I’ve worn a beard since 1986, when I was 21. Only rarely have I been clean­shaven since then. Emma, who met me in 1997, has only seen me clean­shaven once before, about 15 years ago. I promptly regrew the beard that time.

I decided in October to fundraise for Movember. In truth, I was also curious to see what I looked like without my trademark beard. On Halloween night, I shaved everything off. Interim photos as I whittled down the beard can be seen below, as can some progress photos taken since then as I grew an over-the-top handlebar mustache.

I’ve let the rest of the beard start growing in after my heel operation a week and a half ago. I look quite ruffianly at the moment.

May 2016

Van Dyke, Halloween

Big Moustache + Soul Patch, Halloween

Big Moustache, Halloween

Neat Moustache, Halloween

Clean­shaven, Halloween

Clean­shaven, Halloween

Nascent Moustache, day 7

Moustache, day 11.

This is my Mickey Rourke phase, apparently. I’ll need some tats, stat.

Definite Moustache, day 26

Moustache, day 33

Moustache, day 48

Zardoz