Lee Otway has come a long way since his Hollyoaks days. The 35-year-old actor, who found fame playing Bombhead in the Channel 4 soap – looks almost unrecognisable since his time on the show, having packed on the muscle for a new stage play. Speaking to Inside Soap about his new bulked-up appearance, Lee said: "I was cast in a play, and the character had been written as being quite buff. I wanted to do a decent job, so I realised I was going to have to get off my backside and get into shape. I wanted to do the character justice."
Lee Otway has undergone a dramatic transformation since his Hollyoaks days. Photo by Jamie Booth Photography
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Lee has since opened up to the Mirror about his new health regime, revealing he now eats five meals a day, works out up to five times a week and has given up alcohol. "Six months ago, I noticed I was out of shape and unfit. Even just climbing the stairs I'd be out of breath," he said. "I cut out alcohol, and underwent a training plan with a personal trainer. I wasn't eating enough, and when I was, it was usually a takeaway or something convenient. Gone were the takeaways and beers, replaced by protein shakes, smoothies, and five high-protein, balanced-carb meals a day. I train four to five times a week and usually have a cheat day on a Saturday when I treat myself to a takeaway."
Lee pictured with his model girlfriend Aimee Marie Higham
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Since leaving Hollyoaks, Lee has made a number of appearances on TV, notably starring as Ben West in BBC drama The Syndicate. He is also a talented singer, having stormed to victory in Celebrity Stars in their Eyes. In 2015 he formed a band called Diversify, and the group travels the country performing covers of popular songs from the likes of One Direction and Bruno Mars in pubs and clubs. Lee also has a master's degree in film production and received a Royal Television Society nomination for his work directing his master's film.