Jason Watkins (actor)

Career

Since training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he has established himself as a stage actor, and is a member of the National Theatre company.

He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 2001 (2000 season) for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in A Servant For Two Masters (Young Vic, subsequently transferred to New Ambassadors Theatre).

Other theatre work includes Rafts and Dreams at the Royal Court Theatre, Philistines and Landscape with Weapon (by Joe Penhall) at the National Theatre, London (2007) and A Laughing Matter (by April De Angelis) at the Liverpool Playhouse in 2003 (for which he was hailed as "magnificent" for his portrayal of the actor David Garrick).

Television

Watkins' most prominent television roles have included vampire leader William Herrick in Being Human, crime suspect Jason Buliegh in Conviction, Bradley Stainer in Funland and dog-walking crime witness Francis Cross in Five Days. He played Oswald Cooper in "The Great and the Good" episode of Lewis, Plornish in the 2008 BBC production of Little Dorrit, and Cabbage Patterson in the BBC adaptation of Lark Rise to Candleford. Watkins had a cameo in episode seven of the second series of Life on Mars, as Gene Hunt's dissolute lawyer Colin Merric. In 2006 he played real life pioneering radiologist Ernest Wilson in BBC pilot Casualty 1906. Also in 2006, he played the part of Sir Christopher Hatton in The Virgin Queen, a four part BBC drama about Queen Elizabeth I. He then featured in the second series of the BBC's comedy Psychoville, as Peter Bishop, owner of Hoyti Toyti, an antique shop specialising in toys. Since 2011, he has also appeared in the Sky1 sitcom Trollied as the store manager Gavin. In early 2012 he joined the cast of the BBC drama Prisoners' Wives, appeared as Detective Gilks in Dirk Gently and portrayed a smooth Church of England PR man in Twenty Twelve.

On 11 May 2013 he appeared in the Doctor Who story Nightmare in Silver, written by Neil Gaiman, featuring the Cybermen in their current design.

In 2013, he played an anaesthetist in The Wrong Mans. In 2014, he appeared as Simon Harwood in BBC comedy series W1A. A second series aired in 2015 and a third is being broadcast in 2017.

In 2014, he played the lead role in a two part ITV drama entitled The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies, about the innocent initial suspect in the 2010 murder of Joanna Yeates, for which he won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor.

In 2016, Watkins played the role of Pastor Hansford in the four-part ITV drama The Secret, which also starred James Nesbitt. Watkins appeared in two episodes of The Hollow Crown and played the role of Malcolm Turner in the BBC sitcom series Love, Nina. He narrated the Channel 4 documentary series The Job Interview. Watkins appeared as Tony Michaels in an episode of Friday Night Dinner. Watkins was cast as Mr Humphries in the BBC revival of Are You Being Served?, a role previously played by the late John Inman.

In 2017, Watkins plays Solomon Coop, the Private Secretary to the Sovereign, the Prince Regent (later George IV), in BBC One's Taboo. Also on BBC One, Watkins performed as Wilfred Lucas-Dockery, the governor of the prison in the third episode of the BBC's adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's novel Decline and Fall. He played Simon in the second series of ITV drama Safe House in 2017.

Film

Watkins' most prominent film role to date has been the vividly camp gay wedding planner Gregory Hough in the 2006 comedy Confetti. He has also played smaller roles in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Tomorrow Never Dies, The Golden Compass, Wild Child and Nativity! and its follow-up Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger. His son, Freddie, played his pupil in Nativity!.

Personal life

Watkins is married to jewelry designer Clara Francis. In 2011, their two and a half year old daughter Maude died of sepsis. He dedicated his 2015 BAFTA award to her. The couple have two other children, Bessie and Gilbert. Watkins also has two sons from his first marriage.