London's Burning star Terry Alderton is relieved he has bounced back into the limelight following the flop BBC1 Lottery show Red Alert.
Comedian Terry, 31, who plays firefighter Charlie Mead, thought he had hit the big time when he landed the job of co-presenter, with Lulu, on Red Alert in 1999.
He said: "It was a low point for me and Lulu was very harshly dealt with by the critics. But, thankfully, I am back on track now."
Alderton says he was misled over the dire Lottery show.
He says: "It was sold to me on the basis that Chris Evans would be heavily involved and that darts commentator Sid Waddell would reveal the balls.
"I thought it would be a tongue-in-cheek show but none of that happened. It was a big shame but at least it was a great platform for me to build on."
Alderton says his foray into acting was delayed by the failed show.
He adds: "I auditioned for the TV version of Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels and was offered a lead role but I couldn't do it as I was making Red Alert.
"It was a nightmare. I was gutted and I could only film a small cameo role. But last year I had a bigger part in Holby City and then London's Burning came along."
Alderton is putting his TV failures behind him with his role in London's Burning.
The comic, who plays a cheeky chappie fireman, says: "As well as Red Alert I did another terrible show last year called The Joy Of Text with Ulrika Jonsson.
"It just didn't work and Ulrika was suffering at the time as her baby was very ill. But now life is great. London's Burning has been a brilliant experience and opportunity."
'People used to throw bottles at me'
Joining London's Burning has enabled the comic "to act like a big kid".
He says: "My character Charlie Mead is very childish. He reminds me of a guy I grew up with - he was still riding BMX bikes at 32.
"The best part was driving a fire engine - it's something I have always wanted to do. I even drove it to my house in Chigwell with blue lights flashing and the siren going to surprise my wife Dee on her birthday, but she was down the pub."
While he carries out daring rescues for the cameras for London's Burning, Alderton says his scariest moment was performing for the Queen.
He says: "It was the Royal Variety Performance in 1999 in front of 3,000 people.
"It was a weird experience telling jokes to the Queen and I was thinking 'I bet she doesn't know who I am'. She shook hands with me afterwards. I can't believe I said: 'Are you all right?'"
Alderton has been a stand-up comedian for 13 years.
He says: "I am combining it with acting and my radio show.
"Thankfully the days are gone when people used to throw bottles at me on stage.
"The worst occasion was when I annoyed two guys in a pub. They followed me out. One came up behind so I whacked him hard and I drove straight off. I was really scared."
He is hoping he will be appearing in the next series of London's Burning.
The comic, who played in goal for Southend United as a teenager, says: "I'm really keen to do more."
Still a Southend fan, off screen he lives happily with ex-Page Three Girl wife Dee Ivens.