HE might be a household name with a bursting acting CV under his belt, but Lee Mead has stayed loyal to his humble roots.

Despite a hectic life juggling a busy career with fatherhood, the 33 year-old star, from Rayleigh, makes sure he returns to his home town at least onceamonth to visit his parents.

He wants Betsy, his daughter with ex-wife Denise Van Outen, to enjoy the same trips to the beach he enjoyed when he was growing up.

Lee, a former Eastwood School pupil, is patron of the Mushroom Theatre Company, which recently opened a new state-of-the-art centre in Brook Road, Rayleigh, and he is determined to be as hands-on as his busy schedule allows.

He tries to pop along to the performing arts schools during his monthly visits to the area, and is close friends with Penni Bubb, founder of the company.

The pair first met when she was choreographing a school production of Grease nearly 20 years ago, and Lee cites her as one of the main inspirations which lead him to a career on stage and television He said: “I’ve got a lot of happy memories of doing shows organised by Penni. Acting was always just a hobby for me. It helped me build my confidence.

“I never saw it is a career, but Penni really encouraged me and I went professional at 18 or 19.”

Lee shot to fame in 2007 after winning the BBC series Any Dream Will Do, which saw him bag the lead role in West End musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

It was while taking part inAny Dream Will Do that Lee met and began dating Basildon-born presenter Denise Van Outen, 40, who is best known for being involved in the Big Breakfast in the Ninties and playing Rosie Hart in musical Chicago.

The couple married two years after they met and Betsy was born in May 2010.

Despite splitting up in summer 2013, they remain friends and share custody of their daughter, spending Christmas Day together as a family.

Lee spends most of the week in Cardiff filming hospital drama Casualty, after joining the cast as nurse Ben “Lofty” Chiltern at the beginning of last year.

He said: “It’s very different from the stage work I’m used to, but I’m really enjoying it. I play a great character, which I think is really important. I’ve just signed up to do another year.”

It is clear he cares about the success of the Mushroom Theatre Company, which offers performing arts opportunities for both able-bodied and disabled youngsters, and takes his role at patron seriously.

He said: “Places like this are so important. There is nowhere else around like it. It’s open to everyone and its a place where kids can just come to have fun.

“It takes someone very special to dedicate their life to helping others, and this is exactly what Penni has done with the Mushroom Theatre Company.

He also disagrees with conventional stage schools, and believes they should focus on youngsters having fun, gaining confidence and making new friends.

He added: “It is probably quite a controversial view, but I think stage schools often put too much pressure on children and them passing exams.”