Actor Larry Lamb, known for playing Mick Shipman in hit BBC sitcom Gavin and Stacey, said he started writing poetry in the 1980s but it got ‘hidden away’ for years
Gavin and Stacey star Larry Lamb is launching a career as a poet.
The 78-year-old actor – famous for playing Gavin’s dad Mick Shipman in the BBC sitcom – first began writing poetry in the 1980s as a hobby. But after releasing his debut novel All Wrapped Up in 2025 he has decided to revisit his passion for verse.
Larry discovered his old poems from the ‘80s in his loft and after showing them to a poet friend he was inspired to write new ones and he now has a book coming out in February. Appearing on the Beyond The Title podcast, Larry said: “In 1983, I started to write poetry, and it all got hidden away in a file for years and years.
“Suddenly I found it up in the loft and spoke to a poet friend of mine, and he thought it was really good. And a lot of it, even though it was written in 1983, was still terribly relevant.
“So he put some of it online and it got an amazing response. So I’ve started writing poetry again, and I’m going to publish my first book of poems in February.”
Larry’s new verses are inspired by his life and his acting career which has spanned five decades.
He said: “Life. I’ve been knocking around for 50 years. You know, I don’t have to draw on anybody else’s. I just love poetry. I’ve always loved poetry.
“And I wrote this stuff I wrote in 1983. It was in a very set, standard, rhythmical pattern.
“And now I’ve started to vary the way I do it, vary the styles in which I write. I’ve got two or three people whose opinions I value.
“So whenever I finish a poem I send it to them and get their feedback on it, because you need an audience.”
Larry is prioritising his poetry over his acting in 2026 and he intends to spend the year honing his craft and creating poems for a second book.
When asked what he’ll be doing for the next 12 months, he said: “Writing poetry. That’s it. That’s what I’m doing.”
Have you joined Threads? Follow Daily Star to keep up to date on all things showbiz here.
Want all the biggest Showbiz and TV news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free Daily Star Showbiz newsletter.
