One evening, one office party, one person you never wanted there in the first place. Set in present day London and starring the gorgeous Lee Ryan, former member of Blue, The Pretender Agenda reveals the secrets that lurk beneath the respectable façade of the workplace. Everything they knew about their life, work and relationships is in question as the worlds of seven individuals unravel. Who is holding all the cards? Who will be at work Monday morning?
Here, Lee talks to GaydarRadio's Neil and Debbie about his new role, making music, Elton John and going down the yellow brick road!
Lee, you are very fit, I have to say!
Oh, thank you.
Did you get this sort of stuff when you worked with Elton John?
Yeah, he was always saying to me, “Lee, when are you going to, you know...”
Go down the yellow brick road?
Exactly! No, I love Elton, he's great.
Was he quite cheeky with you, then?
Yeah, always! He's always staying stuff like that and I'd just say, “Oh, shut up Elton!”
I've seen you on numerous TV shows and you're very flirty, Lee. You've got the flirt gene in your body.
I'm a bit cheeky, I suppose. I think that's better than being boring. I'm getting embarrassed now!
Do you think fame has changed you a lot as a person or have you always been a kind of regular cheeky chappy?
I've always been like this. I mean, I was always like it at school. I've always been the joker. I suppose that's what got me on in this industry – I don't think you can really be a normal sort of person in this industry. I think you have to have something. It's such a crazy world that you've got to be a crazy person to live in it, I think.
Did you always have the ambition to go from singing to acting?
I never wanted to be a singer – it's really weird! I always wanted to be an actor. I mean, I loved singing because I was brought up with it, but I loved acting. I wrote my first script when I was about 15 years old. I was into writing films and all that, and I've carried on doing that through my career. I've written about four screenplays. It's just something I love. I love film and I love telling stories. Everything that comes out of my mouth is just a story.
You went to stage school, didn't you?
Yeah, I did. All jazz hands and stuff. I loved the acting, but I hated doing anything else, like dancing.
"I'm a bit cheeky, I suppose. I think that's better than being boring. I'm getting embarrassed now!"
It must have come in handy, though, when you were in Blue?
It did, but I never liked dancing in Blue, either. I think I was scarred from when I was younger. When I did ballet classes, they told me to put the tights on and the leotard over the top instead of the other way round, which is the boy's way. So when I took my shorts down in front of the whole class, I had it on like the girls! Everyone burst out laughing and I think it scarred me.
Would you wear a leotard now?
Yeah! You know, I might be doing something in the future that might involve a leotard.
So have you got be all serious in this play of yours?
No, I don't. That's the one thing I love about it. The whole play's quite funny, but there're two parts and mine is one of the parts that has all the quick one liners. I'm quite happy about that.
So you're at the New Players Theatre in a play called Pretender Agenda – what is it about?
It's about relationships between people in an office who work together and a lot develops over the evening. I think it's a cross between Friends and The Office – it's got that sort of vibe to it.
Is it set during an office day or is it like an office party or something?
It's an office party in the evening. All this stuff unravels and there're twists and turns – it's good!
Who do you play?
I play a character called Stuart and he's one of those people who thinks he's trendy but he's not.
Is it like you in real life?
Yeah, totally! I haven't got a clue!
So what happens after the play? Are you still doing the music?
Yeah, I'm doing some more music.
I have to say, you've got the most incredible voice. When did you discover that you've got that voice?
I was always singing when I was younger – I've been brought up with it. It was just one of those things, you know? I was brought up in a really musical family and my mum was very much into all the old Motown and stuff like that. I was brought up with Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. Elton John was a big influence in my life. It's crazy – when I was younger, I said to my mum, “I'd love to sing with Elton John one day”. And then, when I got older, that dream actually came true.
"I love Elton's talent...As a person, he's so lovely and he's always shown me so much support. He's like my show biz queen dad."
Can you remember the first moment you met him? Was it at the first recording?
Yeah, I walked into the studio with the rest of Blue and he was standing there and I was just in shock that this was happening. It was quite a pinnacle moment in my career. He's amazing. I love Elton.
What's the best thing about him?
I love Elton's talent. You know, what he's achieved. As a person, he's so lovely and he's always shown me so much support. He's like my show biz queen dad.
So you're going back to the music? Is there going to be a new album?
Yes, I'm going to be doing a new album next year. I've been working on loads of different styles. I went through a big process and now I'm at a place I'm happy with. Now I've got more of a direction. I want to do more of that Bruce Springsteen type of music – rock-ey, but soul-ey rock. I love my rock ballads. I can belt a rock ballad.
Sources : LEEUKBASECREW & Flee
why are you sayin' that?
