This is Bath -- If you're feeling a little flat and lacking in sparkle in this dreary new year, a chat with George Lamb is an ideal pick me-up. It would be a hard-hearted soul who could resist this TV and radio presenter's charm – all geezer, cheeky chappy and infectious energy. He certainly needs the latter too, because this is a man with fingers in many pies. Thanks to his lean, handsome looks, his trademark quiff of grey hair and his chic style, 34-year-old Lamb is a magnet for brand endorsements – the latest being a new drink, the R&G, a combination of Remy Martin VSOP and ginger. On top of that, he has also recently launched an interiors guide with Hygena to help men who are buying or renting a home, he's in a long-standing partnership with Adrien Sauvage who specialises in men's tailoring, he's involved in a new restaurant in Ibiza – and we haven't even got started on his showbusiness career. "I love being busy and having lots of interests in different things which means no day's the same and there's always fresh challenges and priorities," says Lamb. "My parents had the foresight to tell me when I was growing up that it's a very big world out there which made me aware of looking at the big picture and being open to opportunities. My dad's an actor but my mum was an entrepreneur who had numerous businesses when I was a kid so I guess it's in the blood. I'm always willing to try new things." Lamb is the son of EastEnders and Gavin And Stacey actor, Larry, and was brought up in west London. He found fame presenting a show on BBC 6 Music, but his TV break came when he took over from Dermot O'Leary as the presenter of Channel 4's Big Brother's Little Brother in 2008. "TV really happened by accident," he explains. "I was renting a desk in an office next to a TV company and one of the executive's came over one day and said 'you've always got a lot to say for yourself, why don't you give presenting a go?' I was young, super-confident, on the outside at least, and took the chance. It was scary but worth it." It certainly won 6ft 5in Lamb a legion of female admirers, and his status as a pin-up is now very firmly cemented. It's clear, though, that – admitting "secretly, I think I'm fat, I have to work very hard just to maintain the status quo"– he isn't buying into any of it. "I got lots of ladies coming up to me saying, 'I love you'... and I'd just say, 'right, OK, yeah'," he smiles, with a slightly embarrassed shrug. "It's all that thing about celebrity isn't it? Just because you're on the television people go 'wow' but it's important to realise it's not really about you the person or your work, it's just the recognition factor. Sometimes it was a bit much even though most people are really nice. "But you do question the fact society has created this way of celebrating celebrity, which is a nonsense really." It hasn't always been a celebration for Lamb though, who's faced his fair share of career hurdles on the way to success. Take, for example, his big passion for music, and how he discovered the singer Lily Allen in Ibiza and became her manager, only to be unable to get her a record deal at the time, then see her shoot to stardom later. "I'm still friends with her and am very happy that she eventually became the superstar I knew that she was," he says chirpily. "For some reason, I couldn't persuade the music industry at the time about that so it was pretty frustrating but that's life. I get a royalty on the record I was helping her promote so I've had some nice holidays out of it and my friend's got the recognition she always wanted so it's worked out." His debut on BBC 6 Music in 2007 was not a resounding success either. He received harsh reviews and, at one stage, internet petitions even called for his resignation. But he persevered, and eventually won the Sony DAB Rising Star award, his ratings climbed and he stayed three years. "The criticism was hard at the time," he says carefully. "I did think 'I'm just going to work and doing my job, why do you hate me?' But you've got to roll with those sort of things. I'm opinionated, loud, and have been pretty brash at times so I was always going to polarise people. Anyway, it all came good in the end. "These days I've leant not to read any stuff about me, bad or good, and think that's the best way. My dad taught me that – he's been through the mixer a few times in his career so he knows a thing or two. "Watching what he's gone through over the years ensured that I was never tempted to go into acting. It's such a transient business – you can go from being the flavour of the month to no-one answering your calls, and then suddenly everyone wants you again. That can mess with your head." He's learnt more from his father recently too, when they presented a one-off radio breakfast show together – something which reawakened the young Lamb's desire to return to the airwaves. "Working with the old man was brilliant – he's like my mate really and we have good banter. But it made me realise how much I miss radio. Doing it day in day out it can drive you a little bit crazy but when it's not there any more you realise how much you enjoyed it. I think at some point in the not too distant future I'll get back on that horse. "Next time though my show won't be filled with bells, whistles, soundbites and taking the mickey out of everyone. This time, although there's a place for frivolity, I'd like to talk about real stuff. I've got to an age where I'm ready to ask questions and listen more – when you're young you just talk and don't hear much." His new-found maturity – "getting older is great, I feel I am a man now, not a boy any more"– has also enabled him to commit to his long-term on-off girlfriend, glamorous actress Karima Adebibe, 28, who was the seventh model for Lara Croft in the video game series Tomb Raider. "We've had an on-and-off relationship for the last five years but six months ago we got back together. We're in love and I'm happier than I've ever been relationship-wise," he says. The couple live together in a converted factory in Hackney, East London, and he says they will eventually marry and have a family. "She's definitely the woman I want to spend my life with and I'm totally committed to her. I'm sure at some point we'll have some kind of a ceremony, although it might be a Buddhist one or say the vows and have a party on a beach somewhere. We just connect so well and have the same belief system. "I think the right partner makes you a better person. We have a great time together and when it comes down to it loving, learning and, of course, having a laugh is really what life's about." George Lamb is working with Remy Martin to promote the R&G, a simple serve which combines Remy VSOP and Ginger. The R&G is available in bars nationwide.
Reported by This is 2 days ago.
