Adrian Scarborough

Last updated

Adrian Scarborough
Born
Adrian Philip Scarborough

(1968-05-10) 10 May 1968 (age 56)
Years active1993–present
SpouseRose Blackshaw
Children2

Adrian Philip Scarborough (born 10 May 1968) is an English actor.

Contents

He has appeared in films including The Madness of King George (1994), Gosford Park (2001), Vera Drake (2004), The History Boys (2006), The King's Speech (2010), Les Misérables (2012) and 1917 (2019). He is also known for his roles in television such as Cranford (2007–2009), Gavin & Stacey (2007–2010; 2019), Upstairs Downstairs (2010–2012), The Paradise (2013), Crashing (2016), A Very English Scandal (2018), Killing Eve (2019), and The Chelsea Detective (2022).

Scarborough is also an accomplished theatre actor and has twice won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role; he won in 2011 for his role in the Terence Rattigan play After the Dance and in 2020 for his performance in Tom Stoppard's play Leopoldstadt .

Early life

Scarborough was born and raised in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. He attended Brooksby Melton College and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, winning the Chesterton Award for Best Actor for school graduates. [1]

Career

Scarborough made his big-screen debut in 1994 in The Madness of King George . [1] His other movie appearances have included Sweet Revenge , Gosford Park , Vera Drake , Notes on a Scandal , The History Boys , Elizabeth: The Golden Age , The King's Speech , and Les Misérables .

One of Scarborough's early television roles was J.G. Quiggin in the 1997 adaptation of A Dance to the Music of Time . He was also seen in the BBC series Let Them Eat Cake with Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. He played "Bouffant", the gay couturier/servant/confidante to Saunder's character, the "Comtesse de Vache". [2] His other appearances on television have included productions such as Cranford , the television film Into the Storm , Psychoville and as Charlie in the BBC comedy series Miranda . [3] He has appeared in three episodes of Midsomer Murders , playing separate characters in series 5, series 10, and series 18. He is also the voice of Abney in the BBC Children's Television programme Abney & Teal. He voiced Benjamin Bunny in The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends .

In 2007, he played the character Harry Hepple in an episode of BBC New Tricks series 4.4 Nine Lives.

Scarborough is particularly well known for his appearances with Julia Davis in the BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey as warring married couple Pete and Dawn Sutcliffe, who are friends and neighbours of Gavin Shipman's (Mathew Horne) parents in Essex. He is also identified for his role as the butler Mr. Pritchard in the BBC series Upstairs, Downstairs . [4] [5]

In 2012 he appeared in the ITV series Mrs Biggs with fellow Gavin & Stacey star Sheridan Smith, playing the eponymous character's father Bernard (the real-life father of Charmian Brent, ex-wife of Ronnie Biggs). He played an alien known as Kahler-Jex in an episode of Doctor Who entitled "A Town Called Mercy", which aired on 15 September 2012. [6]

On stage, Scarborough has made frequent appearances at the Donmar, the Almeida, and in the West End and he has appeared in twenty productions for the Royal National Theatre. On 19 June 2011, he took part in The Barn Theatre presents... with Elliot Brown at the Barn Theatre, Welwyn Garden City [7] In 2012 he appeared in Hedda Gabler at the Old Vic, again with Sheridan Smith. [8] In 2013, he played a role in Darkside , Tom Stoppard's radio drama based on Pink Floyd's album The Dark Side of the Moon . [9] In 2014 he appeared in the ITV sitcom Edge of Heaven as Bald Gary.

In 2015, he appeared as Clive Trueman in the BBC TV series Father Brown episode 3.15 "The Owl of Minerva". Scarborough also appeared in the Starz sitcom Blunt Talk as Harry, valet to Walter Blunt, a role which he reprised in the second season a year later.

In 2016, he appeared as Colin in the Channel Four sitcom Crashing and as Tony Pitt in the ITV series Midsomer Murders episode 18.4 "A Dying Art".

In 2017, he appeared in the film adaptation of Ian McEwan's On Chesil Beach as Lionel Mayhew, as well as alongside David Tennant in Don Juan in Soho as his Chauffeur, for its run in the West End at Wyndham's Theatre.

From 2 to 24 November 2018, he portrayed Dr Willis in the Nottingham Playhouse production of the Alan Bennett play The Madness of George III , with Mark Gatiss as the king, [10] which follows his role as Fortnum in the 1994 film version of the play. The same year, he was Hal Gallsworthy in the film Christopher Robin . In 2019, Scarborough was Villanelle's handler "Raymond" in the 2nd season of the TV show Killing Eve . [11]

Since 2022, Scarborough has played the lead role of Detective Inspector Max Arnold in The Chelsea Detective .

