David William Logan Westhead (born 1 June 1963) is an English actor.
Early life Westhead was born in Ely, Cambridgeshire. He studied drama at Bristol University before going on to RADA, from where he graduated in 1987, after which he joined the Actors' Touring Company.
Career He is notable as having been a member of the regular cast of The Bill, Criminal Justice, Blackeyes, Stanley and the Women, Bramwell, The Silence, Life Begins, The Lakes, Grafters, The Time of Your Life and W1A. He has also had guest appearances in Wycliffe (Wycliffe and the Pea Green Boat as Freddie Tremaine), Doctor Who (The Shakespeare Code, as William Kempe), Fast Freddie, The Widow and Me as Charlie, Foyle's War (A War of Nerves), Midsomer Murders (The House in the Woods), Agatha Christie's Poirot (Cards on the Table) and Lewis (The Gift of Promise). He has also appeared in the film Mrs Brown (as the Prince of Wales), and onstage he has played Tristan Tzara in a 1993 British production of Travesties, which The Observer review said "David Westhead's Tzara [is] blissfully adept and funny".
Westhead has for many years been a leading actor with The Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal National Theatre, and The Royal Court Theatre. His credits include the BAFTA nominated Donovan Quick, Wilde, Stage Beauty, 'Beyond the Sea', Golden Globe winning Gideon's Daughter, Wallis & Edward, 'Beneath the Skin', Emmy Award winning The Lost Prince, 'She's Gone', 'The Time of Your Life', 'The Key', 'Safe House', 'The Lakes', Turning World, Grafters, 'The Unknown Soldier', My Fragile Heart, Blackeyes. Westhead has the title role in "Suicide Man" and has appeared in "The Real McCoy" for the BBC in the Cape Flats Townships of South Africa. In 2010 he starred as Frank Evans in the BBC's flagship drama "The Silence".
In 2002 he and two colleagues founded Wilton Pictures, a production company specialising in making documentaries.
Also a lecturer in drama it was whilst he was teaching in South Africa that he met a group of disadvantaged youngsters with potential as photographers. Along with professional photographer John Cole – who, like Westhead, lives in Brighton – he put them on an eight-week crash course in photography, enabling them to make a professional living from it. The exhibition of their work, entitled 'Wembley to Soweto', was exhibited at London's South Bank in July 2011. He received the Media Society's 2013 bursary award for this project."The Media Society's 2013 bursary award was presented to David Westhead's Wembley to Soweto, project" – Ami Sedghi, The Guardian, 24 Oct 2013
In 2014, he played Neil Reid in W1A.
In 2016, Westhead played the role of Tony Blair's minder in the BBC television film Reg. In 2016, he appeared in the Netflix comedy series Lovesick.
He played Prime Minister John Vosler in the 2018 BBC series Bodyguard.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1997 Mrs Brown Bertie, Prince of Wales Wilde Edward Carson Daylight Robbery Alf Short films 1999 Between Dreams 2001 Queen's Messenger Sir Desmond Grey 2004 Stage Beauty Harry Beyond the Sea Dr. Fields Uncredited role 2009 Suicide Man Frank Richards Short film 2011 Labour Shadow Minister Nancy, Sid & Sergio DI Palmer Short films The North London Book of the Dead Boss 2012 Los Jack Machine (voice) 2013 Dun Punkin: Ep.1 - 'Boys Will Be Boys''' | The Cook |- | 2017 | The Fox and the Rabbit| Francis's Father |- | 2020 | If It's Not too Late| Jimmy |- | 2021 | Dust to Dust| Peter Woods |- | 2022 | Enola Holmes 2| Henry Lyon
| 2024 | Alice'' Dominic Halford Short film (completed)
