Andrew Lancel
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Andrew Lancel (born Andrew Watkinson on 3 August 1970) is an English television and theatre actor, producer and director. He is best known for his appearance as Dr. Andrew Collin in ''
Cardiac Arrest Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It is a medical emergency that, without immediate medical intervention, will result in sudden cardiac death within minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and poss ...
'', his role as DI Neil Manson in ''
The Bill ''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, first broadcast on ITV from 16 August 1983 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, '' Woodentop'', broadcast in August 1983. The programme focused o ...
'' and Frank Foster in the long-running
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
soap opera '' Coronation Street'', as well as his acclaimed portrayal of
Brian Epstein Brian Samuel Epstein (; 19 September 1934 – 27 August 1967) was a British music entrepreneur who managed the Beatles from 1962 until his death in 1967. Epstein was born into a family of successful retailers in Liverpool, who put him i ...
in the stage play ''Epstein – The Man Who Made The Beatles''.


Biography

Andrew Lancel was born on 3 August 1970 in Rufford,
Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancash ...
. He started his acting career in local theatre and as a cabaret singer. In 1993, he appeared in the TV film ''
Wide-Eyed and Legless ''Wide-Eyed and Legless'' (known in the US as ''The Wedding Gift'') is a 1993 made-for-TV British drama film, directed by Richard Loncraine starring Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Sian Thomas and Thora Hird. It is based on the 1989 book ''Dian ...
'' with
Julie Walters Dame Julia Mary Walters (born 22 February 1950), known professionally as Julie Walters, is an English actress. She is the recipient of four British Academy Television Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, two International Emmy Awards, a B ...
, Jim Broadbent and
Thora Hird Dame Thora Hird (28 May 1911 – 15 March 2003) was an English actress and comedian, presenter and writer. In a career spanning over 70 years, she appeared in more than 100 film and television roles, becoming a household name and a Briti ...
. He gained fame as the lead role in the ground breaking medical series ''
Cardiac Arrest Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It is a medical emergency that, without immediate medical intervention, will result in sudden cardiac death within minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and poss ...
'' with
Helen Baxendale Helen Victoria Baxendale (born 7 June 1970) is an English actress of stage and television, known for her roles as Rachel Bradley in the British comedy drama '' Cold Feet'' (1997–2003), and Emily Waltham in the American sitcom '' Friends'' ( ...
. Since then, he has become a well-established theatre and television actor with a reputation for seeking controversial roles and projects. He was described as the most realistic doctor on TV and sporadically was TV's most hated man, after roles in ''
City Central City Central is a business improvement district (BID) that represents around 630 businesses in the retail and leisure heart of Liverpool, Liverpool's city centre, covering a total area of 49 acres and including 61 streets, such as Bold Street, ...
'', ''Bad Girls'' and ''Queer as Folk''. He is best known for his role as DI Neil Manson in the long running
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
series ''
The Bill ''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, first broadcast on ITV from 16 August 1983 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, '' Woodentop'', broadcast in August 1983. The programme focused o ...
'', a role he played from 2003 until 2010, as well as the villainous Frank Foster in '' Coronation Street'' for which he won 'Villain of the Year' at the British Soap Awards. An accomplished singer for many years, Lancel has also performed his own one-man show and has sung in venues including the Sands in Blackpool and the Royal Albert Hall in London. In addition to acting, Lancel runs his own production company and has produced and directed numerous productions. In 2008, Lancel became a patron of the Unity Theatre, Liverpool. Lancel is also a regular panellist on the Channel 5 TV show ''
The Wright Stuff ''The Wright Stuff'' is a British television chat show which was hosted by former tabloid journalist Matthew Wright from 2000 until 2018. It aired on Channel 5 on weekday mornings from 9:15 to 11:15am. The series characterised itself as "Br ...
'' and also covers the
Pete Price Peter Lawrence Price (the Lizard) (born 04 February 1946) is a British radio presenter best known for his work in Liverpool. He hosted the Sunday night talk radio show ''Pete Price: Unzipped'', which was broadcast across Liverpool sister stat ...
Radio Show. Lancel is an avid supporter of Everton F.C. and was an original ambassador of Everton in the Community, he is also involved in the Everton Collection. In summer 2010, he played a prison officer in an award-winning short film called ''Inside Run'', directed by his former ''The Bill'' co-star
Sam Callis Samuel Charles Callis (born 21 November 1973 in Ely, Cambridgeshire) is an English actor and director, best known for his role as Callum Stone in ''The Bill'' and Adam Benjamin in '' London's Burning''. Biography Callis grew up in Haslemere, Sur ...
which was shown at the BFI London Film Festival in October 2010. Of the film, Lancel said "it's a long way from Manson and a joy to be directed by Sam." He reunited with Callis for his next film, the award-winning short film ''Viking'' co-starring
Sophie Thompson Sophie Thompson (born 20 January 1962) is a British actress who has worked in film, television and theatre. A six-time Olivier Award nominee, she won the 1999 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for the London revival of ''Into the Woods' ...
. His numerous stage appearances include Adam Snow in the Bill Kenwright produced production of the world premiere of '' The Small Hand'' in 2014, Juror 3 in ''
Twelve Angry Men ''Twelve Angry Men'' is an American courtroom drama written by Reginald Rose concerning the jury of a homicide trial. It was broadcast initially as a television play in 1954. The following year it was adapted for the stage. It was adapted for a ...
'' in 2015, and his acclaimed performance as
Brian Epstein Brian Samuel Epstein (; 19 September 1934 – 27 August 1967) was a British music entrepreneur who managed the Beatles from 1962 until his death in 1967. Epstein was born into a family of successful retailers in Liverpool, who put him i ...
in ''Epstein – The Man Who Made The Beatles''. In 2015, Lancel portrayed
Brian Clough Brian Howard Clough ( ; 21 March 1935 – 20 September 2004) was an English football player and manager, primarily known for his successes as a manager with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. He is one of four managers to have won the Engl ...
in a stage production of ''
The Damned United ''The Damned United'' is a 2009 British sports drama film directed by Tom Hooper and adapted by Peter Morgan from David Peace's bestselling 2006 novel ''The Damned Utd'' – a largely fictional book based on the author's interpretation of Bria ...
''. More recently, Lancel yet again played
Brian Epstein Brian Samuel Epstein (; 19 September 1934 – 27 August 1967) was a British music entrepreneur who managed the Beatles from 1962 until his death in 1967. Epstein was born into a family of successful retailers in Liverpool, who put him i ...
in the Bill Kenwright production of ''Cilla The Musical'', touring the UK for fifteen months to critical acclaim.


