Nigel Havers

• Honorific Prefix — The Honourable • Name — Nigel Havers • Birth Name — Nigel Allan Havers • Born — 6 November 1951 • Birthplace — Edmonton, Middlesex, England • Occupation — Actor and presenter • Years Active — 1970–present • Children — 1 • Father — Michael Havers, Baron Havers

Nigel Allan Havers was born on 6 November 1951, in Edmonton, Middlesex, the younger of two sons of barrister Sir Michael Havers (later Lord Havers) and Carol Lay. His father served as Attorney General for England and Wales and briefly as Lord Chancellor in the Conservative Government in the 1980s. His paternal aunt, Lady Butler-Sloss, 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.

Havers was educated at Nowton Court Prep School in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk and is an alumnus and patron of Arts Educational School (ArtsEd), an independent school for performing arts in Chiswick, London.

Havers is most known for "playing the quintessential, old school Englishman with his dashing good looks, cut-glass accent and thoroughly charming manner". In 1975, Havers's career began with an appearance in Upstairs, Downstairs, 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. His first film appearance was in Pope Joan (1972), then in The Glittering Prizes (1976), but his first major success came with the leading role in a BBC dramatisation of Nicholas Nickleby (1977), closely followed by another BBC drama serial adaption of A Horseman Riding By (1978). In 1981, he played a main role in the film Chariots of Fire (1981), for which, he earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. He starred in A Passage to India (1984), he co-starred with Maureen Lipman in The Little Princess (1986), starred in Empire of the Sun (1987), and Farewell to the King (1989), he co-starred for several years alongside Dinah Sheridan and Tony Britton in the 1980s BBC sitcom Don't Wait Up (1983–1990). He co-starred with Warren Clarke in the BBC comedic mini-series Sleepers (1991). Havers appeared on This Is Your Life in 1992, having been surprised by host Michael Aspel at Twickenham Film Studios. He later wrote an autobiography, titled Playing with Fire, which was published in October 2006 by Headline Publishing Group. In 2009, Havers appeared in the U.S. television drama Brothers & Sisters, and the Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures. On 18 December 2009, he first appeared in the British soap Coronation Street (broadcast on the ITV network) playing the charming escort Lewis Archer, who woos Audrey Roberts In November 2010, Havers became a contestant on the tenth series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, 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. As a guest star in the 2011 Christmas Special episode of television show Downton Abbey, 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. 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. 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. On 25 January 2015, Havers took part in celebrity talent show Get Your Act Together. Havers appeared in the ninth series of the sitcom Benidorm (2017), 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. In 2020, he starred as Roger alongside Keeley Hawes and Joanna Lumley in the comedy drama series Finding Alice. In 2024, he starred as Lord Whitecroft in 2 episodes of Guy Ritchie's Netflix crime comedy series The Gentlemen. 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.

