Nigel Harman

Childhood and early career

Harman grew up in Woldingham, and was educated at elite Dulwich College. However, he found school difficult: "I was never comfortable sitting down. I always wanted to get involved in something, not just learn and write. I was in so much trouble I had my own desk in detention." His father was a bank manager, but also involved in amateur dramatics including work with Croydon Operatic and Dramatic Association (CODA), an interest which was passed on to Harman. His mother was also involved in the productions, but she died when Harman was 18.

By the age of 8 he already had a manager and in 1984 he made his first major television appearance in the BBC1 drama series Tenko which was followed by appearances in Alas Smith and Jones (1986) and The Honey Siege (1987). He then turned his hand to larger theatre roles, appearing in productions such as Privates on Parade, Much Ado About Nothing and Summer Holiday. He trained at Arts Educational Schools in London and was in the original cast of world hit Mamma Mia!. He also performed in musicals on cruise ships for six and a half months, but told Paul O'Grady that he hated the experience.

Having only worked on the stage and in musical theatre since leaving private school, Harman determined to expand into television and pursued TV roles. He scored minor parts in episodes of Red Cap, Doctors and Coupling, but had to support himself by taking jobs at Pizza Hut and as a driver for supermarket chain Sainsburys a fate not uncommon for many actors.

EastEnders

In 2003 he won the role of Dennis Rickman in the BBC soap opera EastEnders for which he is now nationally well known. At the time he won the role, Harman was working for British supermarket Sainsbury's as a delivery van driver.

His character's first notable bustup was with local hard man Phil Mitchell whom he punched in his very first episode making him the first of his many enemies. A few months later, Dennis was beaten up by some thugs who had been sent around by Phil. Then his long-lost father "Dirty" Den Watts (played by Leslie Grantham) famously returned after being presumed dead for over 14 years and together with Dennis framed Phil for armed robbery causing Phil to flee Walford on the run from police.

Harman left EastEnders on 5 November 2005, and his final episode was aired on 30 December 2005 in which Dennis was stabbed to death in the street by one of Johnny Allen's (Billy Murray) henchman (it was later discovered to be Danny Moon, played by Jake Maskall).

During his time on EastEnders Harman won multiple awards such as the following:

Theatre

After leaving EastEnders in December 2005, he appeared as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls at the Piccadilly Theatre in the West End alongside Jenna Russell and Nigel Lindsay. He opened alongside Sarah Lancashire who left the production with illness on 4 January 2006. He left the show in March 2006. In April 2006, he played Kerry Max Cooke in The Exonerated at Riverside Studio Theatre in Hammersmith, London.

In October 2006, Harman appeared in the Harold Pinter play The Caretaker at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, starring alongside David Bradley and Con O'Neill. The production toured from February to April 2007. The tour venues were the Theatre Royal, Brighton, the Richmond Theatre and the Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn.

Harman resumed the role of Sky Masterson again, joining the Guys and Dolls tour at the Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham in December 2006, and the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton in May 2007.

From May 2008 to July 2008 he appeared in The Common Pursuit at the Menier Chocolate Factory for a limited run.

From January to May 2009 he appeared in the play Three Days of Rain at the Apollo Theatre, London with actors Lyndsey Marshal and James McAvoy.

In November and December 2009 he appeared in Public Property by Sam Peter Jackson at the Trafalgar Studios.

During May and June 2010, Harman appeared in the stage production of True West at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield.

From May 2011 to February 2012 he played Lord Farquaad in the West End production of Shrek the Musical, at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. For his performance, he won the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical and Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical.

In July 2012 he played Sir Charles Surface in The School for Scandal at the Theatre Royal, Bath.

From September 2012 to January 2013 he starred alongside Rob Brydon and Ashley Jensen in Alan Ayckbourn's A Chorus of Disapproval at the Harold Pinter Theatre in the West End.

In August 2013, it was announced Harman would play the role of Simon Cowell in the West End musical I Can't Sing! The X Factor Musical, which opened in February 2014 at the London Palladium. Despite positive reviews, the musical closed in May.

In May 2014 it was announced that Harman would direct The Rabbit Hole, starring Joanne Froggatt. The production was due to open at the West End's Vaudeville Theatre on 24 September 2014 but has been postponed.

Also in 2014, Harman was revealed as the director for the UK tour of Shrek The Musical, which opened in July in Leeds and finished in February 2016 in Salford. The tour will resume in Edinburgh in December 2017.

In October 2016 he directed a double-bill Lunch and The Bow of Ulysses by Steven Berkoff at the Trafalgar Studios in the West End of London.

From 27 January to 11 February 2017, Harman starred in the French comedy What's In A Name? at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre alongside Sarah Hadland, Jamie Glover, Olivia Poulet and Raymond Coulthard.

Recent work

Harman's success on television and stage has facilitated a move into other television and film roles. In 2006 he played the leading role in one-off drama thriller The Outsiders, co-starring actors Colin Salmon and Brian Cox. Later that year he made a brief appearance in the Hollywood film Blood Diamond.

In 2007 and 2008 he made guest appearances in the Channel 4 series: Comedy Showcase and City of Vice as well as an episode of the BBC drama series Lark Rise to Candleford. He also played his first major film role (as singer Jess Conrad) in Telstar.

In 2009 he appeared in the series Plus One and took over from Max Beesley as the new male lead in the BBC drama Hotel Babylon playing new owner Sam Franklin. He also appeared as a "Dealer" in the Channel 4 online educational game 'The Curfew' (produced by littleloud).

In 2010 he appeared in an episode of Agatha Christie's Marple.

In 2013 he appeared in the fourth series of Downton Abbey, playing the role of a visiting valet named Mr Green. He is currently appearing as Bradley Dawson in Mount Pleasant since 2013.