Philip William Daniels (born 25 October 1958) is an English actor, musician and singer, most noted for film and television roles playing Londoners, such as the lead role of Jimmy Cooper in Quadrophenia, Richards in Scum, Stewart in The Class of Miss MacMichael, Danny in Breaking Glass, Mark in Meantime, Billy Kid in Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire, Kevin Wicks in EastEnders, Fetcher in Chicken Run, DCS Frank Patterson in New Tricks, and Grandad Trotter in the Only Fools and Horses prequel Rock & Chips. He is also known for playing Maester Gerardys in the fantasy television series House of the Dragon, and featuring on Blur's 1994 hit single "Parklife".
Career Daniels went to Rutherford Comprehensive School in Paddington, west London from 1970 to 1975, the same school as Danny John-Jules, Paul Hardcastle and footballer Tony Grealish. After training at the Anna Scher Theatre School in Islington, Daniels has made appearances in many films and television series.
He made his film debut in 1972 in Anoop and the Elephant. He had an incidental appearance (with fellow drama students) in 1975 in Thames Television's You Must Be Joking! In 1976, at the age of 17, he featured as a waiter in Bugsy Malone. Also in 1976 he had significant roles in three television series: The Molly Wopsies, Four Idle Hands, and The Flockton Flyer. Over the following four years he appeared in Quadrophenia, Breaking Glass and Scum. He also appeared in the 1977 TV drama serial Raven.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Daniels was a member of new wave band The Cross, along with fellow actor Peter Hugo Daly. They released an album (Phil Daniels + The Cross) and single, "Kill Another Night" on RCA Records in 1979."Bitz", Smash Hits, EMAP National Publications Ltd, 15–28 November 1979, p. 10. His musical inclinations were revealed when he starred in a 1985 British snooker musical Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire. He narrated tracks "Parklife" and "Me, White Noise" on the Parklife and Think Tank albums for Blur.
He contributed the voice of Fetcher, the dull-witted rat to the animated film Chicken Run. In recent years he has turned his attention to comedy, appearing in the series Sunnyside Farm and alongside Al Murray in the cult sitcom Time Gentlemen Please. Daniels also starred as Freddy Windrush in an episode of Gimme Gimme Gimme (Series 2, Episode 3 – "Prison Visitor").
Daniels has performed on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company in plays such as The Merchant of Venice, The Jew of Malta and A Clockwork Orange. In 2004 he appeared in the BBC comedy-drama Outlaws as a criminal solicitor.
In 2006 he joined the cast of the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders playing Kevin Wicks. The actor temporarily left the show in early 2007; however, he returned in March 2007. He left the show in August 2007, with his character dying in a brutal car crash in December 2007. Daniels, along with his co-stars, attended a Quadrophenia Reunion at London Film and Comic Con at Earls Court on 1 and 2 September 2007. In May 2008, Daniels ran the London Marathon on behalf of the "Sparks" Charity, and, in December 2008, starred in Sheffield Theatre and Evolution Pantomimes co-production of Aladdin as "Abanazar" at Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield. In late 2008, Daniels voiced a major character in the English language re-release of the cult 2006 Norwegian animated film Free Jimmy, alongside Woody Harrelson and with dialogue written by Simon Pegg. Also in 2008, Daniels starred alongside Gary Stretch and Geoff Bell in the UK film Freebird, directed by Jon Ivay, which followed three bikers across a drug-fuelled ride in the Welsh countryside. Daniels appeared in the 2008 series of Strictly Come Dancing with dancing partner Flavia Cacace; he was the first to be eliminated from the show on 21 September 2008.
He appeared on Celebrity Mastermind: 2008/2009, finishing in second place on 24 points. On 26 June 2009, he appeared on stage with Blur at the M.E.N. Arena and then again on 28 June 2009 at Glastonbury 2009 on their song "Parklife", as well as on 2/3 July 2009 in their Hyde Park Concerts. Daniels portrayed Edward Kitchener "Grandad" Trotter in the Only Fools and Horses prequel, Rock & Chips. He co-starred with actress Kellie Bright (who played Grandad's daughter-in-law, Joan), with whom he had previously appeared alongside in EastEnders. 2012 (2013 in the UK) saw the release of the film Vinyl in which Daniels not only stars but also wrote and performs most of the film's music soundtrack. Directed by Sara Sugarman, Vinyl is the story of an aging rock group forced to con the music industry to gain radio play of future record releases. The film is based on true events faced by The Alarm that took place in the UK in 2004.
In September 2012, Daniels appeared in a production of This House at the National Theatre's Cottesloe Theatre; it transferred to the Olivier in February 2013. In 2015, it was announced that he would play the role of Thenardier in Les Misérables. Daniels revisited his role in a revival of This House at Chichester's Minerva Theatre in September 2016 and appeared in the same play (November 2016 – Feb 2017) at the Garrick Theatre in London's West End. In 2017, he recorded two songs for the album Wit & Whimsy – Songs by Alexander S. Bermange (one solo and one featuring all of the album's 23 artists), which reached No. 1 in the iTunes comedy album chart.
Daniels was a contestant in the 2020 BBC Celebrity MasterChef.
In 2021, it was announced that Daniels would star alongside Jonathan Bailey, Taron Egerton and Jade Anouka in a production of Mike Bartlett’s Cock at the Ambassadors Theatre, London, in 2022.
In April 2023, Daniels appeared as Reggie in the BBC black comedy Inside No. 9. The episode was series 8 episode 2, "Mother's Ruin".
In July 2023, Daniels featured as a special guest at Blur's concerts at Wembley Stadium, London, for the song "Parklife".
