Jimmy Nail

James Michael Aloysius Bradford (born 16 March 1954), known as Jimmy Nail, is an English singer-songwriter, actor, film producer, and television writer. He played the role of Leonard "Oz" Osborne in the television show ''Auf Wiedersehen, Pet'' and the title role in ''Spender''. He also recorded a 1992 number one single, "Ain't No Doubt". His role as Agustin, the oily crooner in the 1996 film ''Evita'', gave him international recognition.

Early life

James Michael Aloysius Bradford was born in Newcastle upon Tyne to father Jimmy and mother Laura. His father was an Irish Catholic shipyard worker, amateur boxer, and professional footballer. He describes himself as an angry kid who was expelled from secondary school for setting fire to curtains. When he was 13, his sister, Shelagh, died at the age of 20. He later spent time drinking, fighting, and generally rebelling against authority. He was involved in a fight after a football match and was sent to prison. After being released he worked in a glass factory. While opening a crate of glass he stood on a six-inch spike that went through his foot and thereafter was called "Nail", a name he later adopted professionally. Also at that time he played guitar in a rock band called the King Crabs. His sister Val McLane was an actress and later became Head of Drama at Sunderland University.

Career

Television

Nail's partner, Miriam, encouraged him to audition for a television show, and although he had no experience as an actor, he won the role of Leonard Jeffrey "Oz" Osborne on ''Auf Wiedersehen, Pet'', an ITV comedy drama about construction workers on the job, first in Germany, then other countries.

In 2000 he began work on reviving the ''Auf Wiedersehen, Pet'' series, this time for the BBC
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