Early life and family
Havers was born born 6 November 1951, [2] in Edmonton, Middlesex, [2] and is the younger of two sons of Sir Michael Havers (later Lord Havers), a barrister who served as the Attorney General for England and Wales and, briefly, Lord Chancellor in the Conservative Government in the 1980s. His mother is Carol Lay, who is an author. [2]
His paternal aunt, Lady Butler-Sloss, [3] his grandfather Sir Cecil Havers and elder brother Philip Havers KC also had prominent legal careers. His paternal uncle, David Havers, was a Manchester-based businessman.
Havers took part in the BBC TV series Who Do You Think You Are?, broadcast in the UK in July 2013. As part of the show he explored his ancestry from an Essex businessman, on his father's side, and a Cornish miller on his mother's side. [2]
Professional life and career
Havers is most known for "playing the quintessential, old school Englishman with his dashing good looks, cut-glass accent and thoroughly charming manner". [5]
In 1975, Havers's career began with an appearance in Upstairs, Downstairs , [6] in one of the show's last episodes, "Joke Over" as Peter Dinmont, one of Georgina's (Lesley-Anne Down) Roaring Twenties "party" friends. In 1975, Havers played the hapless heroin addict, Patrick Mills, who stood trial for a series of drug offences in the Granada Television daytime series Crown Court . [6]
His first film appearance was in Pope Joan (1972), [6] then in The Glittering Prizes (1976), [6] but his first major success came with the leading role in a BBC dramatisation of Nicholas Nickleby (1977), [6] closely followed by another BBC drama serial adaption of A Horseman Riding By (1978). [6]
In 1981, he played a main role in the film Chariots of Fire (1981), [6] for which, he earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. [7] He starred in A Passage to India (1984), [6] he co-starred with Maureen Lipman in The Little Princess (1986), [6] starred in Empire of the Sun (1987), [6] and Farewell to the King (1989), [6] he co-starred for several years alongside Dinah Sheridan and Tony Britton in the 1980s BBC sitcom Don't Wait Up (1983–1990). [6] He co-starred with Warren Clarke in the BBC comedic mini-series Sleepers (1991). [6]
Havers appeared on This Is Your Life in 1992, having been surprised by host Michael Aspel at Twickenham Film Studios. [8] He later wrote an autobiography, titled Playing with Fire, which was published in October 2006 by Headline Publishing Group. [9]
In 2009, Havers appeared in the U.S. television drama Brothers & Sisters , [6] and the Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures . [6] On 18 December 2009, he first appeared in the British soap (broadcast on the ITV network) playing the charming escort Lewis Archer, who woos Audrey Roberts in Coronation Street . [6]
In November 2010, Havers became a contestant on the tenth series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! , [6] which started on 14 November 2010. On 21 November, Havers left the show after vehemently objecting to a challenge called Kangaroo Court in which contestants who lost the challenge would be subjected to an electric shock. [10]
As a guest star in the 2011 Christmas Special episode of television show Downton Abbey , [6] Havers portrayed Lord Hepworth, a charming and hopeful suitor of wealthy Lady Rosamund Painswick, the widowed sister of the Earl of Grantham played by Samantha Bond. [11]
In July 2012, Havers presented a programme on ITV called The Real Chariots of Fire, a documentary about the runners who inspired the film Chariots of Fire. [12] In 2014, he played Tony Pebble in The Life of Rock with Brian Pern , a BBC Four comedy which parodied the life and career of former Genesis singer, Peter Gabriel. [13] On 25 January 2015, Havers took part in celebrity talent show Get Your Act Together . [6]
Havers appeared in the ninth series of the sitcom Benidorm (2017), [14] returning as the same character for the tenth series in 2018. He also joined fellow celebrities Simon Callow, Lorraine Chase, and Debbie McGee on the Channel 5 (UK) show, Celebrity Carry On Barging, later that year. [15]
In 2020, he starred as Roger alongside Keeley Hawes and Joanna Lumley in the comedy drama series Finding Alice . [4] In 2024, he starred as Lord Whitecroft in 2 episodes ofGuy Ritchie's Netflix crime comedy series The Gentlemen . [6]
In March 2025, Havers appeared in the four-part ITV series A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story as his own grandfather the judge Sir Cecil Havers. [16]
Personal life
In the mid-1980s, Havers began a relationship with Polly Williams, the daughter of actor Hugh Williams and the sister of his friend, the actor Simon Williams. [17]
In 1990, Havers was banned from driving for one year, and fined £500 for drink driving. [18]
On 8 June 2007, Havers married Essex native Georgiana "George" Bronfman. [19] (née Rita Webb), in New York City. Bronfman is the former spouse of Canadian-American businessman Edgar Bronfman. [20]
Havers is the godfather of comedian Jack Whitehall. [21]
