Poldark star took job as Deliveroo driver during lockdown

Deliveroo rider cycles along Worcester High Street
PA
Leah Sinclair28 February 2021

Poldark star Richard Harrington has revealed he worked as a Deliveroo driver after the pandemic left him unemployed.

The 45-year-old said he started working for the food delivery service last year, having done "nothing between March and September at all" during lockdown.

"I got a job with Deliveroo, going around on my bike and delivering takeaways to people," he said.

The actor, who is expecting his second child with wife Hannah Daniel later this year, said he was "grateful" to ride his bike every day.

"I’m normally quite a fit person, but the lockdown had turned me into a lock-in, so I was thankful I was able to go on my bike every day because of the job," he said.

Mr Harrington isn’t the only star to take on another job during the pandemic.

Benidorm actor Asa Elliot worked as an Asda delivery driver after his acting career came to a halt.

Posting on Twitter, the actor shared a photo of him from last year and another from this year with the caption: "What a difference a year makes."

It comes as official figures show the number of furloughed workers in the UK rose by 700,000 to 4.7 million in January, during the third lockdown.

Across the UK, there were 2.32 million women and 2.18 million men on furlough at the end of January, with the highest take-up among those aged 18 to 24.

As many as 68 per cent of firms in the accommodation and food services sector were furloughing staff, while arts, entertainment and recreation had the second-highest rate at 64 per cent.

Rishi Sunak is expected to announce plans for the job retention scheme at this week’s budget, with speculation indicating that it will extend beyond April to reflect the government’s roadmap out of lockdown.

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