A PWLLHELI man, who has been picked to play the lead character in a new political drama, has described how acting has helped him control his stammer and boost his confidence.

Richard Elfyn has played a variety of influential leaders over the years, but no one quite as scheming as acid tongued First Minister Meirion Llywelyn.

‘Byw Celwydd’ is a new S4C political drama and Richard, who has just finished a stint of portraying another political leader David Lloyd George in a stage production, says he loves his prime role in the new eight-part series.

Despite portraying a number of confident political leaders, Richard says that in real life he’s not as self-assured as his characters.

He said: “I’m not a natural born-leader. I treat my three children as equals to me!”

The talented 55-year-old says that becoming an actor gave him confidence as a young man and helped him control his stammer.

He said: “I owe everything to the profession and I thank daily that I was given the opportunity to be an actor. Drama opens doors to other people’s way out of thinking.

“In my teens I had quite a bad stammer, and mum was very worried about me.

“To add to her worries I had asthma, and missed a lot of school because of it.

“I wasn’t allowed to do any sport, and felt like an outsider in school.

“But when I was fifteen I was prescribed medication to help my asthma, and when I was on stage my stammer disappeared.

“By working in the theatre, I got to grips with my stammer and the uncertainty I’d experienced in my teens.”

His career has somehow come full circle by playing First Minister Meirion Llywelyn in Byw Celwydd. The drama has been primarily scripted by Meic Povey and it was this actor and playwright who inspired Richard to first tread the boards in the 1970s.

“If it weren’t for Meic, I wouldn’t be an actor at all. I went to see him act in Pwllheli when I was still in school, and I just thought that’s the life I want; I want to become an actor,” he added.

In ‘Byw Celwydd’ Richard plays Meirion Llywelyn, who leads a rainbow coalition and struggles to keep every party in order.

Richard was picked to play the part after series producer Branwen Cennard and writer Meic Povey saw him portray David Lloyd George – who was Prime Minister during The First World War – in a play about his life.

He said: “Playing a leader isn’t alien to me, but Meirion is a villain; I wouldn’t like to cross him.

“I enjoy being the bad guy. I love being able to be nasty and knowing that no one is going to hit you! I love giving vicious looks to everyone!”

‘Byw Celwydd’ continues on Sunday nights at 9pm on S4C.