Les Dennis is taking on the starring role in the West End production of Spamalot. He tells Amie Mulderrig that good fortune has finally come his way again

For more than a decade he was one of the main faces of primetime television, keeping audiences entertained on Family Fortunes. 
Folk across the country sat enthralled on the sofa, cuppa in hand, as Les Dennis pitted contestants against 100 surveyed strangers and a rival family.
“Name a type of ache“ he’d cry, as the clock counted down. “Fillet-of-fish“, replied one perplexed contender, his dreams of owning that week’s star prize, a silver family saloon and three grand, quickly disappearing.
But when it comes to asking Les Dennis questions, he’s a little less forthcoming about giving answers.
“I’m here to talk about my current project and not the past,“ he says bluntly. “I think we’re just here to talk about that, so instead of going deep into the past and all that stuff I’d rather we stick with what I’m doing now.“
For a man who has laid bare his private life, it’s a surprising retort, but a regular motif particularly when questioned about witnessing the death of Tommy Cooper on stage and his very public meltdown on Celebrity Big Brother.
The Liverpool-born personality will just  talk about his first foray into showbiz:  “it happened through performing, at the working men’s clubs as a kid“.
And questions delving into the contents of his autobiography, which details his tumultuous relationship with Amanda Holden, are neatly dodged: “When it came to my book, I wanted to show my life, warts and all.“
What Les will talk animatedly about however, is Spamalot, which he is currently starring in as King Arthur.
“It’s a dream come true,“ he enthuses in his softened Scouse accent. “I’m a massive Monty Python fan, I watched their shows avidly as a kid growing up. Holy Grail was a really brilliant, ground-breaking film and so it’s great to be part of Spamalot, which is based on that film.
“It’s going great at the moment, it’s being really well received and it’s a great company to be part of. The audience come in and they know the routines, so they relish and look forward to seeing the scenes from the film on stage.
“I was only asked ten days before the weekend before rehearsals to join the show, so that’s been my preparation. But I’m not out of my comfort zone, I’ve been in musicals before.
“It’s like jumping on a steam train, being the only new member of the cast, but it’s a brilliant way of spending the evening.
“I remember when the show came out I kept saying I’m going to go see that, but instead I’ve become part of it.“
After winning ITV’s New Faces in 1974, Les can boast a career spanning almost 40 years. A quick glimpse at his CV and you’ll see it contains a varied body of work – from Russ Abbot’s Madhouse to The Bill, Brookside and Holby City.
When his former wife Amanda Holden publicly cheated on him in 2000 with Men Behaving Badly star Neil Morrissey, his career appeared to be on the skids.
Then there was Celebrity Big Brother. Talking to chickens and a well publicised breakdown on the show, Les emerged with the tabloid moniker Les Miserable, his marriage in tatters, and to find work had come to a standstill.
Fast forward to 2013 and it’s a different story. Les is remarried, a father, and star turns on Extras and Life’s Too Short, playing an exaggerated version of Les Dennis, mean he’s more in demand than ever before.
There’s the stage shows too, with starring roles in Chicago, Me and My Girl, Art, Hairspray and Legally Blonde The Musical. Come Christmas he’ll be back on our screens for Midsomer Murders and there’s also a stint on Celebrity Masterchef, although he’s keeping tight-lipped as to what he’s cooked.
But when push come to shove, it appears it’s the stage where Les’s heart now lies.
“I love being an actor and doing Extras with Ricky Gervais was a big turning point for me, it brought me to a younger audience as well as the one from Family Fortunes. Life’s Too Short has just been shown in America, so things are getting bigger. But TV is so different to the stage,“ he explains. “There’s no immediacy, there’s nothing like performing in front of a live audience that is willing you to do well.
“Don’t get me wrong, Family Fortunes was 15 years of joy, but Vernon Kay does a great job with it now, it’s a very different show. And just as Bob Monkhouse called to wish me luck when I took on the job, I too wished Vernon luck.
“What is constant though is that I’ve always played the funny guy, but I don’t mind that as it can be done with an edge. Saying that, I wouldn’t mind doing a bit of Shakespeare.“
There’s a pregnant pause after I ask my final question and I’m unsure whether Les will oblige with an answer, as it’s the most revealing of all.
“I am happy,“ he confidently asserts. “My career is going really well and I’d like to think it will continue to do so.
“I’m still here. I’m still working. And it’s going well. What more could you ask for?“