Lee Mead taking some Wicked cat naps

Lee Mead has been catching up on lost sleep since the birth of baby daughter Betsy in May by cat-napping between matinee and evening performances of Wicked where he is playing Fiyero (pictured) eight times a week.

"Lee has to sleep between shows because Betsy keeps him up in the night" his wife Denise Van Outen Tweeted.

Lee recently said he was pleased about landing his role in Wicked because it would give him more time to spend with Betsy during the day, but is finding his new found fatherhood exhausting balancing his gruelling West End performances with sharing the house with the baby.

And to make things even harder, he has just started a short concert tour with his band which involves some Sunday performances at venues up and down the country including Southend, Basingstoke, St Albans Arena, Skegness, Grimsby,Buxton, Aylesbury, New Wimbledon Theatre and Cheltenham Town Hall.

On 30th January 2011 Lee will be the guest of honour of the Leigh Orpheus Male Voice Choir at their Gala Concert at the Cliffs Pavilion,Southend.