Spooks' Richard Armitage: I almost gave up acting

Spooks star Richard Armitage has revealed that he almost gave up on his acting career due to his lack of success.

The Robin Hood actor admitted that he tries not to turn down work as he doesn’t know if he will be left jobless in the future.

He told the Daily Record: "I've become one of those actors who find it difficult to say no when things are offered. I think if I had come out of drama school and been an instant Hollywood superstar I would be taking long, leisurely holidays.

"But I always feel somehow it's going to be taken away from me so I work when I can. When you struggled with work as I did when I left drama school you make hay when the sun shines.

"There was a time when I thought, and my agent thought, it wasn't going to happen for me. We both sat down and I actually said I don't know if I can stay in this state. The interesting roles have only come since I got into my 30s. But I didn't know that was going to happen.

Richard added: "I'm a bit of an all or nothing kind of guy. To be honest, I had no blind faith in myself. I don't think I could have stayed around as a jobbing actor. I would probably have quit. Who knows?”

*Spooks returns to BBC One on Wednesday, November 4*