Havers married Carolyn CoxIn in 1974. They had a daughter and divorced in 1989. During his first marriage, Havers began a relationship with Polly Bloomfield (née) Williams, the daughter of actor Hugh Williams and the sister of his friend, actor Simon Williams. They married in 1989. She died in June 2004 of ovarian cancer. In 1990, Havers was banned from driving for one year and fined £500 for drunk driving. On 8 June 2007, Havers married Georgiana "George" Bronfman. (née Rita Webb), an Essex native, in New York City. Bronfman is the former spouse of Canadian-American businessman Edgar Bronfman. Havers is the godfather of comedian Jack Whitehall.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1973 — Shabby Tiger — Toby Scriven — Episode: "A Wife in Water Colours" • 1973 — Crown Court — Bernard Crittenden — Episode: "Wise Child" • 1974 — The Black Arrow — Roger — 4 episodes • 1975 — Upstairs, Downstairs — Peter Dimont — Episode: "Joke Over" • Edward the Seventh — Frederick Crichton — 2 episodes • Crown Court — Patrick Mills — Episode: "Never on Sundays" • Thriller — Ludovic Bates — Episode: "The Next Voice You See" • 1976 — The Glittering Prizes — Denis Porson — 3 episodes • The Cedar Tree — Rex Burton-Smith — 2 episodes • 1977 — Nicholas Nickleby — Nicholas Nickleby — Lead role; all 6 episodes • 1978 — |Pennies from Heaven — Conrad Baker — Episode: "Down Sunnyside Lane" • An Englishman's Castle — Mark Ingram — 3 episodes • A Horseman Riding By — Paul Craddock — 12 episodes • 1979 — Birth of the Beatles — George Martin — Television film • Rumpole of the Bailey — Ronald Ransom — Episode: "Rumpole and the Course of True Love" • 1981 — Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years — Randolph Churchill — All 8 episodes • Tales of the Unexpected — Miller — Episode: "Would You Believe It?" • 1982 — Nancy Astor — Bobby Shaw — 4 episodes • 1983–1990 — Don't Wait Up — Dr. Tom Latimer — All 39 episodes • 1984 — Strangers and Brothers — Roy Calvert — 4 episodes • 1985 — Star Quality: Bon Voyage — Roddy Buchanan • A Different Kind of Love — Clement • 1986 — Lord Elgin and Some Stones of No Value — Lord Elgin / Tim • 1987 — A Little Princess — Carrisford — 4 episodes • The Death of the Heart — Thomas Quayne • Hold the Dream — Jim Fairley — Episode #1.1 • The Charmer — Ralph Ernest Gorse — All 6 episodes • 1989 — Naked Under Capricorn — Davy Marriner • 1990 — A Bit of Fry and Laurie — Himself — Episode #2.6 • 1991 — The Private War of Lucinda Smith — Edward • A Slight Hitch — Simon • Sleepers — Jeremy Coward/ Sergei Rublev — 4 episodes • A Perfect Hero — Hugh Fleming — All 6 episodes • 1992–1993 — The Good Guys — Guy McFadyean — All 16 episodes • 1994 — Red Eagle — Peter Husak • The Burning Season: The Chico Mendes Story — Steven Kaye • Woof! — Appleby — Episode: "Mr. Wonderful" • 1995 — The Glass Virgin — Edmund Lagrange — 2 episodes • Chiller — Oliver Halkin — Episode: "Prophecy" • Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story — Michael Wilding • 1996 — Murder Most Horrid — Harvey Stafford — Episode: "Girl Friday" • Strangers — Philip — Episode: "Touch" • 1997 — Bridge of Time — Halek • The Heart Surgeon — Dr. Alex Marsden • 1995–1999 — Dangerfield — Dr. Jonathan Paige — 26 episodes • 2001 — The Gentleman Thief — A J Raffles • The Armando Iannucci Shows — Ivy Waiter — Episode: "Mortality" • 2002–2003 — Manchild — Terry — 15 episodes • 2002 — Murder in Mind — Nicholas Chadwick QC — Episode: "Flashback" • 2004–2005 — Little Britain — Leader of the Opposition — 2 episodes • 2005 — Born and Bred — Henry Williamson — 3 episodes • 2006 — Open Wide — Peter Hillman • 2009–2010 — Brothers & Sisters — Roger Grant — 6 episodes • 2009–2011 — Lunch Monkeys — Mike — 12 episodes • 2009 — The Sarah Jane Adventures — Peter Dalton — 2 episodes • 2009–2010, 2012–2013, 2018–2019 — Coronation Street — Lewis Archer — Series regular, 182 episodes • 2011 — Downton Abbey — Lord Hepworth — Episode: "Christmas at Downton Abbey" • 2010 — I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (British series 10) — Himself — Withdrew on Day 9 • 2014–2017 — The Life of Rock with Brian Pern — Tony Pebblé — 9 episodes • 2016 — Comedy Playhouse — David — Episode: "Stop/Start" • 2017–2018 — Benidorm — Stanley Keen — 3 episodes • 2017 — Tracey Ullman's Show — Sir Richard Appleworth — Episode #2.4 • Brian Pern: A Tribute — Tony Pebblé • Celebrity Carry on Barging — Himself • Timewasters — Dr. Eugene Braithwaite — Episode: "Good Kids, M.D.A City" • Better Things — Lester — Episode: "White Rock" • Murder on the Blackpool Express — Doc • 2019 — The Cockfields — Larry — TV Mini-Series, 2 episodes • Midsomer Murders — Andrew Wilder — S21E1: "The Point of Balance" • Posh Hotels — Himself — 4 episodes • 2020 — All Creatures Great and Small — General Ransom — Episode: "Andante" • 2020-2025 — The Bidding Room — Himself as host — BBC TV Series 1-7 (25-30 Episodes each) • 2021 — Finding Alice — Roger — TV series, 6 episodes • 2024 — The Gentlemen — Lord "Tibsy" Whitecroft — Netflix Series, 2 episodes • Sandringham: A Royal Residence with Nigel Havers — Himself as presenter — Channel 5 three-part series • 2025 — A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story — Judge Cecil Havers • Play for Today — Frank — Episode: "Never Too Late"

• Sleeping Beauty – London Palladium (2025), as Keeper of the Privy • Robin Hood – London Palladium (2024) • Peter Pan – London Palladium (2023) • Jack and the Beanstalk - London Palladium (2022) • Pantoland – London Palladium (2021) • Goldilocks and the Three Bears – London Palladium (2019) • Snow White – London Palladium (2018) • Dick Whittington – London Palladium (2017) • Jack and the Beanstalk – Theatre Royal Bath (2016) • Dick Whittington – Swindon Wyvern Theatre (2014) • Robin Hood – Theatre Royal, Plymouth (2013) • Jack and the Beanstalk – The Mayflower (2012) • Peter Pan – Hawth Theatre (2011) • Dick Whittington – Birmingham Hippodrome (2010–2011) • Jack and the Beanstalk – Nottingham Theatre Royal (2009) • Aladdin – Yvonne Arnaud Theatre (2008) • Cinderella – Richmond Theatre (2007)

• Ricochet (1993) as producer and lead actor • Rebecca (2011) as lead actor • The Importance of Being Earnest – Harold Pinter Theatre (2014) • The Importance of Being Earnest – Theatre Royal, Glasgow (2015) • Art (2018) as lead actor • Private Lives (2021–23) as lead actor

• Proof by Dick Francis (1987) as Tony Beach • Reluctant Persuaders (2015) as Rupert Hardacre

• The Scarifyers: The Secret Weapon of Doom (2010) as Victor Bright • Doctor Who: No More Lies (2007) as Nick • Tales from Watership Down (Richard Adams) (1996)

The authorities additionally record the headings Nigel Allan Havers, Hon. Nigel Allan Havers and Hon. His recorded language was English. He was the child of Michael Havers, Baron Havers and Carol Elizabeth Lay. He married Carolyn Gillian Cox and Polly Williams. One child is recorded: Katharine Havers.