Ed Balls had come in for criticism from Good Morning Britain viewers as he fronted the show again on Tuesday (February 28). The former Labour MP-turned-presenter was back at the helm of the ITV news programme alongside Susanna Reid when they were joined in the studio by actor Lee Mead.
The 41-year-old was on hand to chat to the hosts after he clinched his first West End role in a decade as villain Khashoggi opposite Brenda Edwards as Killer Queen in We Will Rock You, the hit musical which features 24 of Queen’s greatest songs. Returning to London 21 years after the show burst on to the capital, the show will run for 12 weeks at the London Coliseum from June 2 – where the rock band’s frontman, Freddie Mercury, performed with the Royal Ballet in 1979.
And Lee said singing a song from the band Queen in front of them for an audition was "the most daunting thing" he’s done in his career. He also added to Susanna and Ed: "It’s my first villain role, it is very tongue-in-cheek but my first sort of baddie character. For me, it’s the first time back in the West End in 10 years, very exciting."
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While also on the show, Lee opened up about recently travelling to Turkey for a hair transplant. He recently shocked fans when he appeared on This Morning earlier this month, having shaved off his famous curly locks prior to undergoing the transplant.
Asked why he opted to travel to Turkey, the former Holby City star said: "I highly recommend anyone to research it properly first, and there are places in the UK and America that do an amazing job but to be frank it's three times cheaper in Turkey and they had done 14,000 operations.
“It cost £3,500 but I had 2600 grafts – essentially 10,000 new hairs. Local anaesthetic, 20 injections, you can’t feel a thing for the operation but the worst part was at three minutes of the injections, but I’m so pleased I got it done. I’m so pleased I am talking about it."
He also added that the operation gave him confidence as “loads of men look great bald” but he “wasn’t quite ready for that yet”. But some of the questions directed at Lee from Ed didn't impress viewers.
"You used to have curly hair, didn’t you?" Ed asked Lee at one point during the interview. "I did. Big mop of hair. It was receding, actually," Lee then replied. Ed then said: "I’ve got to ask you the questions all the viewers want to know," before asking: "Why Turkey? Did you have your teeth done as well? And, how much did it cost?"
But GMB viewers appeared to find it all a bit 'uncomfortable'. @DebJBates tweeted: "That was awkward, poor Lee Mead. Ed Balls firing questions at him. I’m sure he didn’t mind talking about his hair transplant but I thought asking if he’d had his teeth done (twice) and asking about the cost was too much. #GMB."
@ruthmfrancis6 commented: "@GMB I do like Ed Balls but the questions he asked Lee Mead were uncomfortable to watch." @Verona79708347 replied: "Totally agree, I was embarrassed for him does he not have any filters. You could Lee wasn't happy to say anymore especially about cost but Ed kept on."
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