David Westhead

David Westhead
Born	David William Logan Westhead (1963-06-01) 1 June 1963 (age 61) Ely, Cambridgeshire, England, UK
Nationality	British
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1988–present

David William Logan Westhead (born 1 June 1963) is an English actor.

Early life

Westhead was born in Ely, Cambridgeshire. He studied drama at Bristol University before going on to RADA, from where he graduated in 1987, after which he joined the Actors' Touring Company.

Career

He is notable as having been a member of the regular cast of The Bill , Criminal Justice , Blackeyes , Stanley and the Women , Bramwell , The Silence , Life Begins , The Lakes , Grafters , The Time of Your Life and W1A . He has also had guest appearances in Wycliffe ( Wycliffe and the Pea Green Boat as Freddie Tremaine), Doctor Who ( The Shakespeare Code , as William Kempe), Fast Freddie, The Widow and Me as Charlie, Foyle's War ( A War of Nerves ), Midsomer Murders ( The House in the Woods ), Agatha Christie's Poirot ( Cards on the Table ) and Lewis ( The Gift of Promise ). He has also appeared in the film Mrs Brown (as the Prince of Wales), and onstage he has played Tristan Tzara in a 1993 British production of Travesties , which The Observer review said "David Westhead's Tzara [is] blissfully adept and funny". ^[1]

David has for many years been a leading actor with The Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal National Theatre, and The Royal Court Theatre. His credits include the BAFTA nominated Donovan Quick, ^[2] Wilde, Stage Beauty, 'Beyond the Sea', Golden Globe winning Gideon's Daughter, Wallis & Edward, 'Beneath the Skin', Emmy Award winning The Lost Prince, 'She's Gone', 'The Time of Your Life', 'The Key', 'Safe House', 'The Lakes', Turning World, Grafters, 'The Unknown Soldier', My Fragile Heart, Blackeyes. David has the title role in "Suicide Man" and has appeared in "The Real McCoy" for the BBC in the Cape Flats Townships of South Africa. In 2010 he starred as Frank Evans in the BBC's flagship drama "The Silence".

In 2002 he and two colleagues founded Wilton Pictures, a production company specialising in making documentaries.

Also a lecturer in drama it was whilst he was teaching in South Africa that he met a group of disadvantaged youngsters with potential as photographers. Along with professional photographer John Cole – who, like David, lives in Brighton – he put them on an eight-week crash course in photography, enabling them to make a professional living from it. The exhibition of their work, entitled 'Wembley to Soweto', was exhibited at London's South Bank in July 2011. He received the Media Society's 2013 bursary award for this project. ^[3]

In 2014, he played Neil Reid in W1A .

In 2016, Westhead played the role of Tony Blair's minder in the BBC television film Reg . ^[4] In 2016, he appeared in the Netflix comedy series Lovesick .

He played Prime Minister John Vosler in the 2018 BBC series Bodyguard.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1997	Mrs Brown	Bertie, Prince of Wales
	Wilde	Edward Carson
	Daylight Robbery	Alf	Short films
1999	Between Dreams
2001	Queen's Messenger	Sir Desmond Grey
2004	Stage Beauty	Harry
	Beyond the Sea	Dr. Fields	Uncredited role
2009	Suicide Man	Frank Richards	Short film
2011	The Iron Lady	Labour Shadow Minister
	Nancy, Sid & Sergio	DI Palmer	Short films
	The North London Book of the Dead	Boss
2012	Los Jack Machine	(voice)
2013	Dun Punkin: Ep.1 - 'Boys Will Be Boys'	The Cook
2017	The Fox and the Rabbit	Francis's Father
2020	If It's Not too Late	Jimmy
2021	Dust to Dust	Peter Woods
2022	Enola Holmes 2	Henry Lyon
2024	Alice	Dominic Halford	Short film (completed)

