Discover Notts > Famous people > Notts' entertainment Richard Bacon
Richard Bacon was born in 1975 in Mansfield and went to Worksop College. In February 1996, Bacon joined L!VE TV as reporter, but he's best known as a former presenter of BBC television's Blue Peter programme. Since leaving the show, Richard has presented The Big Breakfast, Top of the Pops, Back To Reality and ITV's This Morning during the summer of 2005. He's also presented on radio stations XFM and BBC Radio Five Live and in 2005 started presenting the drive time programme "Richard Bacon: The Go Home Show" on London's Capital FM. Robin Bailey
The late Robin Bailey (1919-1999) was born in Hucknall, Nottingham. An actor who starred in Kavanagh Q.C., Rumpole of the Bailey, Dalziel and Pascoe, Silent Evidence and The Adventures of Robin Hood among many other film and TV shows. Richard Beckinsale
Born in Carlton, Nottingham, Richard Beckinsale (1947-1979) attended an acting course at Clarendon College which led to a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. A cameo in Coronation Street led to Jack Rosenthall's comedy The Lovers which rocketed him to stardom. Richard was most famous for starring in two of the greatest British TV sitcoms, ‘Porridge’ and ‘Rising Damp’, before his early death at the age of 31. Ahsen Bhatti
Ahsen (known to everyone as Ace) was born in Nottingham. Along with fellow Grease Monkeys (2003) star Karl Collins, he was one of the original members of the Nottingham Central Junior Television Workshop. His previous credits include Cardiac Arrest, Band of Gold, Holby City, Coronation Street and many other dramas. John Bird
Television and stage satirist John Bird grew up in Nottingham and attended the city’s High Pavement Grammar School. He received an honorary degree from The University of Nottingham in 2002. Appearances in Bremner, Bird and Fortune, along with Rory Bremner and John Fortune, led to nominations for a 2003 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Entertainment of 2002 for a show performed at the Albery. Peter Bowles
Peter moved to Nottingham at the age of six. He says he was always a show-off. His first TV credit was as a constable in an episode of "The Last Chronicle of Barsett" in 1959. He later achieved widespread fame playing alongside Penelope Keith in "To The Manor Born" and other British comedies such as ‘Only When I Laugh’. Douglas Byng
Douglas Byng (1893 -1987) was one of the most redoubtable entertainers of the 20th century whose long career spanned theatre, pantomime, cabaret, film and television. 'Bawdy - But British' he was a master of the double-entendre, often appearing as a pantomime Dame. Noel Coward once described his act as 'the most refined vulgarity in London'. Charlie Creed-Miles
Nottingham born actor is the partner of Samantha Morton (see below). He won a handful of TV and film roles in his teens before his first lead in The Punk (1993). His big break came when Luc Besson cast him as David in The Fifth Element (1997). Shortly after he was praised at Cannes for his outstanding portrayal of junkie Billy in Nil By Mouth (1997). Leslie Crowther
Leslie Crowther (1933 - 1996) hailed from West Bridgford and was awarded a CBE in 1993. Presenter of many TV shows, including the children's BBC favourite 'Crackerjack', he is also well remembered as a game show host. In particular 'The Price Is Right', through which his 'Come On Down' catchphrase entered television folklore. Barry Foster
The renowned TV and film actor was born in Beeston, Nottinghamshire (1931 - 2002). Best known for his portrayal of cynical Dutch detective Van der Valk, his other famous roles included Bob Rusk, the necktie murderer in Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy. His wife of 40 years, Judith Shergold, was a singer and actress. Following his death The Barry Foster Memorial Appeal was set up to help disabled children get involved in theatre. Chris Gascoine
Born in Huthwaite, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Chris has played Peter Barlow since December 2000. He trained at Central School Of Speech And Drama. His other TV credits include The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 (BBC1) as Barry Kent; Soldier, Soldier (Central, 1997) as Tony Rossi; The Locksmith (BBC1). Sherrie Hewson
Sherrie is a TV actress well known for comedy appearances and a long running popular role in Coronation Street. She is currently in Emmerdale. Sherrie was born in Burton Joyce and by the age of six, she was in revues around the country, tap-dancing and singing. Before training at RADA, she was also an usherette at the Nottingham Playhouse.