This is Bath -- If you're feeling a little flat and lacking in sparkle in this dreary new year, a chat with George Lamb is an ideal pick me-up. It would be a hard-hearted soul who could resist this TV and radio presenter's charm – all geezer, cheeky chappy and infectious energy. He certainly needs the latter too, because this is a man with fingers in many pies. Thanks to his lean, handsome looks, his trademark quiff of grey hair and his chic style, 34-year-old Lamb is a magnet for brand endorsements – the latest being a new drink, the R&G, a combination of Remy Martin VSOP and ginger. On top of that, he has also recently launched an interiors guide with Hygena to help men who are buying or renting a home, he's in a long-standing partnership with Adrien Sauvage who specialises in men's tailoring, he's involved in a new restaurant in Ibiza – and we haven't even got started on his showbusiness career. "I love being busy and having lots of interests in different things which means no day's the same and there's always fresh challenges and priorities," says Lamb. "My parents had the foresight to tell me when I was growing up that it's a very big world out there which made me aware of looking at the big picture and being open to opportunities. My dad's an actor but my mum was an entrepreneur who had numerous businesses when I was a kid so I guess it's in the blood. I'm always willing to try new things." Lamb is the son of EastEnders and Gavin And Stacey actor, Larry, and was brought up in west London. He found fame presenting a show on BBC 6 Music, but his TV break came when he took over from Dermot O'Leary as the presenter of Channel 4's Big Brother's Little Brother in 2008. "TV really happened by accident," he explains. "I was renting a desk in an office next to a TV company and one of the executive's came over one day and said 'you've always got a lot to say for yourself, why don't you give presenting a go?' I was young, super-confident, on the outside at least, and took the chance. It was scary but worth it." It certainly won 6ft 5in Lamb a legion of female admirers, and his status as a pin-up is now very firmly cemented. It's clear, though, that – admitting "secretly, I think I'm fat, I have to work very hard just to maintain the status quo"– he isn't buying into any of it. "I got lots of ladies coming up to me saying, 'I love you'... and I'd just say, 'right, OK, yeah'," he smiles, with a slightly embarrassed shrug. "It's all that thing about celebrity isn't it? Just because you're on the television people go 'wow' but it's important to realise it's not really about you the person or your work, it's just the recognition factor. Sometimes it was a bit much even though most people are really nice. "But you do question the fact society has created this way of celebrating celebrity, which is a nonsense really." It hasn't always been a celebration for Lamb though, who's faced his fair share of career hurdles on the way to success. Take, for example, his big passion for music, and how he discovered the singer Lily Allen in Ibiza and became her manager, only to be unable to get her a record deal at the time, then see her shoot to stardom later. "I'm still friends with her and am very happy that she eventually became the superstar I knew that she was," he says chirpily. "For some reason, I couldn't persuade the music industry at the time about that so it was pretty frustrating but that's life. I get a royalty on the record I was helping her promote so I've had some nice holidays out of it and my friend's got the recognition she always wanted so it's worked out." His debut on BBC 6 Music in 2007 was not a resounding success either. He received harsh reviews and, at one stage, internet petitions even called for his resignation. But he persevered, and eventually won the Sony DAB Rising Star award, his ratings climbed and he stayed three years. "The criticism was hard at the time," he says carefully. "I did think 'I'm just going to work and doing my job, why do you hate me?' But you've got to roll with those sort of things. I'm opinionated, loud, and have been pretty brash at times so I was always going to polarise people. Anyway, it all came good in the end. "These days I've leant not to read any stuff about me, bad or good, and think that's the best way. My dad taught me that – he's been through the mixer a few times in his career so he knows a thing or two. "Watching what he's gone through over the years ensured that I was never tempted to go into acting. It's such a transient business – you can go from being the flavour of the month to no-one answering your calls, and then suddenly everyone wants you again. That can mess with your head." He's learnt more from his father recently too, when they presented a one-off radio breakfast show together – something which reawakened the young Lamb's desire to return to the airwaves. "Working with the old man was brilliant – he's like my mate really and we have good banter. But it made me realise how much I miss radio. Doing it day in day out it can drive you a little bit crazy but when it's not there any more you realise how much you enjoyed it. I think at some point in the not too distant future I'll get back on that horse. "Next time though my show won't be filled with bells, whistles, soundbites and taking the mickey out of everyone. This time, although there's a place for frivolity, I'd like to talk about real stuff. I've got to an age where I'm ready to ask questions and listen more – when you're young you just talk and don't hear much." His new-found maturity – "getting older is great, I feel I am a man now, not a boy any more"– has also enabled him to commit to his long-term on-off girlfriend, glamorous actress Karima Adebibe, 28, who was the seventh model for Lara Croft in the video game series Tomb Raider. "We've had an on-and-off relationship for the last five years but six months ago we got back together. We're in love and I'm happier than I've ever been relationship-wise," he says. The couple live together in a converted factory in Hackney, East London, and he says they will eventually marry and have a family. "She's definitely the woman I want to spend my life with and I'm totally committed to her. I'm sure at some point we'll have some kind of a ceremony, although it might be a Buddhist one or say the vows and have a party on a beach somewhere. We just connect so well and have the same belief system. "I think the right partner makes you a better person. We have a great time together and when it comes down to it loving, learning and, of course, having a laugh is really what life's about." George Lamb is working with Remy Martin to promote the R&G, a simple serve which combines Remy VSOP and Ginger. The R&G is available in bars nationwide.
Reported by This is 2 days ago.