Paul Clayton (actor)

Paul Clayton (born 8 March 1957) is an English actor, director and author.

Clayton played Ian Chapman in award-winning Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show. In 2011, Clayton portrayed Sam Foster, father of Frank Foster in Coronation Street. Clayton also appears in the BBC Three sitcom Him & Her where he plays Graham. In 2013 and 2014, he played Superintendent Marlow in Hollyoaks, until his character was murdered on 21 April.

Clayton has made other notable television appearances in Doctor Who, My Family, Doctors and Wire in the Blood as well as films such as Ali G Indahouse. He also features in the British crime thriller, The Rise (originally called Wasteland]).

On stage, Clayton was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company where he appeared alongside actors including Judi Dench and Zoe Wanamaker. In the West End, Clayton played the leading role of Tony in the improvised comedy whodunnit Scissor Happy at the Duchess Theatre alongside the Comedy Store Players.

Directing credits include Privates on Parade at the Greenwich Theatre, starring Tony Slattery, The Comedy of Errors at Nottingham Playhouse starring Robert Bathurst, The Pocket Dream at York Theatre Royal starring Lucy Benjamin and seven productions at the Watermill Theatre, Newbury.

Clayton is also an established actor, presenter, director and trainer in the corporate sector with over 1,400 corporate event credits. He has recently written a guide to corporate acting called So You Want to Be A Corporate Actor, published by Nick Hern Books.

Clayton is Chairman of the Actors' Centre in Covent Garden and a former member and associate artist of the National Youth Theatre.