SUFFOLK actor Gavin Lee has spoken of his delight at being nominated for a prestigious Tony Award in America.The 35-year-old has been playing the role of Bert in the Mary Poppins musical on Broadway for the past six months.

SUFFOLK actor Gavin Lee has spoken of his delight at being considered for a prestigious Tony Award in America.

The 35-year-old has been playing the role of Bert in the Mary Poppins musical on Broadway for the past six months.

Lee, originally from Woodbridge, has been shortlisted in the category of best performance by a leading actor in a musical at the Tonys, the theatre's equivalent of the Oscars.

He said: “I'm keeping my fingers crossed - obviously it's always in the back of my mind.

“It's a major honour just to be nominated. If I win it will be brilliant but I've got a lot of competition. We'll have to just wait and see.”

The actor, who originated the role of Bert when the musical started in the West End in 2004, said his publicist was helping to boost his profile ahead of the awards ceremony in July.

He said: “Over here, I don't really know anyone. You have to shake the right people's hands and even go to the right places for lunch or a drink after a show to improve your chances - there's so much to it.”

But it has been a string of show-stopping performances at the Amsterdam Theatre that has secured Lee's shortlisting.

The former Farlingaye High School pupil said: “I'm absolutely loving it. It's obviously a whole bunch of new people to work with and it's been so refreshing to start again.

“The American actors play it totally differently but the main difference is that the audiences are much louder than those in London - they are not afraid to clap, cheer or whoop at anything.”

Lee, who started his career with the Company of Four amateur dramatics group in Woodbridge, moved to New York in August with his wife, Emily Harvey, ahead of taking up the new role.