Inside Return to Paradise star Lloyd Griffith's life from 'self discovery' to Soccer AM exit

Return to Paradise is the BBC's latest Death successful Paradise spin-off and Lloyd Griffith is 1 of the stars taking the pb successful the Australian show, truthful what is determination to cognize astir the actor?

Return to Paradise has brought successful a caller squad for the Australian spin-off, but who's the histrion playing DS Colin Cartwright?

The Death successful Paradise franchise present includes the Aussie-set Return to Paradise, wherever DI Mackenzie Clarke (Anna Samson) returns to her roots.

One of the archetypal characters, Colin Cartwright, is portrayed by Lloyd Griffith, keen connected snatching up Mackenzie's position. Now that the BBC bid has kicked off, what lesser-known facts are determination astir the histrion beyond his TV role?

Unexpected career

Lloyd Griffith, present 41, made his people arsenic a comedian, salient successful stand-up and connected the tiny screen, but helium really started retired aspiring to beryllium a classical choral singer, honing his trade astatine the University of Exeter.

A pivotal nighttime retired astatine a drama amusement successful Shoreditch backmost successful 2008 saw him divert paths aft being wowed by performances from celebrated comics.

He recounted to Leeds Heritage Theatres: "Lee Hurst was hosting and the acts were Milton Jones, Stefano Paolini and Micky Flanagan.

"None of them had done immoderate TV astatine the clip and I conscionable mislaid my mind. I could not judge this existed. So I conscionable became obsessed with comedy."

Despite the switch, Griffith inactive considers himself an "active singer", often stepping successful arsenic a substitute successful nonrecreational choirs.

He added"If idiosyncratic is sick oregon has different engagement that's erstwhile I travel in. I'm a benignant of choral ace sub."

Soccer AM

Lloyd kicked disconnected his vocation connected the stand-up circuit backmost successful 2010, and swiftly moved onto gigs similar the drama abbreviated Inheritance and tickling comic bones astatine the BBC Radio 1 Comedy Lounge successful 2014.

While helium was inactive getting laughs connected stage, the comedian landed a gig arsenic a presenter connected the Sky sports smash deed Soccer AM. He held tribunal determination for a coagulated 2 years earlier bowing out.

Spilling the beans astir wherefore helium near connected X, formerly known arsenic Twitter, helium confessed: "I've had 2 astonishing years moving connected Soccer AM, however, I've decided to measurement down to absorption connected different projects.

"I watched the amusement arsenic a kid done to an adult, truthful to person been capable to beryllium connected that sofa and dive astir successful that car parkland was an implicit imagination travel 'true'. I'll beryllium tuning successful each Saturday, arsenic agelong arsenic the guys tin benignant maine retired with a friends and household deal!"

His determination distant from the amusement seemed to pave the mode for a heavy dive into acting, scoring roles successful hits similar Not Going Out, Whitstable Pearl, Nolly, Ted Lasso, and The Outlaws, among others.

Surgery

At 41, he's openly chatted astir splurging £6,000 connected a Harley Street hairsbreadth transplant surgery.

Lloyd made the determination to person the cognition aft a constitution creator branded him "bald" portion prepping him for an quality connected Soccer AM.

Recounting the infinitesimal they dusted his dome with achromatic powder, the constitution creator mentioned it was "for the cameras" being thing they sprinkle "so the lights don't bounce disconnected your bald patches".

After the procedure, the presenter penned a idiosyncratic relationship for The Observer, reflecting connected his "journey of aforesaid discovery".

He shared with The Observer: "The time itself was emotional. I'll deliberation backmost connected it fondly due to the fact that it felt truthful empowering, arsenic if I was doing a reverse Samson and getting my spot back.

"I recognise myself a spot much now, successful the reflector and besides wrong my existent self, not conscionable due to the fact that of the hairline. It's been the biggest travel of aforesaid find I've ever taken."

Favourite infinitesimal connected spin-off truthful far

Since earlier this month, Lloyd has been bringing to beingness the quality of DS Colin Cartwright successful the BBC bid Return to Paradise, the 2nd Death successful Paradise spin-off to deed the screens.

When quizzed by the BBC astir his favourite country from the archetypal series, helium humorously responded: "My favourite moment, without a shadiness of a doubt, was 1 of my archetypal scenes with Glenn Strong, played by Tai Hara, wherever helium comes retired of the oversea successful a wetsuit, and I person to 'act' similar I'm benignant of obsessed with him, and mesmerized by him.

"I kept fluffing my lines conscionable to support watching him travel successful and retired of the oversea again."

Return to Paradise continues each Friday astatine 8pm connected BBC One and BBC iPlayer.