'EastEnders' star Larry Lamb has revealed that he based his character Archie Mitchell on his father Ronald.
In an interview with the Daily Mirror, the 62-year-old actor said: "From the start I based Archie Mitchell on my father - my dad was a very screwed up man and emotionally damaged from his childhood. He had a terrible relationship with his own father and I imagine it was the same for the generations before that.
"Just like Archie, my dad was absolutely convinced of his rightness and sanity and thought he was completely justified in everything he did. Everybody else is at fault, but he's fine.
"Archie is the same. As far as he's concerned, he's perfectly sane. But the truth is, he's twisted. That twisted, dark, nasty side of me comes from my father. He was a skilled psychological bully. He would loom over me and threaten, threaten, threaten. I lived in fear of him. He was a crazy man."
Lamb said that he had not spoken to his father for 15 years when he passed away last year and did not attend his funeral.
The actor added that he was determined that his son, TV presenter George Lamb, would never experience the trauma he suffered as a youngster.
"I'm so proud of the honest relationship I have with George," said Lamb. "Honesty is the basis of our friendship and he has never been bullied by me. George is a huge part of my life and that's very special to me, especially as I never had that with my own dad."