Television Year Title Role Notes 1985 Jenny's War Navigator Episodes 1–4. Uncredited role 1989 Blackeyes Mark Wilsher Miniseries; Episodes 2–4 1991 Stanley and the Women Stillsman Miniseries; Episodes 1–4 1994 Wycliffe Freddie Tremaine Series 1; Episode 6: "The Pea Green Boat" 1995 N7 James Television film Witness Against Hitler Leo Lange Television filmBFI – "Witness against Hitler" 1996 PC Mick Sampson Series 12; Episode 25: "Confession" Bramwell Paul Mills Series 2; Episode 1: "The Rule of Thuggery" 1997 Turning World Danny Miller Episode 3 1997–1999 Arthur Thwaite Main cast; Series 1 & 2; 5 episodes 1998 Jeff Quinn Episodes 1–3 1999 Grafters Nick Costello Main cast; Series 2; Episodes 1–8 2000 Where the Heart Is Mike Series 4; Episode 2: "No Regrets" Dalziel and Pascoe Peter Deller Series 5; Episode 4: "Above the Law" My Fragile Heart DCI Peter Murray 2-part miniseries Donovan Quick George Mackie Television filmDonovan Quick – Radio TimesBAFTA Awards – nominated – Single Drama in 2001 McCready and Daughter DCI Alan Kendall Television film (pilot for series) 2001 Episodes 1–5 2002 Van Den Meer Episode: "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister" Always and Everyone Phillip Mallett Series 4; Episode 4: "Against the State" Safe House Father Television film 2003 Fred 2-part miniseries William and Mary Alistair Harper Series 1; Episode 2 Servants Mr. Prothero Miniseries; Episode 2 Neath Miniseries; Episodes 1–3 Blue Dove Malcolm Sharp Miniseries (unknown episodes) 2004 Family Business Tom Williams Episode 2 She's Gone Peter Vine Television film Foyle's War Mark Talbot Series 3; Episode 4: "A War of Nerves" 2004–2006 Life Begins Brian Middleton Series 1–3; 10 episodes 2005 Beneath the Skin Dominic Hintlesham Television film Born and Bred Silas Craddock Series 4; Episode 10: "Someone to Watch Over Me" Rose and Maloney Wallace Canford Series 3; Episodes 1–3: "Carl Callaghan", "Annie Johnson" and "Alan Richmond" Midsomer Murders Gerry Moore Series 9; Episode 1: "The House in the Woods" Wallis & Edward Ernest Simpson Television film 2006 Gideon's Daughter Bill Television film Agatha Christie's Poirot Superintendent Jim Wheeler Series 10; Episode 2: "Cards on the Table" 2007 Wild at Heart Bennett Series 2; Episode 3: 2.3 Doctor Who William Kempe Series 3; Episode 2: "The Shakespeare Code" Dave Miniseries; Episodes 1–6 2008 Criminal Justice Barry Coulter Series 1; Episodes 1–5 2009 Moving Wallpaper Gareth Series 2; Episode 6: "Renaissance Part VI" New Tricks Mike Barnes Series 6; Episode 5: "Death of a Timeshares Salesman" Murderland Tony Philips Miniseries; Episodes 1–3. Uncredited role 2010 Superintendent Frank Evans Miniseries; Episodes 1–4 2011 Ron Carver Miniseries; Episodes 1 & 2 Lewis Leon Suskin Series 5; Episode 4: "The Gift of Promise" Fast Freddie, The Widow and Me Charlie Archer Television film 2012 DCI Banks Gareth Lambert Series 2; Episodes 1 & 2: "Strange Affair": Parts 1 & 2 2013 Silent Witness DI Bob Cherry Series 16; Episodes 7 & 8: "Legacy – Part 1BBC One – Silent Witness, Series 16, Legacy, Part 1 & "Part 2"BBC One – Silent Witness, Series 16, Legacy, Part 2 2014 Endeavour Val Todd Series 2; Episode 1: "Trove" Common Barnes-Williams Television film 2014–2020 W1A Neil Reid Series 1–4; 14 episodes 2015 Grantham Naseby Series 1; Episode 6: "Capsized" 2016 Jericho Jonas Sorsby Episode 4 Reg Tony Blair's minder Television film Lovesick Alexander Series 2; Episode 5: "Isabel" 2017 Loaded Lawyer Episode 1: "Lawsuit" 2018 Bodyguard Prime Minister John Vosler Episodes 2–4 2024 Strike Grant Ledwell Series 6; Episodes 1–4
Theatre
