Jason Peter Watkins (born 28 October 1962) is an English actor. He played the lead role in the two-part drama The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies, for which he won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor. He has also played William Herrick in Being Human, Gavin Strong in Trollied, Simon Harwood in W1A, Gordon Shakespeare in the film series Nativity, British Prime Minister Harold Wilson in Season 3 of The Crown and Detective Sergeant Dodds in McDonald & Dodds.
Early life and education Jason Watkins was born on 28 October 1962, Gibsone, Harriet (23 March 2024). "Jason Watkins and Clara Francis look back: ‘In a moment of madness, I rented a flat just so I could stand at the window and see if he walked by’" The Guardian. Retrieved 2 April 2026. in Albrighton, Shropshire, where he lived until the age of seven, when his parents moved to Wolverhampton. His father, Alan, was a metallurgist at Marston in Wolverhampton, and his mother a teacher at Albrighton's primary school.
He credits his introduction to entertainment to taking lessons in clowning at Bridgnorth from mime artist Ben Benison, also a presenter on TV programme Vision On. Being dyslexic, Watkins enjoyed drama, as a subject least affected by this issue. He furthered his acting skills as a student of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, graduating in 1985 with an Acting (RADA Diploma).
Career Stage Following his graduation from RADA, Watkins established himself as a stage actor, joining the National Theatre company.
He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 2001 (2000 season) for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in A Servant For Two Masters at the (Young Vic, subsequently transferred to New Ambassadors Theatre). His other theatre work includes Rafts and Dreams at the Royal Court Theatre, Philistines and Landscape with Weapon (by Joe Penhall) at the National Theatre, London (2007) and A Laughing Matter (by April De Angelis) at the Royal National Theatre in 2003.
In 2018, he played the predatory serial killer Ralph in a revival of Bryony Lavery's play Frozen at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
Television Watkins made his first appearance on television in 1987 on EastEnders as estate agent Gerry Fairweather, a role he played for 11 episodes.
Watkins's more prominent television roles have included the vampire leader William Herrick in Being Human; the crime suspect Jason Buliegh in Conviction; Bradley Stainer in Funland; and the dog-walking crime witness Francis Cross in Five Days. He also played Oswald Cooper in "The Great and the Good", an episode of Lewis; Plornish in the 2008 BBC production of Little Dorrit; and Cabbage Patterson in the BBC adaptation of Lark Rise to Candleford. He had a cameo as Gene Hunt's dissolute lawyer Colin Merric, in episode seven of the second series of Life on Mars.
In 2006, he played the pioneering radiologist Ernest Wilson in a BBC pilot, Casualty 1906. Also in 2006 he played the part of Sir Christopher Hatton in The Virgin Queen, a four-part BBC drama. He then featured in the second series of the BBC's comedy Psychoville, as Peter Bishop, owner of Hoyti Toyti, an antique shop specialising in toys. Additionally he appeared as Doctor Roger Brierley in Victoria Wood's television film Housewife, 49.
Since 2011, he has also appeared in the Sky One sitcom Trollied as the store manager Gavin. In early 2012 he joined the cast of the BBC drama Prisoners' Wives, appeared as Detective Gilks in Dirk Gently and portrayed a smooth Church of England PR man in Twenty Twelve.
On 11 May 2013, he appeared in the Doctor Who story Nightmare in Silver, written by Neil Gaiman, featuring the Cybermen. Also in 2013 he played an anaesthetist in The Wrong Mans. In 2014, he appeared as Simon Harwood in the BBC comedy series W1A.
In 2014, he played the leading role in a two-part ITV drama entitled The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies, about the innocent initial suspect in the 2010 murder of Joanna Yeates. He won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor for this role.
In 2016, Watkins played the role of Pastor Hansford in the four-part ITV drama The Secret. Watkins appeared in two episodes of The Hollow Crown and played the role of Malcolm Turner in the BBC sitcom series Love, Nina. He narrated the Channel 4 documentary series The Job Interview, appeared as Tony Michaels in an episode of Friday Night Dinner and was cast as Mr Humphries in the BBC revival of Are You Being Served?.
