Larry Lamb is probably currently best known for his two year stint in “Eastenders” as the villainous Archie Mitchell, murdered at the end of last year during a typically cheery Walford Christmas. The actor, who says he has been “banging around for 30 years” is now back working in the theatre, currently in rehearsals for a new production of “Educating Rita” and says that while he enjoyed his time on the show, he’s glad to be back doing his own thing.
“The turnover, the scene after scene after scene in that factory,” he told The Guardian. “You’re churning that stuff out, some of which can be really testing. So yes, it’s interesting to come back to something like this that you can really focus on.” That said, Lamb is grateful for “Eastenders” and “Gavin and Frank”, both of which have raised his profile in the industry. “The fact that I was in those shows probably has a lot to do with my getting the part of Frank (in “Rita”),” he admits. “”Eastenders” gives you a huge, weird amount of fame, but then you leave and the spotlight dims. But if it bumps you up the ladder a bit, and you become much more commercially interesting to producers, then thank you very much.”
He’s not sorry to have moved on, however. “I had settled in to “Eastenders”,” he admits, “because it becomes your job. I think if they’d asked me, I’d have stayed on, but I don’t think that would have been a wise decision… It’s an amazing show to be involved in, but now it feels natural for me to go back to what led me there.”
