‘Britain’s hardest man was dangerous – one wrong joke and you’d get battered’

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The realities of life working alongside one of Britain's most notorious hard men has been revealed.

Lenny McLean, a brutal bare-knuckle boxer who took part in more than 3,000 fights during his notorious life, was known for his dealings with the UK's criminal underworld.

His persona gave him the nickname as the country's "hardest man" – but he was known to also like a bit of a laugh.

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However, ex-con Peter Wood has shed some light on how Lenny's love of a joke could very quickly turn sour.

Speaking to James English's Anything Goes podcast, he said: “When he goes he goes.

“You could have a joke with him and then all of a sudden he wouldn't like the joke.

“I remember this doorman, a big American guy, calling him 'pops', saying 'how you doin', pops?'.

“I could see McLean didn't like it and I think it played on him – 'pops' meant 'old man'.

“Two hours later he called him in the room and battered and smashed him up.

“I didn't want much to do with him.”

Despite the hesitation to want to be around him, Peter admits to working with the feared man around three or four times.

He didn't specify exactly what those jobs were – but he did mention that McLean asked him to get him some “gear” at one point.

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But it was his description of the man who once stared in Guy Ritchie’s 1998 crime thriller Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels that would leave a chill running down anyone's spine.

Wood said: “I'm not scared of many people, but he looks the part.

“Six foot two, broad, fit, caveman style troglodyte.

“Fingers thick like that, knuckles f***ing like that, fists f***ing like that.

“I walked up to him and he said I had a great physique – he asked if I could get him some gear.

“We did a few jobs for him, and when we were walking down the road we all had to walk behind him and he was in front.

“I found him okay, but I didn't want to be around him too much – he was very dangerous.”

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Lenny died from lung cancer in 1998, the same year he made his acting debut.

His path to violence ultimately started as a youngster growing up in one of the most deprived London neighbourhoods in the 50s – Hoxton.

Lenny's dad died while he was young, meaning an abusive stepfather took his place. It wasn't until his great-uncle stepped in and threatened to kill his legal guardian that the youngster started to admire the power of the fist.

He started to rub shoulders with figures in London’s criminal underworld and became a feared nightclub enforcer while even reportedly becoming a friend of the Kray twins.

Still in his teens, Lenny was caught and arrested for petty crimes and served 18 months in prison.

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