What would it be like if a banker-turned-actor mocks

the establishment that he was once part of in a new radio play? It would be like BBC Radio 4’s The Prime Morrister. A thoughtful yet charismatic actor is sitting in the corner of a bourgeois restaurant, wearing a brightly-coloured scarf on a chilly Spring day. Terry Lee has come to see us for a cuppa and a chat about his new role, playing the incompetent Prime Minister, Morris Lloyd-Jones, in Radio 4’s The Prime Morrister. The 40-year-

old actor is hotly-tipped - but he wouldn’t let you know it. “I don’t read reviews, it keeps me down-to-earth”, he responded when I asked him about the hype. After a career change from working in the city and graduating from The Bristol Old Vic 3 years ago, Lee played a number of small roles in independent films. He is now cutting his acting teeth in radio

plays. “My friends find it hilarious that I’m on Radio 4!”, he admitted.

“Radio 4 is cool. I love the freedom that radio brings. It allows you to experiment. Plus you don’t have to worry about how you look!”, he joked. On the future of the humble

radio play, Lee said “It feels like there’s a mini-renaissance of radio plays because of the iPlayer and podcasts - you can listen whenever

and wherever you want now.” Lee got the role after receiving the script from director Laurence Scott who has previously worked on productions such as The Archers. “Laurence is a fantastic director. It was a bit odd being cast as someone who is as incompetent as Morris Lloyd-Jones though”, Lee said with a smile. “Morris is odd because he clearly has a human side too. It’s true that politicians are people too, I guess”. Lee had clearly understood something of what it is like to be a politician from his latest role, so how did he get inside

the head of the most powerful person in the country? “I spoke to a number of MPs about life as an MP. The great thing about the character is that it is easy to imagine someone like him as a politician”, said Lee. The first episode of The Prime Morrister features Lee’s character holding a mobility scooter race and rapping down a megaphone to voters. “I don’t think I’ll cut it as a rap star but it was good fun”, Lee added. He is coy about what all this is about but he does let slip that the rest of the series follows Morris Lloyd-Jones on the campaign trail for a

general election. As for Lee’s future, he has already been cast for Alan Partridge’s film outing Alpha Papa, due out later this year. Lee jokes that he appreciates the irony of working on the film and having been in a radio play. “Working with Steve Coogan is my career highlight so far”, Lee said. The first episode of The Prime Morrister airs this Wednesday (April 24th) on BBC Radio 4 at 1900. We’ve heard the first episode and it’s a bit like The Think Of It but with less swearing... how very middle class.

“RADIO 4 IS COOL”

RADIO TIMES APRIL 2013 ISSUE

Pictured: Terry Lee as Morris Lloyd-Jones in his office.

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by Laurence Scott

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