A FORMER soap star was branded unrecognisable by fans as he started a new job on a cruise ship.
Lee Mead shared a snap on Instagram telling his followers he is back performing on a ship for the first time in six months – and his new look went down very well.
One excited fan replied: “You look so different!”
Another said: “This look is so good for you.”
And a third added: “Wow! Hair is looking great Lee.”
Former Holby City star Lee, 42, revealed earlier this year he’d undergone a second hair transplant in a bid to combat his receding hairline.
During an appearance on This Morning he explained: “My first one was 15 years ago called FUT technique (Follicular Unit Transplant Technique). But nobody knew. Then I had my next one.
“There’s nothing wrong with being bald but it was receding and it affected my confidence a bit.
“It’s a personal confidence thing. The operation was seven hours and you get local anaesthetic for seven hours but you can hear everything going on.”
The actor, who starred as Lofty Chiltern in Holby City from 2014 until 2016, was previously known for his trademark curly hair.
But his latest snap showed him looking suave with shorter hair and a new beard.
In February Lee announced his engagement to long-term girlfriend Issy.
Lee was previously married to Denise Van Outen from 2009 to 2013, and they share a daughter, Betsy, aged 12.Â