Damian Lewis reveals 'gorgeous' late wife Helen McCrory inspired songs

Watch Damian Lewis reveals 'gorgeous' late wife Helen McCrory inspired songs

What did you miss?

Damian Lewis paid tribute to his “gorgeous” late wife Helen McCrory as he revealed some of his new songs were inspired by her.

The Homeland actor also makes music and has recorded an album called Mission Creep. It came out in 2023, two years after Peaky Blinders star McCrory died at the age of 52 after battling cancer.

Opening up on ITV's This Morning, Lewis said that in some ways it was an “intimate” album because of his wife.

What, how, and why?

Talking about his songwriting, he told hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley that some of his old tracks from when he was younger were "so terrible” but that he felt “very comfortable” when he was working on Mission Creep.

“It came at a very particular time in my life,” he explained. “Some quite personal songs on there. People will know about Helen, my gorgeous late wife, so one or two personal songs on there, I suppose it’s quite an intimate album for that reason.”

Lewis, who has daughter Manon and son Gulliver with McCrory, said he was always keen on music. “I used to busk, busked in the Tube here in London, took a motorbike and a tent and I went down through Europe and I busked all through the summers… and then acting just sort of took over,” he said.

“I wanted to concentrate on being a serious actor and I took it seriously. You know, you take a fork in the road and then your initial ideas sort of get further and further away from it.”

The star picked it back up a bit more during lockdown and said that it has been “so much fun”.

He said his two teenagers were being “really sweet” about his new rock star status, adding: “They are really talented musicians themselves.”

He joked: “I think it can be a bit annoying that your dad is doing music when actually that’s the thing you thought you were doing… but I just keep saying to them, you are much more talented than I am and so just keep doing your own thing anyway.”

“But I think everyone is quite enjoying it,” he added, joking that he likes the idea of a family band.

“The Osmonds did it!” he said. “The Corrs did it, have you heard of the Jackson 5? I see a Lewis 3, but there is not a chance in hell they will ever do it with me!”

Damian Lewis' moving tribute after Helen McCrory died

McCrory, who played Aunt Polly Gray in gangland drama Peaky Blinders, died in April 2021, with Lewis saying in a statement at the time: “I'm heartbroken to announce that after a heroic battle with cancer, the beautiful and mighty woman that is Helen McCrory has died peacefully at home, surrounded by a wave of love from friends and family.”

"She died as she lived,” he said. “Fearlessly. God we love her and know how lucky we are to have had her in our lives. She blazed so brightly.

"Go now, Little One, into the air, and thank you."

Read more: Damian Lewis

• Damian Lewis pays tribute to late wife Helen McCrory: 'She's with us'

• Damian Lewis dedicates poetry reading to 'perfect' late wife Helen McCrory

Watch: Damian Lewis is releasing an album