‘I knew how play PAIN'

Les Dennis tells TV Times how his own health issues helped h im relate to his latest cha racter

- Tess Lamacraft

MOVING ON NEW MON-FRI / BBC1 / TIMES VARY / EPS 1-5 of 5 / DRAMA

Three years ago, Les Dennis got a wake-up call when blood tests revealed he was prediabetic. At high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a lifelong condition, the popular actor, entertainer and comedian decided to completely overhaul his lifestyle and managed to reverse the diagnosis.

‘I was 64 and knew I needed to sort myself out,’ says Les, who this week stars in an episode of Jimmy McGovern’s acclaimed BBC1 daytime drama anthology Moving On as it returns for a 12th series. ‘It’s why I could relate to what my character in this is going through.’

Here, in an exclusive interview, a typically candid Les, 67, tells TV Times more…

In Wednesday’s episode, Get Fit or Try Lying, you play Joe –how would you describe him?

He’s a bit disillusioned, he’s divorced from his ex-wife, Laura [former Emmerdale star Kelli Hollis], recently retired and has chronic arthritis that makes moving difficult. Joe has clearly done well in his life and has got a nice house and things, but his entire focus now is on going to the rugby club with his three mates for beers, pie night, steak night and fish-and-chips night!

How does Joe feel when his daughter, Casey (played by Atomic Kitten singer Liz McClarnon), buys him sessions with a personal trainer for his 65th birthday?