Wilbert Charles Johnson (born 18 April 1965) is an English actor, who has had notable television roles in Waking the Dead and Babyfather, and on stage in Othello. He played Dom Andrews in Emmerdale from 2012 to 2014.

Early life Johnson was born to Jamaican parents in Muswell Hill, London and raised in Tottenham. His mother invested in stocks and his father worked for UPS.Staff (15 May 2009). "Since I started singing on YouTube I've thought of nothing else...". Evening Telegraph (Coventry Newspapers): pp. 30–31. Johnson had no interest in music while he was in primary school, but after he filled in a role for an absent drummer, he changed his mind.Peake, Jon (30 June 2001). "Dead not buried". The Sun (News Group Newspapers): p. 15.

He went to Mountview Drama School in Crouch End, London. He also joined another drama group at the Haringey Theatre. He also went to a dance group and learned ballet, contemporary dancing, and break dancing, which he performed for about seven years. He also attended National Youth Theatre for three years.

Career Johnson's first professional acting role came in the play Four Seasons at the 1985 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. For the rest of the 1980s he made minor appearances in television series such as Casualty and London's Burning, before playing detective Stevie Johnson in the London Weekend Television series Anna Lee. From 1994 to 1995 he played the supporting role of Detective Constable Michael Skelton in Cracker.

In 2000, he appeared in the BBC One television pilot Waking the Dead, as Detective Sergeant Spencer Jordan, a member of a specialised police unit tasked with investigating "cold cases". Waking the Dead returned for a complete series in 2001, and Johnson was a main cast member until the series ended in 2011. From 2000 to 2002, he appeared as Steve Robinson in Paul Abbott's popular drama series Clocking Off. From 2001 to 2002, he appeared as a main cast member in two series of the BBC's Babyfather.

In 2004, Johnson played the title character in the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company's Othello.

He also played Marcus Kirby in the BBC One school-based drama Waterloo Road. He departed in the second half of the series.

In 2010, he appeared in In a Better World (film) as 'Dr. Najeeb'.

He also performed in a play, called The Swallowing Dark at the Liverpool Playhouse and Theatre503. In 2011, he also starred as gangster boss Big Mike in Anuvahood and in 2008 as Big Man in Adulthood.

In November 2011, Johnson appeared as 'Sean Dolan' a Consultant paediatrician in BBC One's Holby City.

In 2012, it was announced that Johnson would be joining Emmerdale as single father Dominic "Dom" Andrews in the later part of the year. On 23 February 2014, it was announced that he would be leaving the show later that year following the death of his character's daughter, Gemma (Tendai Rinomhota).

In 2013, he appeared as a gangster in a film thriller called Life Outside. He also was a special guest DJ at a 'MonologueSlam' event (actors showcase) at 'The Green Carnation' cocktail lounge, Soho.

In 2013, he also co-produced with Christian Ashaiku a film called Disorientated Generation (about a Nigerian man living in London). The film was partially funded by Enfield Council, with a small grant from UK Film Council. The film was originally shot in 2006.

In 2016, Johnson was cast as the Earl of Kent in the Talawa Theatre Company and Royal Exchange Manchester co-production of King Lear. Johnson received praise for his performance, with The Guardian writing "giving depth to straight simplicity" and the Manchester Theatre Awards saying that "... wrongest servant Kent is played with passion and often with humour by Wil Johnson".

In 2016, Johnson received the British Urban Film Festival honorary award from fellow actor Charles Venn for 30+ years outstanding contribution to film and television. Johnson played the role of Uncle Brod in the 2018 revival of Leave Taking by Winsome Pinnock at the Bush Theatre.

He is an advocate of colour-blind casting in British television:

Personal life Johnson has six children. His eldest daughter is composer, singer, songwriter and cellist Ayanna Witter-Johnson.

Filmography Film Year Film Role Notes 1996 Go West Young Man Short film 1998 Babymother Byron Television film1999 A Woman Scorned The Man Short film Native Tyrone2001 South West 9 Freddy Buried Treasure Luke Television film 2002 f2point8 Rob Short film 2003 Emotional Backgammon John 2004 Yes Virgil 2005 Franklin Haywire Paul Short film 2007 Deadmeat Barry 2008 Adulthood Big Man2009 Stick with Me Short film Colour Blind Dan Disoriented Generation Ishmael2010 Pimp Byron In a Better World Najeeb2011 Anuvahood Mike Washed Up Mitchell Barloe Television film2012 Hard Shoulder Carl Foster Throw of a Dice Duncan Beckford Black Smoke Rising Simon Amina Dr. Johnson2013 Fedz Trevor McBride Sokorates Sokorates Short film Killing All the Flies Jonathan Edwards Television film Dumar Emmerson 2014 M.O.N.E.Y Floyd Bennett2017 Rabbit Punch Trav Short film This Is Axiom Glenn 2018 Brixton Rock Mr. Massey2019 The Strangers Mr. Fitzgerald Bad Day Paul Short film 2020 Transference Dad2021 Breathe Trevor Television film The Half You Hate Director Short film The Track Nate 2022 Revelations Thom2024 Tell No Lies Detective Wright He Who Dares to Win Davey Short film

Television Year Television Role Notes 1987 Casualty Paul Episode: "The Raid"1988 London's Burning Junior Episode: "Series 1, Episode 1" ScreenPlay Dekko Episode: "Home Front"1989 Dramarama Kevin Episode: "Snap Decision" Starting Out Leo Young Recurring role; 4 episodes 1990 The Bill Dom Reeves Episode: "Burnside Knew My Father" 1993 Mr Don & Mr George Episode: "There's Been a Thing"1994 The Bill Carl Paston Episode: "Dirty Laundry" Anna Lee Stevie Johnson Recurring role; 5 episodes 1994–1995 Cracker Skelton Recurring role; 10 episodes 1995 The Bill Thomas Gadiki Episode: "Neutral Territory" 1997 Billy Elizee Episode: "Solid Evidence" 2000–2002 Clocking Off Steve Robinson Recurring role; 14 episodes 2000–2011 Waking the Dead Spencer Jordan Series regular; 92 episodes 2001 Babyfather Beres Episode: "Series 1, Episode 1" 2010 Dispatches Narrator Episode: "Gun Nation" 2010–2011 Waterloo Road Marcus Kirby Series regular; 10 episodes 2011–2013 Holby City Sean Dolan Recurring role; 5 episodes 2012–2014 Emmerdale Dominic Andrews Series regular; 129 episodes 2014 Moving On Peter Jackson Episode: "Two Brothers" 2015 Lewis Dax Kinneson Episode: "Magnum Opus"2016 The Five Young Ray Miniseries; 4 episodes Hollyoaks Lionel Albright Recurring role; 2 episodes 2017 Hetty Feather Charlie Episode: "Cannon Fodder" 2017–2020 Outlander Joe Abernathy Recurring role; 5 episodes 2018 Vera Gary Whenchurch Episode: "Darkwater" 2019 Carnival Row Puck Butcher Episode: "Aisling"2021 Death in Paradise Emmet Peterson Episode: "I'll Never Let You Go" The Larkins Old Reg Recurring role; 5 episodes 2022 House of the Dragon Ser Vaemond Velaryon Recurring role; 4 episodes 2023 COBRA Ben Fanshawe Recurring role; 2 episodes

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