Career


Television

Following his break-out role in ''
Cardiac Arrest Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It is a medical emergency that, without immediate medical intervention, will result in sudden cardiac death within minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and poss ...
'' Lancel appeared in numerous TV series as diverse as '' Liverpool 1'', '' The Vice'', '' Urban Gothic'' and '' Merseybeat'' and portrayed highly controversial roles in the shows ''City Central'' and '' Queer As Folk'' and in the BBC medical drama ''Casualty'' as a builder called Chris Perry in Series 28 Episode 48 "A Life Less Lived". In 2002, he joined the cast of '' Bad Girls'' as Barry Pearce and his character was involved in a controversial domestic abuse story line with on-screen wife Di Barker. In 2003, Andrew joined ''
The Bill ''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, first broadcast on ITV from 16 August 1983 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, '' Woodentop'', broadcast in August 1983. The programme focused o ...
'' as DI Neil Manson and played the character until the programme was axed in 2010. His most notable and memorable storyline was the thirteen-month-long Amy Tennant missing person case, concerning a young child who mysteriously vanished. This was also the longest storyline ever attempted in the history of ''The Bill''. In 2005, he entered ''
Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes ''Stars in Their Eyes'' is a British television talent series, based on Joop van den Ende's Dutch format ''Soundmixshow''. It featured a singing contest in which members of the public impersonate showbiz stars. The show premiered on 21 July 1 ...
'' as A-ha singer
Morten Harket Morten Harket () (born September 14, 1959) is a Norwegian vocalist and songwriter, who is the lead singer of the synthpop/rock band A-ha. A-ha has released 10 studio albums to date, and topped the charts internationally after their breakthrough ...
and won. On 23 November 2010, Lancel was cast in the long running
ITV1 ITV1 (formerly known as ITV) is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the British media company ITV plc. It provides the Channel 3 public broadcast service across all of the United Kingdom except for t ...
soap opera '' Coronation Street'' as Frank Foster, a business associate of
Carla Connor Carla Barlow (also Connor and Gordon) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'', played by Alison King. She made her first appearance on screen during the episode airing on 1 December 2006 and introduced ...
. Another controversial role, Lancel's portrayal won him 'Villain of the Year' at the
British Soap Awards The British Soap Awards (BSAs) are an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom which honours the best moments in British soap operas. The ceremony is televised on ITV and has been presented by Phillip Schofield since 2006. The trophies gi ...
in 2012. Lancel made his final appearance as Frank on 5 March 2012; when the character met his demise. Frank's murder was part of a
whodunnit A ''whodunit'' or ''whodunnit'' (a colloquial elision of "Who asdone it?") is a complex plot-driven variety of detective fiction in which the puzzle regarding who committed the crime is the main focus. The reader or viewer is provided with th ...
plot, and the murderer was revealed to be the character's own mother, Anne, in a shock twist. 2022-The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe as DS Paul Sampson


