Profiles

Richard Armitage was born in Leicester in 1971 and his family still live here now.

He was educated at Brockington College in Enderby, before studying acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Listen: Interview with Richard Armitage

BBC Leicester's Joanna Bostock caught up with Richard Armitage...

He's been appearing on our screens for years in programmes like North and South and Cold Feet, but he really shot to superstardom last year when he was cast as Sir Guy of Gisborne in the BBC's Robin Hood.

The truth behind the leather

He's received the most critical acclaim of the entire cast as the Sheriff of Nottingham's brooding henchman, and his leather outfit has also caused a bit of a stir:

"So that's been great fun to work with and actually it helps me a lot to get into the character - when you put that jacket on I really feel like that's his armour."

But surely it gets a bit hot under all that leather when you're filming for months on end in Hungary?

"It's really hot, it has got up to 40 degrees this year so I was sweating buckets and there was a lot of ice packs shoved in every available space, which there wasn't very much of I have to say."

From Sherwood to Dibley

From being a baddie you love to hate, to a goodie you love to love - Richard was back on our screens at Christmas 2006 marrying the Vicar of Dibley!

Marrying the Vicar of Dibley...

Once again his costumes were the subject of great speculation, but he denies that the cuddly jumpers he wears to snuggle up to Dawn French were his own, and insists that they were the property of wardrobe!

Richard says it was a fantastic experience because everyone in the cast gets an input into the script.

It was also a welcome break from playing Sir Guy:

"That was a great relief for me after spending six months with a scowl on my face, to then spend four weeks laughing - that was a great tonic."