Date Title Role Director Company / Theatre – David Westhead – Theatricalia Drama Department, Bristol University – Drama Department, Bristol University – Drama Department, Bristol University – Drama Department, Bristol University – Drama Department, Bristol University – Drama Department, Bristol University – Drama Department, Bristol University – Derby Playhouse – A Study in Scarlet – Theatricalia Dr. John Watson Greenwich Theatre – All My Sons – Theatricalia George Deever Young Vic, London – Randall Royal Shakespeare Company / Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon A Jovial Crew – Theatricalia – Royal Shakespeare Company / Barbican Theatre, London A Jovial Crew at Barbican Theatre, London – Theatricalia – Royal Shakespeare Company / Newcastle Playhouse A Jovial Crew at Newcastle Playhouse – Theatricalia – Royal Shakespeare Company / The Pit, London A Jovial Crew at The Pit, London – Theatricalia – Nestor Royal Shakespeare Company / The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon The Odyssey – Theatricalia – Royal Shakespeare Company / Barbican Theatre, London The Odyssey at Barbican Theatre, London – Theatricalia – Royal Shakespeare Company / The Pit, London The Odyssey at The Pit, London – Theatricalia – Cosroe & Orcanes Royal Shakespeare Company / Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon Tamburlaine – Theatricalia – Royal Shakespeare Company / Barbican Theatre, London Tamburlaine at Barbican Theatre, London – Theatricalia – Antonio Royal Shakespeare Company / Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon The Changeling – Theatricalia – Royal Shakespeare Company / Barbican Theatre, London The Changeling at Barbican Theatre, London – Theatricalia – Royal Shakespeare Company / Newcastle Playhouse The Changeling at Newcastle Playhouse – Theatricalia – Royal Shakespeare Company / The Pit, London The Changeling at The Pit, London – Theatricalia – A Corpse With Feet – Theatricalia Performer Buzz Goodbody Studio, The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon – Usurpation supreme – Michael Coveney, The Observer, 19 Mar 1993 Tristan Tzara Royal Shakespeare Company / Barbican Theatre, London Travesties – Theatricalia – Royal Shakespeare Company / Savoy Theatre, London Travesties at Savoy Theatre, London – Theatricalia – The Man of Mode – Theatricalia Mr. Dorimant Out of Joint and Royal Court Theatre /Royal Court Theatre, London, Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds, and other locations – The Libertine – Theatricalia John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester Out of Joint and Royal Court Theatre /Royal Court Theatre, London, Warwick Arts Centre, and other locations – The Prince's Play – TheatricaliaTheatre: The Prince's Play, Royal National Theatre – Paul Taylor, The Independent, 22 April 1996 HRH The Prince of Wales National Theatre / Olivier Theatre, London – Robbie Royal Shakespeare Company / Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon Talk of the City –Theatricalia – Royal Shakespeare Company / Young Vic, London Talk of the City at Young Vic, London – Theatricalia – Theatre Review: Almost Nothing – Michael Billington, The Guardian, 22 Jan 2003 Royal Court Theatre, London – Macbeth – TheatricaliaSleepwalking into tragedy – Theatre Review: Macbeth, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds – Clare Brennan, The Guardian, 18 Mar 2007Theatre review: Macbeth at West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds – J. D. Atkinson, British Theatre Guide Macbeth West Yorkshire Playhouse / Quarry Theatre, Leeds
Audio work Voice talent : Eric Ambler's Topkapi for BBC Radio 4 Extra
References
External links David Westhead at the British Film Institute