Adrian Philip Scarborough is a British actor. He has appeared in films including The Madness of King George (1994), Gosford Park (2001), Vera Drake (2004), The History Boys (2006), The King's Speech (2010), Les Misérables (2012) and 1917 (2019). He is also known for his roles in television such as Cranford (2007–2009), Gavin & Stacey (2007–2024), Upstairs Downstairs (2010–2012), The Paradise (2013), Crashing (2016), A Very English Scandal (2018), Killing Eve (2019), and The Chelsea Detective (2022–present).
Scarborough is also a theatre actor and has twice won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role; he won in 2011 for his role in the Terence Rattigan's play After the Dance and in 2020 for his performance in Tom Stoppard's play Leopoldstadt.
Early life Scarborough was born and grew up in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. He attended Brooksby Melton College and trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, winning the Chesterton Award for Best Actor for school graduates.
Career Scarborough made his big-screen debut in 1994 in The Madness of King George. His other movie appearances have included Sweet Revenge, Gosford Park, Vera Drake, Notes on a Scandal, The History Boys, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, The King's Speech, and Les Misérables.
One of Scarborough's early television roles was J.G. Quiggin in the 1997 adaptation of A Dance to the Music of Time. He was also seen in the BBC series Let Them Eat Cake with Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. He played "Bouffant", the gay couturier/servant/confidante to Saunder's character, the "Comtesse de Vache". His other appearances on television have included productions such as Cranford, the television film Into the Storm, Psychoville and as Charlie in the BBC comedy series Miranda. He has appeared in three episodes of Midsomer Murders, playing separate characters in series 5, series 10, and series 18. He is also the voice of Abney in the BBC Children's Television programme Abney & Teal. He voiced Benjamin Bunny in The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends.
In 2007, he played the character Harry Hepple in an episode of BBC New Tricks series 4.4 Nine Lives.
Scarborough appeared with Julia Davis in the BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey as warring married couple Pete and Dawn Sutcliffe, who are friends and neighbours of Gavin Shipman's (Mathew Horne) parents in Essex. He was the butler Mr. Pritchard in the BBC series Upstairs, Downstairs.
In 2012 he appeared in the ITV series Mrs Biggs with fellow Gavin & Stacey star Sheridan Smith, playing the eponymous character's father Bernard (the real-life father of Charmian Brent, ex-wife of Ronnie Biggs). He played an alien known as Kahler-Jex in an episode of Doctor Who entitled "A Town Called Mercy", which aired on 15 September 2012.
On stage, Scarborough has made frequent appearances at the Donmar, the Almeida, and in the West End and he has appeared in twenty productions for the Royal National Theatre. In 2011, he played Inspector Wormold in Betty Blue Eyes and on 19 June 2011, he took part in The Barn Theatre presents... with Elliot Brown at the Barn Theatre, Welwyn Garden City In 2012 he appeared in Hedda Gabler at the Old Vic, again with Sheridan Smith. In 2013, he played a role in Darkside, Tom Stoppard's radio drama based on Pink Floyd's album The Dark Side of the Moon. In 2014 he appeared in the ITV sitcom Edge of Heaven as Bald Gary.
In 2015, he appeared as Clive Trueman in the BBC TV series Father Brown episode 3.15 "The Owl of Minerva". Scarborough also appeared in the Starz sitcom Blunt Talk as Harry, valet to Walter Blunt, a role which he reprised in the second season a year later.
In 2016, he appeared as Colin in the Channel 4 sitcom Crashing and as Tony Pitt in the ITV series Midsomer Murders episode 18.4 "A Dying Art".
In 2017, he appeared in the film adaptation of Ian McEwan's On Chesil Beach as Lionel Mayhew, as well as alongside David Tennant in Don Juan in Soho as his Chauffeur, for its run in the West End at Wyndham's Theatre.
From 2 to 24 November 2018, he portrayed Dr Willis in the Nottingham Playhouse production of the Alan Bennett play The Madness of George III, with Mark Gatiss as the king, which follows his role as Fortnum in the 1994 film version of the play. The same year, he was Hal Gallsworthy in the film Christopher Robin. In 2019, Scarborough was Villanelle's handler "Raymond" in the 2nd season of the TV show Killing Eve.Killing Eve, season 2
Since 2022, Scarborough has played the lead role of Detective Inspector Max Arnold in The Chelsea Detective.
Personal life Scarborough lives in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. He and his wife, Rose, have two children.