Personal life

Scarborough lives in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. He and his wife, Rose, have two children. [12]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1994 The Madness of King George Fortnum
1995 In the Bleak Midwinter Young Actor
1998The Revengers' ComediesPercy Cutting
Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon Daniel Farson
St. Ives Le Bon
2000 Last Resort Council Official
2001 Gosford Park Barnes
2002 Dirty Pretty Things The Doctor
2003 To Kill a King Sergeant Joyce
Bright Young Things Customs Officer
2004 Vera Drake Frank
2006 The History Boys Wilkes
Notes on a Scandal Martin
2007 Elizabeth: The Golden Age Calley
2010 The Kings Speech BBC Radio Announcer
2012 Les Misérables Toothman
2013DeliciousVictor
2014 A Little Chaos Daniel Le Vielle
2017 On Chesil Beach Lionel Mayhew
2018 Patrick Mr. Peters
Christopher Robin Hal Gallsworthy
2019 The Last Vermeer Dirk Hannema
1917 Major Hepburn
2020 Artemis Fowl The Goblin Chief

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1991–2008 The Bill Tim Lock/Harvey/Tommy3 episodes
1993–1995 The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends Mr. Benjamin Bunny (voice)2 episodes
1995 The Governor Walter Brinkley6 Episodes
An Independent ManRobin SwallowEpisode: And So to Bed
Coogan's Run Councillor Len Crabbe2 episodes
1996 The Wind in the Willows Nephew Mole (voice)Television Movie
1997CowsVicarTelevision Movie
A Dance to the Music of Time JG Quiggin3 episodes
1999 Let Them Eat Cake Bouffant6 episodes
The PassionMartinTelevision series
2000 Heartbeat Martin PadmoreEpisode: Smile for the Camera
2002 TLC The PhlebotomistEpisode: Angry Nurse
2002–2016 Midsomer Murders Tony Pitt/Eddie Carfax/Peter Fogden3 episodes
2003Promoted to GloryArnoldTelevision Movie
2006 Saxondale ChairmanEpisode: Episode 1.2
2007 The Trial of Tony Blair SimonTelevision Movie
New Tricks Harry HeppleEpisode: Nine Lives
Maxwell Bob ColeTelevision Movie
The History of Mr Polly RusperTelevision Movie
The Commander: The Fraudster Clive SewayTelevision Movie
2007–2010, 2019, 2024 Gavin & Stacey Pete Sutcliffe Supporting role, 8 episodes
2008 10 Days to War SteveEpisode: Blowblack
Poppy Shakespeare Middle Class MichaelTelevision Movie
CaillouMr. HinkleEpisode: Star Light, Star Bright
2009 Minder Harvey StevensenEpisode: Thank Your Lucky Stars
Kingdom JeffEpisode: Episode #3.4
Into the Film SawyersTelevision Movie
Psychoville Mr. Jolly/Surgeon6 episodes
2010–2012 Upstairs Downstairs Mr. Warwick Pritchard9 episodes
2011 National Theatre Live: The Habit of Art Donald / Humphrey CarpenterTheatre broadcast
The Adventures of Abney & Teal Narrator / Abney (voice)Television Series
2012 Watson & Oliver Performer4 Episodes
Doctor Who Kahler-Jex2 episodes
Mrs. Biggs Bernard Powell4 episodes
Restless Morris Devereux2 episodes
2013 The Paradise Fenton4 episodes
2013–2014 Plebs Claudius6 episodes
2013–2015 Up the Women Frank7 episodes
2014 Death in Paradise Leo PascalEpisode: An Artistic Murderer
Edge of Heaven Bald Gary6 episodes
The Great War: The People's Story Winston Churchill Documentary Series
National Theatre Live: King Lear The Fool Theatre broadcast
The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawn The VicarTelevision Movie
2015Professor Branestawn ReturnsThe VicarTelevision Movie
Miranda Charlie5 episodes
Father Brown Clive TruemanEpisode: The Owl of Minerva
Call the Midwife Barrington SwannChristmas Special
2015–2016 Blunt Talk Harry Chandler20 episodes
2016 Crashing Colin6 episodes
Stella HorstChristmas Special
Maigret in Montmartre Dr. BlochTelevision Movie
2017 Urban Myths Chief Inspector DandersEpisode: Agatha Christie
Little Women Mr. DavisEpisode: #1.2
2018The Darkwater BrideUnknownVideo
Urban Myths Inspector DandersEpisode: "Agatha Christie"
A Very English Scandal George Carman, Q.C Episode: "Episode #1.3"
National Theatre Live: The Madness of George III Dr. Willis Theatre broadcast
2019 Killing Eve Raymond3 episodes
The Accident Philip Walters4 episodes
2019–2022 Sanditon Dr. Fuchs7 episodes
2020 The Windsors Ian DrabbleEpisode: "Episode #3.4"
2021 Murder, They Hope JacobEpisode: "The Bunny Trap"
2021–2022 Bloods [13] Gary16 episodes
2022–present The Chelsea Detective DI Max Arnold8 episodes
2024 Inside No. 9 LarryEpisode: "Mulberry Close"

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References

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  2. "British Comedy Guide - Let Them Eat Cake - Characters". Sitcom.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
  3. "Comedy - Miranda - Miranda Meets... Sally Phillips And Adrian Scarborough". BBC. 29 November 2010. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
  4. "Adrian Scarborough - IMDb". IMDb .
  5. Scarborough, Adrian. "TV blog: Upstairs Downstairs: Playing Mr Pritchard". BBC. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
  6. Jones, Paul (7 March 2012). "Doctor Who: Upstairs Downstairs star Adrian Scarborough cast in series seven". Radio Times. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  7. "King's Speech actor coming to Welwyn Garden City theatre". Welwyn Hatfield Times. 5 June 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  8. "Q&A: Adrian Scarborough; OfficialLondonTheatre.com". OfficialLondonTheatre.com. 10 September 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  9. "Pink Floyd album inspires Sir Tom Stoppard radio play". BBC. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  10. "The Madness of George III". Nottingham Playhouse. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  11. Killing Eve, season 2
  12. "The Gavin & Stacey star you pass in the street". Berkhamsted & Tring Gazette. 11 November 2009. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  13. "'When I found out that we had this cast, I was like yeah, no one's working!'". 2 May 2021.