Larry Lamb Says Playing Mick Shipman Made Him A Better Man.
Actor and writer Larry Lamb has reflected on his long career and his transition into poetry, saying his years playing Mick Shipman in Gavin & Stacey had a lasting influence on him.
Lamb became widely known to television audiences as Mick Shipman, the calm and straightforward father of Gavin in the BBC comedy created by James Corden and Ruth Jones. The character appeared throughout the show's run, including its final episode on Christmas Day 2024.
Speaking about the role, Lamb has previously said that playing Mick helped him become more calm and level-headed. He described the character as someone who was straightforward, dependable and able to solve problems.
Lamb has also explained that he gradually found himself taking aspects of Mick's personality into his own life without initially realising it.The actor is now exploring another creative chapter as a poet. His recent work draws heavily on his life experiences, memories and reflections on getting older.
Lamb has said that writing poetry allows him to present himself as Larry Lamb rather than as one of the characters he has played during his decades-long acting career. His new creative work follows the publication of his debut novel, All Wrapped Up, in 2025. The novel was inspired partly by his experiences working in the film and television industry, while its central character also contains elements of Mick Shipman.
Lamb has continued to talk publicly about his connection with Gavin & Stacey, admitting that he misses Mick and the wider cast and crew following the sitcom's conclusion. His next literary project is a poetry collection titled From Womb To Tomb, which he hopes to publish in 2027. He is also scheduled to appear at the Wigtown Book Festival in October 2026, where he will share poetry and stories from his life and career.
The Wigtown appearance will give audiences an opportunity to hear Lamb discuss his transition from acting and television into poetry, alongside stories from a career spanning theatre, film and television. For Lamb, the move into poetry represents a more personal form of storytelling, drawing on experiences from different stages of his life. His continuing connection with Mick Shipman also shows how strongly the Gavin & Stacey character has remained part of his public identity, even as he develops a new chapter of his career as a writer and poet.
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