Nigel Allan Havers (born 6 November 1951)England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916–2007, Name: Nigel A Havers Registration Date: Oct 1951 [Nov 1951] [Dec 1951] Registration Quarter: Oct–Nov–Dec Registration district: Edmonton, north London Inferred County: London Mother's Maiden Name: Lay Volume Number: 5e Page Number: 422 is an English actor and presenter. In 1981 he earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, for portraying Lord Andrew Lindsay in the British sports film Chariots of Fire (1981). Other credits include A Passage to India (1984), Empire of the Sun (1987), Farewell to the King (1989), Don't Wait Up (1983–1990), Sleepers (1991) Coronation Street, (2009–2019), Brothers & Sisters (2009), Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures, Downton Abbey (2011), The Life of Rock with Brian Pern (2014), Benidorm (2017), Finding Alice (2021), The Gentlemen (2024), and A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story (2025).
Early life and family 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.
Education 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.
Professional life and career 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.I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! – Nigel Havers ITV, November 2010
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.
Personal life 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" BronfmanWoods, Judith "Nigel Havers: 'I'm so loved up – 60 really is the new 40'", 19 September 2011. (née Rita Webb), an Essex native, in New York City. Bronfman is the former spouse of Canadian-American businessman Edgar Bronfman.Kandell, Jonathan "Edgar M. Bronfman, Who Built a Bigger, More Elegant Seagram, Dies at 84"; New York Times; 22 December 2015.
Havers is the godfather of comedian Jack Whitehall.
Selected filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1972 Pope Joan Young Monk 1977 The Haunting of Julia Estate Agent 1978 Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? Counterman 1979 Birth of the Beatles George Martin 1981 Chariots of Fire Lord Andrew Lindsay Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role 1984 A Passage to India Ronny 1985 Burke & Wills William John Wills 1986 The Whistle Blower Bob Jones 1987 Empire of the Sun Dr. Rawlins 1989 Farewell to the King Capt. Fairbourne 1990 Quiet Days in Clichy Alfred Perlès 1996 Element of Doubt Richard 2004 The Life and Death of Peter Sellers David Niven 2006 Penelope Mr. Vanderman
Television Year Title Role Notes1973 Shabby Tiger Toby Scriven Episode: "A Wife in Water Colours"1973 Crown Court Bernard Crittenden Episode: "Wise Child"1974The Black ArrowRoger4 episodes1975Upstairs, DownstairsPeter DimontEpisode: "Joke Over"Edward the SeventhFrederick Crichton2 episodesCrown CourtPatrick MillsEpisode: "Never on Sundays" Thriller Ludovic Bates Episode: "The Next Voice You See"1976 The Glittering Prizes Denis Porson 3 episodesThe Cedar TreeRex Burton-Smith2 episodes1977 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 episodes1979 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 episodes1983–1990 Don't Wait Up Dr. Tom Latimer All 39 episodes1984 Strangers and Brothers Roy Calvert 4 episodes1985 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 episodesThe Death of the Heart Thomas Quayne Hold the Dream Jim Fairley Episode #1.1The Charmer Ralph Ernest Gorse All 6 episodes1989 Naked Under Capricorn Davy Marriner 1990 A Bit of Fry and Laurie Himself Episode #2.61991 The Private War of Lucinda Smith Edward A Slight Hitch Simon Sleepers Jeremy Coward/Sergei Rublev 4 episodesA Perfect Hero Hugh Fleming All 6 episodes1992–1993 The Good Guys Guy McFadyean All 16 episodes1994 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 episodesChiller 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 episodes2001 The Gentleman Thief A J Raffles The Armando Iannucci Shows Ivy Waiter Episode: "Mortality"2002–2003 Manchild Terry 15 episodes2002 Murder in Mind Nicholas Chadwick QC Episode: "Flashback"2004–2005 Little Britain Leader of the Opposition 2 episodes2005 Born and Bred Henry Williamson 3 episodes2006 Open Wide Peter Hillman 2009–2010 Brothers & Sisters Roger Grant 6 episodes2009–2011 Lunch Monkeys Mike 12 episodes2009 The Sarah Jane Adventures Peter Dalton 2 episodes2009–2010, 2012–2013, 2018–2019 Coronation Street Lewis Archer Series regular, 182 episodes2011 Downton Abbey Lord Hepworth Episode: "Christmas at Downton Abbey"2010I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (British series 10)HimselfWithdrew on Day 92014–2017 The Life of Rock with Brian Pern Tony Pebblé 9 episodes2016 Comedy Playhouse David Episode: "Stop/Start"2017–2018 Benidorm Stanley Keen 3 episodes2017 Tracey Ullman's Show Sir Richard Appleworth Episode #2.4 Brian Pern: A Tribute Tony Pebblé Celebrity Carry on Barging HimselfTimewasters 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 RoomHimself 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 series2025 A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story Judge Cecil Havers Play for Today Frank Episode: "Never Too Late"
Theatre (pantomime) Sleeping Beauty – London Palladium (2025), as Keeper of the Privy"The London Palladium pantomime: Sleeping Beauty", November 2025, accessed 19 December 2025 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)