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1985	Jenny's War	Navigator	Episodes 1–4. Uncredited role
1989	Blackeyes	Mark Wilsher	Miniseries; Episodes 2–4
1991	Stanley and the Women	Stillsman	Miniseries; Episodes 1–4
1994	Wycliffe	Freddie Tremaine	Series 1; Episode 6: "The Pea Green Boat"
1995	N7	James	Television film
	Witness Against Hitler	Leo Lange	Television film [5]
1996	The Bill	PC Mick Sampson	Series 12; Episode 25: "Confession"
	Bramwell	Paul Mills	Series 2; Episode 1: "The Rule of Thuggery"
1997	Turning World	Danny Miller	Episode 3
1997–1999	The Lakes	Arthur Thwaite	Main cast; Series 1 & 2; 5 episodes
1998	The Unknown Soldier	Jeff Quinn	Episodes 1–3
1999	Grafters	Nick Costello	Main cast; Series 2; Episodes 1–8
2000	Where the Heart Is	Mike	Series 4; Episode 2: "No Regrets"
	Dalziel and Pascoe	Peter Deller	Series 5; Episode 4: "Above the Law"
	My Fragile Heart	DCI Peter Murray	2-part miniseries
	Donovan Quick	George Mackie	Television film [6] [2]
	McCready and Daughter	DCI Alan Kendall	Television film (pilot for series)
2001			Episodes 1–5
2002	The Wonderful World of Disney	Van Den Meer	Episode: "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister"
	Always and Everyone	Phillip Mallett	Series 4; Episode 4: "Against the State"
	Safe House	Father	Television film
2003	The Lost Prince	Fred	2-part miniseries
	William and Mary	Alistair Harper	Series 1; Episode 2
	Servants	Mr. Prothero	Miniseries; Episode 2
	The Key	Neath	Miniseries; Episodes 1–3
	Blue Dove	Malcolm Sharp	Miniseries (unknown episodes)
2004	Family Business	Tom Williams	Episode 2
	She's Gone	Peter Vine	Television film
	Foyle's War	Mark Talbot	Series 3; Episode 4: "A War of Nerves"
2004–2006	Life Begins	Brian Middleton	Series 1–3; 10 episodes
2005	Beneath the Skin	Dominic Hintlesham	Television film
	Born and Bred	Silas Craddock	Series 4; Episode 10: "Someone to Watch Over Me"
	Rose and Maloney	Wallace Canford	Series 3; Episodes 1–3: "Carl Callaghan", "Annie Johnson" and "Alan Richmond"
	Midsomer Murders	Gerry Moore	Series 9; Episode 1: "The House in the Woods"
	Wallis & Edward	Ernest Simpson	Television film
2006	Gideon's Daughter	Bill	Television film
	Agatha Christie's Poirot	Superintendent Jim Wheeler	Series 10; Episode 2: "Cards on the Table"
2007	Wild at Heart	Bennett	Series 2; Episode 3: 2.3
	Doctor Who	William Kempe	Series 3; Episode 2: "The Shakespeare Code"
	The Time of Your Life	Dave	Miniseries; Episodes 1–6
2008	Criminal Justice	Barry Coulter	Series 1; Episodes 1–5
2009	Moving Wallpaper	Gareth	Series 2; Episode 6: "Renaissance Part VI"
	New Tricks	Mike Barnes	Series 6; Episode 5: "Death of a Timeshares Salesman"
	Murderland	Tony Philips	Miniseries; Episodes 1–3. Uncredited role
2010	The Silence	Superintendent Frank Evans	Miniseries; Episodes 1–4
2011	The Runaway	Ron Carver	Miniseries; Episodes 1 & 2
	Lewis	Leon Suskin	Series 5; Episode 4: "The Gift of Promise"
	Fast Freddie, The Widow and Me	Charlie Archer	Television film
2012	DCI Banks	Gareth Lambert	Series 2; Episodes 1 & 2: "Strange Affair": Parts 1 & 2
2013	Silent Witness	DI Bob Cherry	Series 16; Episodes 7 & 8: "Legacy – Part 1 [7] & "Part 2" [8]
2014	Endeavour	Val Todd	Series 2; Episode 1: "Trove"
	Common	Barnes-Williams	Television film
2014–2020	W1A	Neil Reid	Series 1–4; 14 episodes
2015	The Coroner	Grantham Naseby	Series 1; Episode 6: "Capsized"
2016	Jericho	Jonas Sorsby	Episode 4
	Reg	Tony Blair's minder	Television film [4]
	Lovesick	Alexander	Series 2; Episode 5: "Isabel"
2017	Loaded	Lawyer	Episode 1: "Lawsuit"
2018	Bodyguard	Prime Minister John Vosler	Episodes 2–4
2024	Strike	Grant Ledwell	Series 6; Episodes 1–4

