Ace Bhatti, actor and former lifeboat crew member

When I asked if I could help out around the inshore lifeboat station at Staithes and Runswick, they said ‘no – we need you on the crew.’ So I joined. I learned so much, thanks to the training. I learned the language of the sea. It’s not like driving down the road, because it’s an environment that constantly changes: tide, waves, wind, fog. And you don’t have brakes! But you do have brilliant kit. I felt very lucky to have the navigational aids and so on. The older guys would tell us stories about slow old lifeboats and only having compasses to plot their position.

The first time I was ever really scared was on a lifeboat. We launched on a rough day and the waves were so big I couldn’t see the horizon. Being on the crew made me a better actor, because I witnessed things I would never have normally seen. Injuries, illness, death: on the crew you see those things and go through a range of emotions. It’s real-life drama.

I was born and grew up in Nottingham and had no concept of the sea. I was a shy child, but on stage I would come alive. I was a kind of reluctant actor initially. My mum and dad disapproved of my acting as they didn’t think I could make a career out of it. But, after stage school, I got busier and busier. I left the lifeboat crew when my job took me away from Staithes. My acting career meant I had to stay away more often.

People used to shout abuse at me in the street. One of my most well-known roles was in EastEnders, when I played a villain. People assumed that’s how I am in real life and swore at me! I have appeared in lots of other TV shows, including Midsomer Murders and I’ve recently been filming Silent Witness.

I have recorded voiceovers for two of the RNLI’s international films. It’s great to still be able to give my time to the charity in some way, and it all helps raise awareness of the global drowning problem. What got to me is that so many children are being lost in dangerous waters all round the world. When a tragedy like that happens, so much devastation is left behind, so I think the RNLI’s work to improve safety around our shores and overseas is fantastic.

I’m proud to have been a crew member. I live in Whitby now and hope I can help the lifeboat station in some way between the work and travelling. When I travel, I always look out for lifeboat stations, lifeguards and fundraisers. The fundraisers and supporters are vital. When I was a crew member, I very quickly realised how important the charity’s support is, because you can’t do it on your own.