Mathew Horne
Born in Nottingham in 1978, TV comedy actor and writer Mathew has appeared in ‘Teachers’, ’20 Things To Do Before You’re Thirty', and 'Carrie & Barry'. He was also acted in and wrote for ‘The Catherine Tate Show'. Barry Howard
Barry made his theatre debut in a Shakespeare season at the Comedy Theatre and toured extensively in numerous plays. The Nottingham born and based actor is well known as the champion ballroom dancer Barry Stuart-Hargreaves in the TV series Hi-De-Hi! Fred Karno
Real name Frederick John Westcott, (1866 - 1941) Karno lived in several towns before settling in Nottingham. Karno rose to become one of the greatest showmen in the world, making his fortune with Fred Karno’s Circus. The list of recruits to his troupe included Sir Charlie Chaplin, Stan Laurel, Will Hay and Max Miller. "When in doubt, fall on your arse." KWS (Chris King, Winnie Williams and Delron St. Joseph)
The dance-pop trio KWS were from Nottingham. The bands name derives from the last names of its members - Chris King, Winnie Williams and Delron St. Joseph. They were best known for their No.1 hit Please Don't Go in the 1990s. But they weren't a one hit wonder - they actually had seven top 40s including Rock You Baby, Hold Back The Night and Ain't Nobody. Robert Lindsay
A star of the West End, Broadway and television, Robert Lindsay first found fame as the revolutionary Wolfie in 'Citizen Smith'. He has won Olivier, Tony and Fred Astaire awards on both sides of the Atlantic for 'Me and my Girl'. Robert studied Performing Arts at Clarendon College, Nottingham before RADA. Best known for his singing, dancing, or affable clowning in 'My Family', Robert is also a heavyweight Shakespearean actor. Dennis McCarthy MBE
Evacuated to Nottingham in WWII, Dennis presented on BBC Radio Nottingham and spent 25 years broadcasting to the city. He was well loved by listeners and his funeral brought the city to a standstill. He interviewed six Prime Ministers, Red Rum, and hundreds of film and TV stars during his career. Shane Meadows
BAFTA nominated film director grew up in Nottingham and left school before taking any GCSEs. He made his feature film breakthrough in the late 1990's directing "TwentyFourSeven”. Nottingham's estates and suburbs have provided the locations and settings for all his work to date. Samantha Morton
Born in Wollaton, Nottingham in 1977, Samantha Morton attended drama workshops at the former Central studios in Nottingham as a 13-year-old. Now she has established herself as one of the finest actors of her generation. Samantha has won Oscar nominations for her turns in Woody Allen's Sweet and Low Down" (1999) and Jim Sheridan's "In America" (2002). Donald Pleasance
Born in Worksop (1919-1995), Donald Pleasence started acting on the London stage in 1939. Serving in the RAF in WW2, he was shot down, tortured, and held in a POW camp where he formed an acting group to pass the time. Donald specialised in strange or menacing characters, from Ernst Blofeld in You Only Live Twice (1967), to Dr. Loomis in the Halloween series. Su Pollard
Born in Nottingham in 1949 and attended Clarendon College (now ncn Clarendon). Most well known for playing Peggy Ollerenshaw in Hi De Hi, Su’s TV debut was on Opportunity Knocks, where she came second to a singing Jack Russell dog. Su has had success with hit records, stage shows, theatre and pantomime in her thirty year career. Alma Reville Hitchcock
Alma Reville was perhaps best known as the wife of director Alfred Hitchcock, but she was also an assistant director and a screenwriter. She was born in Nottingham and lived for a short time at Robin Hood Terrace before moving to London. Dale Winton
Now a TV personality and gameshow host, Dale was born in Nottingham in 1955. Best known for 'Supermarket Sweep', he was once a DJ with Nottingham's Radio Trent (96FM) Capital for learning | Famous people | Nottingham history | Interesting facts | The Dukeries | Postcards | Virtual tours | Videos | Souvenirs | Nottingham hotels | UK family holidays | Nottingham bed and breakfasts (B&Bs) | Nottingham holiday cottages |