Theatre

Date	Title	Role	Director	Company / Theatre
1981 – 1982	The Critic   [9]		Richard Brandon	Drama Department, Bristol University
1981 – 1982	All the Interesting Characters Are Already Dead  [9]		Frank Stirling	Drama Department, Bristol University
1982 – 1983	The Cuckoo and the Owl  [9]		Oliver Neville	Drama Department, Bristol University
1982 – 1983	The Bloom of the Diamond Stone  [9]		Emer Gillespie	Drama Department, Bristol University
1983 – 1984	Ivanov   [9]		Oliver Neville	Drama Department, Bristol University
1983 – 1984	The Innocent Mistress   [9]		Martin White	Drama Department, Bristol University
1983 – 1984	Four Doctors  [9]		Edward Braun	Drama Department, Bristol University
1989 – 1990	The School for Wives   [9]		Annie Castledine	Derby Playhouse
30 November 1989 – 20 January 1990	A Study in Scarlet   [10]	Dr. John Watson	Michael Crompton	Greenwich Theatre
16 January 1992 –	All My Sons   [11]	George Deever	David Thacker	Young Vic, London
21 April 1992 –	A Jovial Crew	Randall	Max Stafford-Clark	Royal Shakespeare Company / Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon   [12]
1992 – 1993				Royal Shakespeare Company / Barbican Theatre, London   [13]
22 February 1993 – 27 February 1993				Royal Shakespeare Company / Newcastle Playhouse   [14]
22 April 1993 – 1993				Royal Shakespeare Company / The Pit, London   [15]
2 July 1992 –	The Odyssey	Nestor	Gregory Doran	Royal Shakespeare Company / The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon   [16]
1992 – 1993				Royal Shakespeare Company / Barbican Theatre, London   [17]
22 June 1993 – 1993				Royal Shakespeare Company / The Pit, London   [18]
1 September 1992 – 1993	Tamburlaine	Cosroe & Orcanes	Terry Hands	Royal Shakespeare Company / Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon   [19]
14 October 1993 – 1993				Royal Shakespeare Company / Barbican Theatre, London   [20]
3 November 1992 – 1993	The Changeling	Antonio	Michael Attenborough	Royal Shakespeare Company / Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon   [21]
1992 – 1993				Royal Shakespeare Company / Barbican Theatre, London   [22]
1 March 1993 – 9 March 1993				Royal Shakespeare Company / Newcastle Playhouse   [23]
25 May 1993 – 1993				Royal Shakespeare Company / The Pit, London   [24]
4 Jan 1993 – 17 Jan 1993	A Corpse with Feet  [25]	Performer	Ron Cook	Buzz Goodbody Studio, The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon
16 September 1993 – 1994	Travesties   [1]	Tristan Tzara	Adrian Noble	Royal Shakespeare Company / Barbican Theatre, London   [26]
24 March 1994 – 4 June 1994				Royal Shakespeare Company / Savoy Theatre, London  [27]
22 September 1994 – 18 February 1995	The Man of Mode   [28]	Mr. Dorimant	Max Stafford-Clark	Out of Joint and Royal Court Theatre  / Royal Court Theatre, London, Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds, and other locations
October 1994 – 18 February 1995	The Libertine   [29]	John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester	Max Stafford-Clark	Out of Joint and Royal Court Theatre  / Royal Court Theatre, London, Warwick Arts Centre, and other locations
13 April 1996 – 1996	The Prince's Play   [30] [31]	HRH The Prince of Wales	Richard Eyre	National Theatre / Olivier Theatre, London
29 April 1998 –	Talk of the City	Robbie	Stephen Poliakoff	Royal Shakespeare Company / Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon   [32]
10 February 1999 –				Royal Shakespeare Company / Young Vic, London  [33]
Jan 2003 –	Almost Nothing  [34]			Royal Court Theatre, London
28 February 2007 – 24 March 2007	Macbeth   [35] [36] [37]	Macbeth	Ian Brown	West Yorkshire Playhouse / Quarry Theatre, Leeds

Audio work

Voice talent : Eric Ambler's Topkapi for BBC Radio 4 Extra

References

1. Usurpation supreme – Michael Coveney, The Observer, 19 Mar 1993
2. BAFTA Awards – nominated – Single Drama in 2001
3. "The Media Society's 2013 bursary award was presented to David Westhead's Wembley to Soweto, project" – Ami Sedghi, The Guardian, 24 Oct 2013
4. "BBC One: Reg". BBC Online . Retrieved 7 June 2016.
5. BFI – "Witness against Hitler"
6. Donovan Quick – Radio Times
7. BBC One – Silent Witness, Series 16, Legacy, Part 1
8. BBC One – Silent Witness, Series 16, Legacy, Part 2
9. David Westhead – Theatricalia
10. A Study in Scarlet – Theatricalia
11. All My Sons – Theatricalia
12. A Jovial Crew – Theatricalia
13. A Jovial Crew at Barbican Theatre, London – Theatricalia
14. A Jovial Crew at Newcastle Playhouse – Theatricalia
15. A Jovial Crew at The Pit, London – Theatricalia
16. The Odyssey – Theatricalia
17. The Odyssey at Barbican Theatre, London – Theatricalia
18. The Odyssey at The Pit, London – Theatricalia
19. Tamburlaine – Theatricalia
20. Tamburlaine at Barbican Theatre, London – Theatricalia
21. The Changeling – Theatricalia
22. The Changeling at Barbican Theatre, London – Theatricalia
23. The Changeling at Newcastle Playhouse – Theatricalia
24. The Changeling at The Pit, London – Theatricalia
25. A Corpse With Feet – Theatricalia
26. Travesties – Theatricalia
27. Travesties at Savoy Theatre, London – Theatricalia
28. The Man of Mode – Theatricalia
29. The Libertine – Theatricalia
30. The Prince's Play – Theatricalia
31. Theatre: The Prince's Play, Royal National Theatre – Paul Taylor, The Independent, 22 April 1996
32. Talk of the City –Theatricalia
33. Talk of the City at Young Vic, London – Theatricalia
34. Theatre Review: Almost Nothing – Michael Billington, The Guardian, 22 Jan 2003
35. Macbeth – Theatricalia
36. Sleepwalking into tragedy – Theatre Review: Macbeth, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds – Clare Brennan, The Guardian, 18 Mar 2007
37. Theatre review: Macbeth at West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds – J. D. Atkinson, British Theatre Guide

External links

• David Westhead at the British Film Institute ^{[ better source needed ]}
• David Westhead at IMDb