Filmography Film Year Title RoleNotes 1994The Madness of King George Fortnum 1995In the Bleak Midwinter Young Actor 1998The Revengers' ComediesPercy CuttingLove Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon Daniel FarsonSt. Ives Le Bon 2000Last Resort Council Official 2001Gosford Park Barnes 2002Dirty Pretty Things The Doctor 2003 To Kill a King Sergeant JoyceBright Young Things Customs Officer 2004Vera Drake Frank 2006The History Boys WilkesNotes on a Scandal Martin 2007Elizabeth: The Golden Age Calley 2010The Kings SpeechBBC Radio Announcer 2012Les Misérables Toothman 2013 Delicious Victor 2014A Little Chaos Daniel Le Vielle 2017On Chesil BeachLionel Mayhew 2018Patrick Mr. Peters Christopher Robin Hal Gallsworthy 2019 The Last Vermeer Dirk Hannema1917 Major Hepburn 2020Artemis Fowl The Goblin Chief
Television Year Title RoleNotes1991–2008The BillTim Lock/Harvey/Tommy3 episodes1993–1995The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends Mr. Benjamin Bunny (voice)2 episodes 1995 The GovernorWalter Brinkley6 EpisodesAn Independent ManRobin SwallowEpisode: And So to BedCoogan's RunCouncillor Len Crabbe2 episodes1996The Willows in WinterNephew Mole (voice)Television Movie 1997CowsVicarTelevision MovieA Dance to the Music of TimeJG Quiggin3 episodes 1999Let Them Eat CakeBouffant6 episodesThe PassionMartinTelevision series2000HeartbeatMartin PadmoreEpisode: Smile for the Camera2002TLCThe Phlebotomist Episode: Angry Nurse2002–2016Midsomer MurdersPeter Fogden/Eddie Carfax/Tony PittEpisode: Ring Out Your Dead, Episode: Picture of Innocence, Episode: A Dying Art2003Promoted to GloryArnold Television Movie2006SaxondaleChairmanEpisode: Episode 1.2 2007The Trial of Tony BlairSimonTelevision MovieNew TricksHarry HeppleEpisode: Nine LivesMaxwellBob ColeTelevision MovieThe History of Mr PollyRusperTelevision MovieThe Commander: The FraudsterClive SewayTelevision Movie2007–2010, 2019, 2024Gavin & StaceyPete SutcliffeSupporting role, 8 episodes 200810 Days to WarSteveEpisode: BlowblackPoppy ShakespeareMiddle Class MichaelTelevision MovieCaillouMr. HinkleEpisode: Star Light, Star Bright 2009MinderHarvey StevensenEpisode: Thank Your Lucky StarsKingdomJeffEpisode: Episode #3.4Into the FilmSawyersTelevision MoviePsychovilleMr. Jolly/Surgeon6 episodes 2010–2012Upstairs Downstairs Mr. Warwick Pritchard9 episodes 2011National Theatre Live: The Habit of Art Donald / Humphrey Carpenter Theatre broadcast The Adventures of Abney & TealNarrator / Abney (voice)Television Series 2012Watson & OliverPerformer 4 Episodes Doctor WhoKahler-Jex2 episodesMrs. BiggsBernard Powell4 episodesRestlessMorris Devereux2 episodes2013The Paradise Fenton4 episodes2013–2014PlebsClaudius6 episodes2013–2015Up the WomenFrank7 episodes 2014Death in Paradise Leo PascalEpisode: An Artistic Murderer Edge of HeavenBald Gary6 episodesThe Great War: The People's Story Winston Churchill Documentary Series National Theatre Live: King Lear The Fool Theatre broadcastThe Incredible Adventures of Professor BranestawnThe VicarTelevision Movie 2015Professor Branestawn ReturnsThe VicarTelevision MovieMirandaCharlie5 episodesFather Brown Clive TruemanEpisode: The Owl of MinervaCall the Midwife Barrington SwannChristmas Special 2015–2016Blunt TalkHarry Chandler20 episodes 2016Crashing Colin6 episodesStellaHorstChristmas SpecialMaigret in MontmartreDr. BlochTelevision Movie 2017Urban MythsChief Inspector DandersEpisode: Agatha Christie Little Women Mr. DavisEpisode: #1.2 2018 The Darkwater Bride Unknown Video Urban Myths Inspector Danders Episode: "Agatha Christie" A Very English Scandal George Carman, Q.C Episode: "Episode #1.3" National Theatre Live: The Madness of George III Dr. Willis Theatre broadcast 2019 Killing Eve Raymond 3 episodes The Accident Philip Walters 4 episodes 2019–2022Sanditon Dr. Fuchs 7 episodes 2020 The Windsors Ian Drabble Episode: "Episode #3.4" 2021 Murder, They Hope Jacob Episode: "The Bunny Trap" 2021–2022 Bloods Gary 16 episodes 2022–present The Chelsea Detective DI Max Arnold 8 episodes2024Inside No. 9LarryEpisode: "Mulberry Close"
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