Damian Lewis felt 'comfortable' writing songs about late wife Helen McCrory on his album and reveals their 'sweet' children have championed his music career change
Damian Lewis has revealed he felt a sense of comfort releasing his debut album Mission Creep last year - which included lyrics about his late wife Helen McCrory.
The actor-turned-singer's wife Helen died in April 2021 aged 52 after being diagnosed with cancer, and Damian was sure to pay tribute to the Peaky Blinders star in his music.
Damian, 53, is currently touring with the album and reflected on the writing process during an appearance on Tuesday's This Morning.
Asked about the writing process by host Cat Deeley, he explained: 'If I had written a song it went on a record. I wrote 10 songs and that felt hard enough.
'I Iooked at some of my old songs and they were so terrible!'
Damian Lewis has revealed he felt a sense of comfort releasing his debut album Mission Creep last year - which included lyrics about his late wife Helen McCrory
Damian's wife Helen died in April 2021 aged 52 (pictured 2020) after being diagnosed with cancer, and Damian was sure to pay tribute to the Peaky Blinders star in his music
Damian continued: 'But I felt comfortable with Mission Creep. There are some personal songs on there, people will know about my late wife Helen.
'So there's some personal stuff there.'
The Billions star and Helen shared daughter Manon, 16, and son Gulliver, 15, who Damian revealed had been supportive of his decision to pause acting and pursue music.
He explained: 'They're being really sweet about it and they are actually really talented musicians themselves.
'I think it can be a bit annoying that your dad is doing music when that's what you want to do, but they are a more talented than me so I have told them to keep going at it.
'There isn't a chance in hell they will ever [perform] with me.'
While Damian has not confirmed which songs are about Helen, his emotional track She Comes seem to be speaking of his grief.
The lyrics include: 'She comes as a blackbird, she comes as a fox. She sits at the window, she sings from a rock.
'She's the moon in the day and the sun that shines in the dark. She rests in me and she rests in shade. She's my joy, she's my pain and she rained on me.'
Damian, 53, is currently touring with the album and reflected on the writing process during an appearance on Tuesday's This Morning (pictured in March 2023)
The Billions star and Helen shared daughter Manon, 16, and son Gulliver, 15, who Damian revealed had been supportive of his decision to pause acting and pursue music (pictured 2018)
Damian began writing the songs during lockdown, when Helen was ill, and told Cambridge Independent: 'They're quite a personal collection of songs.
'Many people will know that I lost my wife about three years ago. This album was written in that time. So inevitably, there's a reflection of that time in the songs. One or two of the songs are, undeniably, just directly about Helen.
'The rest of it is storytelling. I like storytelling through songs. Little short stories about events, either imagined or real.
'The very first song I wrote was She Comes. That's sort of the anthem of the album. That was the one that came out and just sort of flowed.'
Before finding fame as an actor Lewis busked the streets of London with an acoustic guitar and still plays the instrument as a pastime.
He has no doubt also been inspired by another musical presence in his life, girlfriend Alison Mosshart who is best known as a lead vocalist for the rock bands The Kills and The Dead Weather.
The pair were first spotted together in the summer of 2022, with Alison's mother Vivian giving the relationship her seal of approval soon after.
She told MailOnline: 'They have mutual friends. I don't know exactly how they met but I'm fine with it. If she's happy, we are happy.'
Romance blossomed a year after Damian's wife of 14 years, tragically passed away after a secret battle with breast cancer.
When Helen died, the actor revealed how his late wife had urged him to find love again, telling him and their son and daughter that she wanted 'Daddy to have lots of girlfriends.'
Damian added in the social media post: 'She died as she lived. Fearlessly. God we love her and know how lucky we are to have had her in our lives. She blazed so brightly. Go now, Little One, into the air.'
He has no doubt also been inspired by another musical presence in his life, girlfriend Alison Mosshart who is best known as a lead vocalist for the rock band The Kills
