Lenny McLean, once dubbed 'Britain's hardest man', was a formidable figure standing at 6ft 3in and weighing 20 stone.

The East End tough guy used his intimidating stature in his roles as a bareknuckle boxer, bouncer, bodyguard, and ruthless debt collector.

He was known to "growl" and to get what he wanted, with one former friend describing him as an "absolute animal" who used his head as a .

However, despite his fearsome reputation, his daughter Kelly revealed years after his death that she believed her father may have been secretly battling bipolar disorder.

Speaking to The two decades after his passing, Kelly expressed regret over her judgement of her father, saying: "If I could have my dad back for one day, I'd tell him I was sorry that I judged him like everyone else," and "There were times I hated him and I looked at him like he was bully. It got to the stage where I couldn't even laugh at his jokes."

She added: "We did live in fear of him, but I didn't understand he had this condition."

Kelly also admitted feeling shocked and ashamed, wishing she could have helped him if she had understood his condition better.

Lenny, who starred alongside Vinnie Jones in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, tragically passed away before the film's release in 1998.

Former colleague and driver Micky Theo recalled the last days of Lenny McLean's life on the Criminal Connection podcast, saying: "At the time we were together quite a bit, right up to the time that he passed.

"He was walking down with a stick at the late stages. We used to go and eat a lot, he loved his foot, and he'd go anywhere I'd take him.

"He'd just got into the film , just got his new house, and everything was going great for him, and he took a downturn."

Lung cancer claimed Lenny's life at only 49 in July 1998, before the release of 'Lock Stock'. His son Jamie shared that Lenny initially mistook his symptoms for flu, but an X-ray later revealed lung cancer.

highlights persistent symptoms such as a lingering cough, repeated chest infections, and ongoing breathlessness as key lung cancer indicators.

Moffitt Cancer Center experts warn that lung cancer signs are often dismissed as flu, as occurred with Lenny, stating: "In many cases, lung cancer signs do not become apparent or prompt an individual to seek medical attention until the tumor reaches an advanced stage. The initial signs, if any, are typically mild and often mistakenly attributed to another, less serious condition, such as the common cold or flu."

Jamie is convinced that his late father would have joined the ranks of British acting royalty if he were still around, sharing with The Telegraph his belief in his dad's potential.

Unforgettable anecdotes include his dad's time on the set of Lock Stock where Lenny retorted to a query about his drama school background with a slice of his hard-knocks life story.

Jamie said: "When he arrived on the set of Lock Stock, someone asked him what drama school he attended. Without missing a beat, Len told him 'I've been shot twice, stabbed 100 times and had 10,000 bar-room brawls - is that enough drama for you?'"

Jamie further mused about his father's untapped talent by adding: "Guy Ritchie said he was a natural, with perfect timing.

"If he was around today he would've been a really accomplished British character, maybe in Game of Thrones or something. He'd probably have tried Shakespeare for all we know.."