Actor for 52 years this year. Quadrophenia. High Hopes. Vera Drake. North Square, Bleak House, Sherlock, Whitechapel. Poldark, Riviera, Trying, Truelove etc.

Joined June 2011
Season 5 of Trying is now on Apple TV. Gorgeous comedy. Don’t miss it
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Rewatched a great movie the other day. Great soundtrack, Sting and two of the best Phils ever - @1phildaniels & @PhilDavis6 #Quadrophenia
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Roughly 10 years ago, I had supper with a few friends & quite a large number of people I didn’t know, & one man brought his fiancée who suffered from severe coprolalia (a form of Tourette’s, where your brain makes you involuntarily blurt out inappropriate & offensive things.) Over the course of the evening, she happened to shout out the most derogatory homophobic slurs one could imagine whenever I spoke. Because I KNEW she had this condition she COULDN’T HELP having, there was ZERO offence taken & we all simply laughed it off. Believe me, there was NO ONE more embarrassed, distressed & upset as SHE was, despite our efforts to reassure her. Probably worth bearing in mind before mindlessly castigating someone for a condition that is already hell to live with…
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Season 2 of Trying arrives on BBC1 tonight at 10.40. Gorgeous comedy. Don’t miss it.
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Relativity Richard Herrings family comedy is repeated on Radio4 at 2.15 this afternoon, with myself and Alison Steadman (among others). It’s very funny. Worth a listen.
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So sad to hear that Nabil Shaban has passed away. I had a ball working with him on Deptford Graffiti in 1990 which I directed for Ch4. Born with brittle bone disease and confined to a wheelchair he was, a great campaigner and a fine actor. A real original.
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Love, health, happiness and a very merry Christmas to all of you who follow me and all you who don’t. I hope 2026 is good for you.
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Wonderful actor Jack Shepherd has passed away. He was thrillingly good, something of a hero of mine when I was getting going. Very sad.
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Watching brilliant WSL match Arsenal v Chelsea. Great game but one of the worst decisions bet a ref that I’ve ever seen to disallow an Arsenal goal for handball. It didn’t touch hand or arm. Really terrible. She’ll be ashamed when she sees it back
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Magnificent effort from the US Ryder cup team. What a comeback. But we did it in the end. Fantastic
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Horrible scenes in NY at the Ryder cup. Half witted twats with Stars and Stripes trouser hurling abuse at European golfers when they’re putting. Shameful
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Watch out for The Firm on BBC4 at 10.0. The late, great Alan Clark’s last film. A young Gary Oldman at his very best, Lesley Manville, a bit of me. The first of the football hooliganism films. Made in 1989 it’s a stunning piece of work.
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Trying review — this infertility comedy is like a Camden Town David Nicholls thetimes.com/article/675c06f…
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TRYING a comedy series that has run for 4 seasons, so far, on Apple TV is coming to BBC 1 starting tonight at 10.40. It’s gorgeous, smart and very funny. Don’t miss it
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My brother in law’s show in Holland Park
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The first ep of Poldark reboot is repeated on BBC4 at 10.15 tonight. I play Judd Paynter. Great fun. ‘Tsn’t right, Tisn’t proper’
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So sad to hear that Ken Colley has left us. A fine actor. We worked together on Moving Story in the mid 90s and he played a part in Hold Back the Night, a film I directed in 1999. He was fearless, funny and full of mischief. A real talent.
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