brewhouse Theatre, Taunton ; Town Hall, Cheltenham ; Oakengates Theatre, Telford ; New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth ; Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells and Cliffs Pavilion, Southend. |
| 2016 | Broadway in Concert | Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff ; London Palladium, London. |
| 2016 | Steve and Lee - Both Sides Now | Hippodrome Casino, London. |
| 2017 | Up Front and Centre | The Pheasantry, London ; Princess Alexandra Auditorium, Yarm School Stockton-on-Tees. |
| 2017 | The Glamis Prom | Glamis Castle, Forfar. |
| 2018 | Lee Mead - 10 Years - The Anniversary Tour | Corn Exchange, Newbury ; The Stables, Milton Keynes ; Drill Hall, Lincoln ; The Lowry, Salford Quays ; The Woodville, Gravesend ; The Capitol, Horsham ; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury ; Lowther Pavilion, Lytham St Anne's ; The Spotlight, Hoddesdon ; Riverfront Arts Centre, Newport ; Festival Theatre, Malvern ; Regal Theatre, Redruth ; Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne Minster ; Royal Hippodrome Theatre, Eastbourne ; The Plaza, Stockport ; Town Hall, Loughborough ; Epsom Playhouse, Epsom ; Medina Theatre, Newport Isle of Wight ; Octagon Theatre, Yeovil ; Theatre Royal, Winchester ; Palace Theatre, Newark-on-Trent ; Castle Theatre, Wellingborough ; Palace Theatre, Redditch ; Corn Exchange, King's Lynn ; West Cliff Theatre, Clacton-on-Sea ; Palace Theatre, Southend-on-Sea. |
Japan
Mead completed his first international concert tour of Japan in December 2011.| Year | Tour | Venues and dates |
| 2011 | Tomomi Nishimoto Christmas Adagio | Mead toured Japan in December 2011 in concert with Sojung Lee also a vocalist. Civic Cultural Centre Muse, Tokorozawa ; Suntory Hall, Minato-ku, Tokyo ; Mihara Performing Arts Centre "Popolo", Hiroshima ; Aichi Prefectural Arts Theatre, Nagoya ; The Symphony Hall, Osaka ; Alpha Anabuki Hall, Kagawa ; Minato Mirai Hall, Yokohama ; Sapporo Concert Hall Kitara, Sapporo ; City Cultural Hall, Aomori ; Opera City Concert Hall, Tokyo |
Discography
Albums
Singles
Awards
Personal life
Mead was born in Southend-on-Sea to Joan and Stephen Mead. He has one brother, Casey Michael Mead, who is four years younger.In November 2007, Mead began dating Any Dream Will Do judge Denise van Outen. The couple married on 25 April 2009 and their daughter was born on 1 May 2010. In July 2013, the couple released a joint statement stating that they had split but remained good friends.
Charity
Mead is patron of The Mushroom Theatre Company's charity Equal People which is based in Rayleigh, Essex and aims to bring able-bodied and disabled people together to socialise and perform.He also was ambassador of Vodafone's 2008 Cut It Out Campaign in 2008 which aimed to reduce bullying. The campaign worked alongside the West End stage production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Children were invited to design their own 'dreamcoat' and the winning entries were then worn on stage by Mead during Anti-Bullying week.