Robin Askwith

Robin Mark Askwith (born 12 October 1950) is an English actor and singer who has appeared in a number of film, television and stage productions.

Making his film debut as Keating in the film '' if....'' (1968), a role he would reprise in ''Britannia Hospital'' (1982), Askwith went on to appear in many films including ''Otley'' (1969), ''Alfred the Great'' (1969), ''Nicholas and Alexandra'' (1971) and ''The Canterbury Tales'' (1972), the horror films ''Tower of Evil'' (1972), ''The Flesh and Blood Show'' (1972) and '' Horror Hospital'' (1973) and the comedy films '' Bless This House'' (1972), ''Carry On Girls'' (1973) and ''No Sex Please, We're British'' (1973). However it was his role as Timothy Lea in '' Confessions'' film series that would make him a household name.

He has appeared on television as Fred Pickering in '' Beryl's Lot'' (1973–1975), Dave Deacon in ''Bottle Boys'' (1984–1985) and Ritchie de Vries in ''Coronation Street'' (2013–2014).

In 1975, at Drury Lane's New London Theatre, he was voted Most Promising Newcomer – Male at the "Evening Standard British Film Awards". Askwith's most recent television roles include ''Hollyoaks'', ''Emmerdale'' and ''Benidorm''.

Beginning in early 2023, he will host chat show "Ask With Askwith" for BBC One.

Early life

Askwith was born in Southport, Lancashire, England, the eldest child of Nelson and Hazel Askwith (née Cookson). His father was an accountant but served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War and his mother in the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRENs). Unbeknown to Askwith, still a young child, he swam in a pool contaminated with insects; later that day Askwith's mother found him fully submerged underwater in the bath. Taken to hospital in an ambulance, Askwith was found to have contracted polio and had to spend nine months in an isolation ward at Southport Infirmary and had to learn how to walk again. Shortly after this, the family moved from Southport to Eastcote, London where Askwith was educated at Orley Farm in nearby Harrow. Particularly sporty at school, Askwith represented the school at football, rugby and cricket and after joining the Ruislip and Northwood Swimming Club, he represented the South Counties at backstroke.

Askwith began an interest in acting because his neighbour was the floor manager at Pinewood Studios where he and his neighbour's son would watch movies being filmed, including ''The Servant'' (1963) and ''Cleopatra'' (1963). The next-door neighbour of a friend was ''Carry On'' actor Kenneth Connor, and so Askwith began attending a local amateur dramatics group. He also did a stint of modelling for catalogues and appeared in several commercials for baked beans and Fairy Liquid. After finishing at Orley Farm at the age of twelve, Askwith attended Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood. He found the school unduly strict and became a rebellious student to the extent that Askwith and two friends stole several rifles from the school armoury and held up Pinner post office stealing hundreds of pounds' worth of stamps with the intention of returning them the following week. Askwith also persuaded a crane operator, who was carrying out work at the school, to lift the headmaster's car onto the school roof.

As a result of playing King Edward IV during a school production of ''Richard III'', Askwith was approached by film director Lindsay Anderson, who had been in the audience, and encouraged to audition for a role in his upcoming film '' if....''. Following a successful audition he played the role of Keating in the film.

Career

Following the success of ''if...'', Askwith made his television debut as a yob in the BBC
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