I WAS worried. A bout of the flu had meant I'd had to take time off work, which meant I'd missed a scheduled interview with actor

Richard Grieve.

Not only was I convinced he'd think I was the rudest journalist on the planet, my voice had not completely recovered from my illness when I rang up his PR agent to grovel and beg for a re-scheduled interview.

When the agent put me on to Grieve, my fears were realised. He didn't seem to understand a word I was saying. It may have been my newly-acquired husky voice, or the fact he's Australian, but I'm guessing the former.

Thankfully, however, Grieve was far from angered by my lack of call and seemed more concerned I was well enough for the interview.

"Gosh you sound awful, I hope I don't make you lose your voice altogether," he laughed. And there was me hoping to win over the attractive 35-year-old with what I'd hoped sounded like a sensual tone.

Grieve became a household name after finding fame in his roles as Sam Kratz in the Oz soap Neighbours between 1994 and 1996, then Dr Lachlan Frazer in rival show Home and Away for the following two years.

But with the sniff of grease paint firmly up his nose, Grieve was keen to pursue his career treading the boards and found England would be his ideal chance to hit the limelight.

He packed his bags and kissed goodbye to the Aussie sun, moving to the UK in October 2003.

"I really like the theatre and in the UK there's such a vibrant theatre scene, not only in the West End but there are lots of touring companies too," he said.

"There are touring companies in Australia, but not as many. Staying in work back home is not so easy."

And Grieve is currently touring with the Middleground Theatre group, performing Dial M for Murder, which runs at Malvern Theatres from Tuesday, May 24.

"I've never performed in Malvern before and I'm really looking forward to it," said Grieve. "But I have been there before because the director of the show Michael Lunney lives there and when we were performing and rehearsing in Worcester a while back we went to his house one Sunday."

Grieve says going on tour is a 'brilliant' way for him to take in the sights of the UK, but confesses having just one night and one day off a week plays havoc with his social life.

"When you get time off all you want to do is kick back and relax, not necessarily go out, which is a shame," said the single actor.

"I do miss my friends and family back home too, but everyone here has been so welcoming."

And Grieve has no plans to end his acting career in England in a hurry, with another play planned for later in the year and a panto at Christmas.

"I'm going back to Australia in a couple of months for a holiday, which I'm really looking forward to," he said. "I haven't been back at all since I came to the UK.

"But as for going back permanently is concerned, I'm planning it all by ear really. England's great and I'll probably stick around for a while."

Emma Cullwick