Personal life Daniels had a 30-year relationship with Jan Stevens, a record industry associate and former employee at Track Records whom he met in the 1980s, until her death from pancreatic cancer in 2012. They had one daughter, born in 1990.
He is a supporter of Chelsea F.C. and was a survivor of the Eltham Well Hall rail crash.
Filmography Year Film Role 2017 The Hatton Garden Job Danny Jones 2012 Vinyl Johnny Jones 2008 Freebird Grouch 2006 Free Jimmy Gaz (voice), English language version released in 2008 2001 Goodbye Charlie Bright Eddie 2000 Chicken Run Fetcher (voice) 1999 Nasty Neighbours Robert Chapman 1999 Last Christmas Geoff 1998 Still Crazy Neil Gaydon 1985 The Bride Bela Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire Billy Kid 1984 Meantime Mark Pollock 1980 Breaking Glass Danny 1979 Zulu Dawn Pullen Quadrophenia Jimmy Cooper Scum Richards 1978 The Class of Miss MacMichael Stewart 1976 Bugsy Malone Waiter 1972 Anoop and the Elephant Billy
Television work +YearTitleRoleNotes1975Wodehouse PlayhouseOffice BoyUncreditedShades of GreeneBlackieEpisode: "The Destructors"The Naked Civil ServantFirst BoyTV film1976The Molly WopsiesAlan MusgroveMiniseriesSecond City FirstsBarryEpisode: "Glitter"1976–1979Play for TodayFirst Youth/Richards2 episodes, including Scum 1977BBC Play of the MonthBoyEpisode: "The Country Wife"The Flockton FlyerDon DavisEpisode: "Pull the Other One"Raven RavenMiniseries1981BBC Television ShakespearePuck Episode: A Midsummer Night's Dream1982I Remember NelsonWilliam BlackieEpisode: "Battle"1985The Pickwick Papers Sam Weller10 episodes1986Big Deal RichardEpisode: "Panel Money"1987Screen TwoSprintEpisode: "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?"1990BoonJoeEpisode: "Undercover"1993LovejoyBoydEpisode: "Swings and Roundabouts"1994The All New Alexei Sayle ShowVarious1 episode1995PerformanceJohnEpisode: After Miss JulieOne Foot in the GraveMelvinEpisode: "The Wisdom of the Witch"The World of Lee EvansHitcherEpisode: "One Late Night"1997Sunnyside Farm Raymond SunnysideMiniseriesHolding On Gary Rickey1999Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll Larry ValentineTV film2000Gimme Gimme GimmeFreddy WindrushEpisode: "Prison Visitor"2000–2002Time Gentlemen Please Terry Brooks36 episodes2004The Long Firm JimmyEpisode: "Jimmy's Story"Waking the DeadDet Supt Andy BulmerEpisode: "The Hardest Word"Outlaws Bruce Dunbar12 episodes2006–2008EastEndersKevin Wicks208 episodes2009Misfits Keith the Dog (Voice)PilotAgatha Christie's Poirot Inspector HardcastleEpisode: "The Clocks"2009–2010New TricksD.C.S. Frank Paterson2 episodes2010Midsomer Murders Teddy MolloyEpisode: "The Noble Art"2010–2011Rock & ChipsTed TrotterMiniseries2013Moonfleet Ratsey2017Zapped Warden of the Pear OrchardEpisode: "Pear Fair"2018–2023Endeavour Charlie Thursday3 episodes2019–2021Sliced Scott5 episodes2020Call the MidwifeGeorge Benson1 episodeAdult MaterialDaveMiniseries2020–2022I Hate Suzie Phil4 episodes2021The Mallorca FilesFrank BottomleyEpisode: "Son of a Pig"2022Agatha Raisin Archie SwaleEpisode: "Love, Lies and Liquor"2022–2026House of the DragonMaester Gerardys13 episodes2023–2026Beyond ParadiseMarvelous Harris2 episodes2023Partygate Mickey PortTV filmBoat StoryCraig Dodds4 episodes2023–2024Inside No. 9Party Guest/Reggie2 episodes2025Gangs of London Ronnie Deveraux1 episode2026Waiting for the OutFrank Gifford4 episodesFather BrownFrank HicksEpisode: "The Power of Suggestion"
Radio +YearTitleRoleNotes1990The Old Curiosity Shop Daniel QuilpBBC Radio 41991The Personal History of David Copperfield Uriah Heep1999The Tin DrumOskar Matzerath2009On The CeilingSaturday Play, BBC Radio 4
Theatre Aladdin Sheffield Lyceum Fresh Kills True West The Green Man The Winter's Tale Dealer's Choice Carousel The Closing Number Johnny Oil Strikes Back The Lucky Ones The Merchant of Venice The Jew of Malta Measure for Measure The Revenger's Tragedy A Clockwork Orange Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead The Beggar's Opera The God of Soho Antony and Cleopatra Les Miserables This House A Very Very Very Dark Matter
Discography Albums Phil Daniels + The Cross (Phil Daniels + The Cross) (1979) Singles "Kill Another Night" (Phil Daniels + The Cross) (1979) "Penultimate Person" (Phil Daniels + The Cross) (1980, Europe only) "The Stranglers and Friends – Live in Concert". Phil Daniels is one of the singers in place of Hugh Cornwell, The Stranglers' lead singer who was imprisoned at the time (1980) "Parklife" (Blur featuring Phil Daniels) (1994) "Free Rock and Roll" from the film Vinyl (Phil Daniels, Keith Allen and The Alarm) (2013) Other songs "Me, White Noise" on Think Tank (Blur featuring Phil Daniels) (2003)
References
External links
What's on TV profile "Phil Daniels: 'Playing to thousands of people with Blur is not as daunting as doing a play in a small theatre. Interview by Hannah Olivennes, The Observer, 19 June 2011.