Career Cold Feet

Cold Feet - Lee (2003)

In the final series of the BBC drama, Cold Feet, Richard Armitage appears as Lee Preston, a flirtatious swimming instructor. That was the year the series won the British Comedy Awards for Best Comedy Drama and Best Writer of the Year for Max Bullen. (Wikipedia)

He spends most of his time trying to seduce sexy Spanish nanny Ramona (Jacey Salles) and running around in skimpy swimming trunks.
("The TV script said I had a perfect six-pack ... so I had to work out", Sunday Mirror, Aug 25, 2002, Louise
Hancock)

When they handed me the script at the door, the first thing I saw was 'and he took off his top to reveal perfect abs'. I spent the whole time in agony, convinced they were going to make me strip and throw me out the door. ("The TV script said I had a perfect six-pack ... so I had to work out", Sunday Mirror, Aug 25, 2002, Louise
Hancock)

Look, I've been working out every day since I got this role - can you tell?
("The TV script said I had a perfect six-pack.. so I had to work out", Sunday Mirror, Aug 25, 2002 by Louise Hancock)

Production details

Cast
Helen Baxendale - Rachel Bradley
James Nesbitt - Adam Williams
John Thomson - Pete Gifford
Fay Ripley - Jenny Gifford
Robert Bathurst - David Marsden
Hermione Norris - Karen Marsden
Jacey Salles - Ramona Ramirez
Richard Armitage - Lee Preston

Writer
Mike Bullen

Directors
Simon Delaney
Ciaran Donnelly
Tim Sullivan

Producers
Spencer Campbell
Andy Harries

One of my earliest memories is of falling into my neighbour's pond in my pushchair. I was under the water for quite a while. Ever since, I've had a problem with deep, dark water. ("The World According To ... Richard Armitage", Independent, The (London), Dec 2, 2004)

When I saw that he was a swimming instructor I sort of thought, ‘well OK, I’ve got to get over the fear. ... So I went and did some research in a swimming pool with loads of pregnant women. ... It was kind of entertaining. But I didn’t actually get in the water. ... I kind of stood on the edge sort of, you know, strutting around. I didn’t actually have to swim or dive. (Interview on BBC Radio 2, Matthew Wright, March 16, 2005)

The first shot of my first scene was of me lying on top of Jacey. I had only met the girl 10 minutes earlier. Even I normally take longer than that to get a result. ("The TV script said I had a perfect six-pack ... so I had to work out", Sunday Mirror, Aug 25, 2002 by Louise Hancock)

The dvds of the series may be purchased at:

Amazon.com (region 1)
Amazon.co.uk (region 2)
ABC shop online (region 4)