In 2017, Watkins played Solomon Coop, private secretary to the Prince Regent (later George IV), in the BBC One series Taboo. Also on BBC One, Watkins performed as Wilfred Lucas-Dockery, the governor of the prison in the third episode of the BBC's adaptation of the Evelyn Waugh novel Decline and Fall. He played Simon in the second series of the ITV drama Safe House in 2017, as well as playing Tim Ifield in the fourth series of Line of Duty. In 2018 he played Roger in the BBC sitcom Hold the Sunset and Emlyn Hooson in the Russell T Davies miniseries A Very English Scandal, and he provided the voice of Captain Orchis in the BBC adaptation of Watership Down.
In 2018, Watkins narrated the Channel 5 historical documentary Inside the Tower of London which focused the history of the iconic landmark and the daily lives of London's Yeoman Warders, known as Beefeaters.
In 2019, Watkins played Prime Minister Harold Wilson in the third series of the Netflix drama The Crown. Between 2020 and 2024 he appeared in a leading role as DS Dodds in the Bath-set ITV crime drama series McDonald & Dodds alongside Tala Gouveia as mismatched detectives over four series.
In 2022, Watkins appeared as Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the series SAS: Rogue Heroes.
In 2023, Watkins starred as Ed Collier in the Channel 5 series The Catch, alongside Aneurin Barnard and Poppy Gilbert. The same year, it was confirmed that Watkins would be a contestant on the third series of the ITV show Cooking with the Stars, alongside other celebrities including Joanna Page, Matt Willis and Peter Andre.
Watkins voices Alfred Pennyworth in the Prime Video animated series Batman: Caped Crusader.
Film Watkins's film roles include character parts in Confetti, High Hopes, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Tomorrow Never Dies, The Golden Compass and Wild Child. He played Gordon Shakespeare in the first three films in the Nativity series.
Personal life Watkins first married actress Caroline Harding, and has two sons from this marriage. He later married jewellery and fashion designer Clara Francis. On New Year's Day 2011, their two-year-old daughter died of sepsis. He dedicated his 2015 BAFTA award to her, and campaigns for greater awareness of sepsis. He is a patron of Child Bereavement UK, a charity that supports children, young people, and families when a child grieves or when a child dies. They have two other children.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1988 High Hopes Wayne 1992 Split Second Coroner's Assistant 1997 Tomorrow Never Dies Principal Warfare Officer 1999 Onegin Guillot 2004 Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason Charlie Parker-Knowles 2006 Confetti Gregory Hough 2007 The Golden Compass Bolvangar Official 2008 Wild Child Mr Nellist 2009 Nativity! Mr Gordon Shakespeare 2012 Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger 2014 Nativity 3: Dude, Where's My Donkey? 2017 Hampstead James Smythe The Children Act Nigel Pauling 2018 The Man Who Killed Don Quixote Rupert 2019 We Are Where We Are Andy Short film 2023 The One Note Man One Note Man Wicked Little Letters Mr. Treading 2025 The Phoenician Scheme Notary Dragonfly John2026Enola Holmes 3The BrigadierFilming
