Selling his serious side

Bradley Walsh took on board his parents' advice not to put all his eggs in one basket as far as his career was concerned. That must account for the way his working life has zigzagged from jet engineer to professional footballer, stand-up comic, game show host, novelist and now serious actor.

He played an abusive parent in the first episode of ITV's detective series MIT and has another dramatic role, in a new series called Murder Squad, awaiting screening.

Now the former Wheel Of Fortune and Lottery show presenter has a leading role in one of the current season of pilots in Tyne Tees Television's series The Hothouse.

In Reps - being shown next month - he plays the manager of a kitchens company who lives by the motto "Everybody in this world has a price" and instils that creed into the young reps he employs.

The comedy-drama was directed by Andy Ross, from Sunderland, whose screenplay was based on his own experience working as a kitchen sales rep.

"I liked the script, it was very funny and quite dark in a way," explains Walsh.

"The guy I play, Terry Arnold, makes a young lady his protg. He's quite a devious character who believes there's a science to selling. He's like the Frankenstein of kitchen sales."

He says it was great coming up to film in Newcastle, which he's visited previously as the support act for stars including Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones. "The other actors who come from the area took me out a couple of nights for a drink and a bite to eat on the Quayside," he says.

Straight acting has always been an ambition, and the current lull in demand on TV for comedians gives him the space to pursue that desire.

"I always had my heart set on acting. It's nice to take a sabbatical away from TV light entertainment while it finds its feet again," he says.

"There's not a great deal going on for me. While that's happening, it's nice to be asked to do some serious acting."

Reaction to his role in MIT was excellent, he says, with "some lovely reviews and smashing comments".

He admits that straight acting is new to him and isn't afraid to ask for help. "I had no idea how to play that man. I had to ask for direction. I've always been told, 'if in doubt, ask'," he recalls.

"I asked the producers, writer, director and other actors how to approach it because you can't legislate for parts like that."

By trade, Walsh is a jet engineer who used to build helicopter engines. Taking to heart his parents' advice regarding eggs and baskets paid off when injury ended his career as a professional footballer with Brentford.

He was always larking around in the dressing room and getting told off for messing around, so a move into comedy seemed natural enough. Presenting Wheel Of Fortune, The Midas Touch and National Lottery shows saw him widening his range.

In October, Walsh goes on the road with another TV show, taking over the Matthew Kelly role of presenter of Stars In Their Eyes Live. Previous winners will appear in the stage version with the audience voting on what they sing and with whom they should team up to perform. There's also a Star Kids talent show for the under-16s.

"We tried it out in South Wales with hardly any advertising and 700 people turned up," he says.

He also became an author after his wife suggested Walsh should write a football book for their five-year-old son Barnaby. That led to a commercial project in which parents can have the book personalised with their child's name and details.

Walsh's company has a deal with Clinton Cards to sell the book, and he says they're the leaders in this type of book.

Personalising the book means that, in the story, the child who's given the book scores the winning goal in the Cup final. And Walsh's own footballing days aren't over entirely - he plays for Rod Stewart's team, the Vagabonds, in Surrey.

* Reps is showing in The Hothouse season on Tyne Tees Television on September 4 at 10.30pm.

* Stars In Their Eyes Live is at Newcastle Opera House on October 1. Tickets 0191-232 0899.

Published: 23/08/2003