Theatre

In 2012, Lancel returned to the stage when he was cast as former Beatles manager
Brian Epstein Brian Samuel Epstein (; 19 September 1934 – 27 August 1967) was a British music entrepreneur who managed the Beatles from 1962 until his death in 1967. Epstein was born into a family of successful retailers in Liverpool, who put him i ...
in ''Epstein – The Man Who Made the Beatles'' a new play by Andrew Sherlock which debuted at the ''Epstein Theatre''in Liverpool on 15 November 2012. The newly refurbished theatre being named in honour of Brian Epstein. The play transferred to the West End at the
Leicester Square Theatre The Leicester Square Theatre is a 400-seat theatre in Leicester Place, immediately north of Leicester Square, in the City of Westminster, London. It was previously known as Notre Dame Hall, Cavern in the Town and The Venue. The theatre hosts st ...
in 2014. The play, and Lancel's performance as Epstein drew huge critical acclaim with ''Whats on Stage'' describing his performance as 'phenomenal' and London Theatre calling it 'mesmerising.' In 2014, Lancel was cast as Adam Snow alongside
Diane Keen Diane Keen (born 29 July 1946) is an English actress, known for her portrayal of Fliss Hawthorne in the Granada sitcom '' The Cuckoo Waltz'' and Julia Parsons on the BBC soap opera '' Doctors''. She also appeared in Nescafé advertisements from ...
and Robert Duncan in the world premiere of '' The Small Hand'' based on the book by
Susan Hill Dame Susan Hill, Lady Wells, (born 5 February 1942) is an English author of fiction and non-fiction works. Her novels include ''The Woman in Black'', '' The Mist in the Mirror'', and '' I'm the King of the Castle'', for which she received t ...
and adapted by Clive Francis. The play, directed by
Roy Marsden Roy Marsden (born Roy Anthony Mould; 25 June 1941) is an English actor who portrayed Adam Dalgliesh in the Anglia Television dramatisations (1983–1998) of P. D. James's detective novels, and Neil Burnside in the spy drama ''The Sandbagg ...
and produced by Bill Kenwright, premiered at the Theatre Royal Windsor before touring the UK. Lancel joined the cast of ''
Twelve Angry Men ''Twelve Angry Men'' is an American courtroom drama written by Reginald Rose concerning the jury of a homicide trial. It was broadcast initially as a television play in 1954. The following year it was adapted for the stage. It was adapted for a ...
'' in 2015, following its West End run, and received rave reviews for his turn as juror number three, starring alongside
Tom Conti Tommaso Antonio Conti (born 22 November 1941) is a Scottish actor, theatre director, and novelist. He won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play in 1979 for his performance in '' Whose Life Is It Anyway?'' and was nominated for the Academy Aw ...
and
Denis Lill Denis Lill (born 22 April 1942) is a New Zealand-born British actor. He is best known for his roles in '' Survivors'' as Charles Vaughan, ''Only Fools and Horses'' as Alan Parry, ''Outside Edge'' as Dennis Broadley and as Consultant General Sur ...
. In November 2015, it was announced that Lancel would be taking on the role of
Brian Clough Brian Howard Clough ( ; 21 March 1935 – 20 September 2004) was an English football player and manager, primarily known for his successes as a manager with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. He is one of four managers to have won the Engl ...
in a new stage adaptation of ''
The Damned United ''The Damned United'' is a 2009 British sports drama film directed by Tom Hooper and adapted by Peter Morgan from David Peace's bestselling 2006 novel ''The Damned Utd'' – a largely fictional book based on the author's interpretation of Bria ...
'' based on the novel by David Peace. The play is a co-production between Red Ladder and West Yorkshire Playhouse. In May 2016, it was announced that Lancel will be making his musical debut, undertaking the role of Captain Von Trapp in the UK Tour of ''
The Sound of Music ''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, ''The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. S ...
''. Following a national touring starring as Detective Superintendent Vetch in ''Ruth Rendell's A Judgement in Stone'' (again directed by a Roy Marsden and produced by Bill Kenwright he once again returned to the role of Brian Epstein in Jeff Pope's ''Cilla the Musical'', an adaption of his ITV drama ''Cilla''. The musical opened in September 2017 at the Liverpool Empire to rave reviews, and has played to sold out audiences throughout the UK.


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lancel, Andrew 1970 births Living people People from Rufford, Lancashire English male film actors English male television actors