HOLBY City and Harry Potter actor Guy Henry has been announced as the presenter of this year’s Dorset Business Awards.

The actor was raised in Highcliffe and is president of the Highcliffe Charity Players.

He told the Daily Echo he was asked to present the awards by Paul Collins, managing director of the Westover Group of car dealership and president of Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“My dad and I have both had lots of his cars over the years. He phoned up and said would I like to take part in it and I said ‘yes I’d love to’,” said Guy.

“He’s a lovely man. He does a lot of work for local charities, so slightly nervously I’ll have to make up my own script.

“I’ll get my dad to help me with the script because he worked in variety and comedy in the theatre with various comedians like Charlie Drake, who was my godfather and Arthur Haynes and Al Read and people, so he’s quite good as slightly risque speeches and things.”

The RADA-trained actor spent three years playing the part of head of surgery Henrik Hanssen on Holby City, leaving in October last year.

He says the job – combined with his role as Pius Thicknesse in the two Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows films – enabled him to finance a Jaguar XF from Westover.

“Thanks to being in Harry Potter and Holby City, that was the first time in my life at the age of 50 I was able to buy a new car.

“I haven’t really bought it, I’m still paying – but because I love cars and I love driving, to have one brand new of my own was a thrill and it’s still here and I love it.”

“It’s very rewarding and very artistic to go prancing around in wigs at the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre but you don’t get a lot of money for it, “In subsidised theatre you get just about a living wage but you certainly don’t make a fortune and there are very few jobs in theatre and film and television bring in such a regular wage.

He added: “It’s a hand to mouth existence being in the theatre as a jobbing actor.

“Holby City is 52 weeks a year. It’s almost like having a proper job.”

The Dorset Business Awards will be presented at a gala dinner at the BIC on November 27.

Details are at dcci.co.uk