Television Year Title Role Notes 1987–1988 EastEnders Gerry Fairweather 11 episodes1991Soldier Soldier Cpl Geoff Porter Appeared in episode "Battlefields"1993 The Buddha of Suburbia TerryThe Good GuysPaulAppeared in the episode "All That Sparkles"Between The LinesCustody Sergeant1 episode "Manslaughter"1994CasualtyPartridge1 episode "Love and Affection"1999Bostock's CupTommy BennettTV film2004ConvictionJason BueleighRecurring role2005The Booze Cruise II: The Treasure HuntLaurenceTV filmFunlandBradley Stainer2006Blue MurderBarrEpisode: "In Deep" Housewife, 49 Dr Roger BrierleyTV film2007Life on MarsColin MerrickEpisode 152008Little DorritMr PlornishTV miniseries, 6 episodesLewisOswald CooperSeries 3, episode 4: "The Great And The Good" Miss Austen RegretsJames Stanley ClarkeTV filmHotel BabylonMurrayGuest role2009 Agatha Christie's Poirot Joe Bland Series 12, episode 1: "The Clocks" 2009–2012 Being Human William Herrick TV series, 13 episodes 2010–2012 Dirk Gently DI Gilks Recurring role 2011–2018 Trollied Gavin Strong Main role, 67 episodes2011 Psychoville Peter Bishop Recurring role2012 Miranda Dick Twist Episode: "It Was Panning" Prisoners' Wives William (Gemma boss) Six episodes2013 Doctor Who Webley Episode: "Nightmare in Silver" The Wrong MansAnaesthetist Guest role Call the Midwife Rev. Applebee-Thornton Guest role, Series 2: Episode 4 2014–2017 W1A Simon Harwood Three series, 14 episodes 2014 The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies Christopher Jefferies Two-part drama2016 The Secret Pastor Hansford Four-part drama The Hollow Crown Suffolk Episodes: "Henry VI Part I" and "Henry VI part II" Love, Nina Malcolm Turner Sitcom series The Job Interview Himself, narrator Documentary series Friday Night Dinner Tony Michaels Episode: "The Two Tonys" Are You Being Served? Mr Humphries TV special Would I Lie to You? Himself Series 10, episode 82017 Inside No. 9 Kevin Episode: "The Bill" Taboo Solomon Coop Episodes 2–8 Line of Duty Tim Ifield Season 4, 2 episodes Decline and Fall Governor Wilfred Lucas-Dockery Part 3Safe House Simon Duke TV series, 4 episodes2018Inside The Tower of London NarratorWatership Down Captain Orchis (voice) Recurring roleA Very English ScandalEmlyn HoosonTV miniseries, 2 episodes 2018–2019 Hold the Sunset Roger Series 1–2 2019 The Crown Harold Wilson Main role (Season 3)2020 Des Brian Masters TV miniseries Midsomer Murders Joe Ferabbee Series 20, Episode 6: "Send in the Clowns" Hitmen The Lawyer Series 1, Episode 1: "Birthday" 2020–2024 McDonald & Dodds DS Dodds 2021 The Trick Professor Phil Jones Dramatisation of the "climategate" controversy Around the World in 80 Days Bernard Fortescue2022 A Ghost Story for Christmas Mr Wraxall Episode: "Count Magnus" SAS: Rogue Heroes Winston Churchill2023 The Catch Ed Collier Channel 5 series - all 4 episodesArchie Stanley Fox 2024Coma Simon HendersonBatman: Caped Crusader Alfred Pennyworth (voice) Jason Watkins & Lady Jane Grey: A Tower of London Special Himself One-off documentary; also features Tracy Borman2025Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I: A Tower of London Special Himself One-off documentary; also features Tracy BormanThe Game Huw Miller 2026 Stonehenge: Secrets Of The New Stone Himself One-off documentary; also features Tracy Borman The Betrayal of Anne Boleyn: Inside The Tower of London Special Himself One-off documentary; also features Tracy Borman Dear England Greg Dyke Four-part drama Bookish Harold Sneed Episode: "Momento Mori" Stonehenge: Secrets of the New Stone Himself One-off documentary; also features Tracy Borman TBALast Resort (w/t) Charlie Six-part drama
Awards and nominations Year Ceremony Award Nominated work Result 2001 Olivier Awards Best Supporting ActorA Servant To Two Masters 2002 Helen Hayes Awards Outstanding Lead Actor 2015 British Academy Television Awards BAFTA Award for Best Leading ActorThe Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies BAFTA Award for Best Mini-Series 2016 Royal Television Society Awards Best Drama Serial 2020 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series The Crown
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