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'Hardest man in Britain' may have had hidden health battle before tragic death
Lenny McLean died at the age of just 49 from lung cancer - but his daughter later revealed he may have also been suffering from a secret health battle
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Lenny McLean, once dubbed 'Britain's hardest man', was a formidable figure standing at 6ft 3in and weighing 20 stone.
The infamous East End bruiser used his intimidating stature in his roles as a bareknuckle boxer, bouncer, bodyguard, and ruthless debt collector.
He was known to "growl" and "froth at the mouth" to get what he wanted, with one former friend describing him as an "absolute animal" who used his head as a "battering ram to smash people senseless".
However, despite his tough exterior, his daughter later revealed that he may have been battling a secret health issue before cancer tragically took his life.
Vinnie Jones (L) and Lenny McLean (R) worked together on Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (Image: REX/Shutterstock)Kelly McLean told The Mirror two decades after his death that she suspected her father might have been unknowingly suffering from bipolar disorder.
"If I could have my dad back for one day, I'd tell him I was sorry that I judged him like everyone else," she said.
"There were times I hated him and I looked at him like he was bully. It got to the stage where I couldn't even laugh at his jokes.
"We did live in fear of him, but I didn't understand he had this condition. I'm absolutely shocked and ashamed because if I'd known then what I do now I probably wouldn't have looked at my dad the way I did. I probably could have helped him."
Lenny famously starred in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels alongside Vinnie Jones, but sadly passed away before the film's release in 1998.
Micky Theo (L) pictured with his friend Lenny McLean (R) (Image: mickytheoko/Instagram)Micky Theo, a former colleague who often drove Lenny McLean around London, has opened up about the hardman's final months. Speaking to the Criminal Connection podcast, he said: "At the time we were together quite a bit, right up to the time that he passed.
"He was walking down with a stick at the late stages. We used to go and eat a lot, he loved his foot, and he'd go anywhere I'd take him.
"He'd just got into the film world, just got his new house, and everything was going great for him, and he took a downturn."
Lenny, also known as 'The Guv'nor', sadly lost his battle with lung cancer at the age of 49 in July 1998, shortly before the release of Lock Stock.
His son Jamie disclosed that while filming, Lenny mistook his symptoms for the flu, but an X-ray later revealed lung cancer.
Tales about his brutality are still told to this day (Image: Mirrorpix)The NHS lists persistent coughing, recurring chest infections, and ongoing breathlessness as key symptoms of lung cancer. Less common indicators can be wheezing and a hoarse voice.
The Moffitt Cancer Center warns that lung cancer is often misdiagnosed as the flu, as was the case with Lenny. They explain that lung cancer signs are frequently mild initially and may not prompt medical attention until the disease is advanced, often being dismissed as a cold or flu.
Jamie believes his late father could have been a titan of British acting if he were still alive. In an interview with The Telegraph, he recalled: "When he arrived on the set of Lock Stock, someone asked him what drama school he attended.
"Without missing a beat, Len told him 'I've been shot twice, stabbed 100 times and had 10,000 bar-room brawls - is that enough drama for you?'"
He added: "Guy Ritchie said he was a natural, with perfect timing. If he was around today he would've been a really accomplished British character, maybe in Game of Thrones or something. He'd probably have tried Shakespeare for all we know.."
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