Actor Todd Carty, most famous for his roles in Eastenders and Grange Hill, is returning to Liverpool this August to perform in Monty Python's Spamalot.
Spamalot is an ireverent musical parody of the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail with Carty taking on the role of Patsy, King Arthur's trusty companion.
Carty said:"We start rehearsals on Monday for Spamalot, which I am really looking forward to as a massive Monty Python fan.
"The comedy was completely different to anything at the time and I remember sneaking into the cinema as a kid to watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail."
The actor's television career in his youth was mostly defined by his role as Tucker Jenkins in Grange Hill, a programme that Carty believes addressed important childhood issues.
"Grange Hill was fantastic because it dealt with important school time issues in a comprehensive like bullying and dyslexia. We don't really have anything like that on TV anymore.
"Now we have a lot of American imports on our screens but I still think that British TV is the best in the world.
Asked whether viewers can sometimes blur fictional TV and reality, he said that in 30 years of acting he had never been stigmatised by the public for any of his roles, that include the HIV victim Mark Fowler in Eastenders and the villainous policeman Gabriel Kent in The Bill.
The actor has fond memories of the city after filming Grange Hill episodes in 2002 and 2008.
In recent years, Carty is best remembered for his reality TV performance on ITV's Dancing on Ice.
He said: "When I agreed to Dancing on Ice, I thought I must have been mad and after seeing what happened I was right."
On the show Carty lost control on the ice so badly that he ended up stumbling into the off-stage area.
When quizzed about the infamous skating incident, he said: "I forgot the basics of skating in a moment of panic and a complete fear set in.
"I ended up on the floor in the backstage area but three burly men picked me up and pushed me back onto the ice. I was convinced that I was going to fall over again they gave me that much of a push!
"I still get people coming up to me saying how funny it was. A woman in the street said that I had nearly given her a heart attack she was laughing that much.
The footage has had more than 1.5 million hits on YouTube.
Carty has also turned his attentions to life in the directors chair by directing his first feature film The Perfect Burger.
"The film is loosely based on the original Sweeney Todd, but the story has been modernised by about 200 years.
"It's a great comedy horror for children, where children start disappearing from school and are put into "nutritional" burgers by the headteacher."
Carty hopes to bring the film out in time for Halloween this year.
Todd Carty stars as Patsy in Monty Python's Spamalot at the Empire Theatre in August.
The show runs from August 9 to August 14.
For more information visit www.liverpoolempire.org.uk.
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