Nicholas Wilton (born 8 March 1957) is a British actor and scriptwriter. He has appeared as Mr Lister in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as a recurring character; he has also appeared in Carrott's Lib and Jackanory.

Early life Wilton studied English and Drama at the University of Kent. His first professional engagement was in 1979 as a bluecoat entertainer at a Pontins holiday camp. He then spent two years as a stage manager in theatres, before moving into acting.

Career

Acting Wilton made his acting debut in 1980 in the Whitehall farce Simple Spymen, directed by Brian Rix, and went on to play opposite Rix in the West End revival of Dry Rot at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue in 1988. He has appeared in many television shows, such as the BBC soap opera EastEnders, Doctors (twice), Casualty, Heartbeat, The Bill (three times), Carrott's Lib (two series and Election Specials), The Omid Djalili Show and the children's show Scoop. He appeared as a guest in My Dad's the Prime Minister, No. 73 (five series), Saturday Superstore as Mo the Crow and as Mr Seagrove for 11 episodes in Big Meg, Little Meg. He was also a writer and performer for the children's sketch show Fast Forward for 19 episodes between 1984 and 1987.

He has appeared in many stage productions, such as Michael Cooney's play Cash on Delivery at the Whitehall Theatre (now Trafalgar Studios), directed by Ray Cooney, and Tom, Dick and Harry, as well as The Railway Children, playing Mr Perks in four UK tours. On radio, he appeared in and wrote for In One Ear (3 series), Son of Cliché (2 series), Cover to Cover, Aspects of the Fringe and The Story So Far. He has written dialogue and provided voices for exhibitions at the London Transport Museum; presented the comedy channel for Emirates and SriLankan Airlines from 1998 to 2010, and made a recording of Ricky Gervais's biography, The Story So Far. In the late eighties, he also performed cabaret.

Since 2000 he has appeared as Pantomime dame every Christmas. In 2011, he appeared in a Specsavers advert alongside chef Gordon Ramsay. The following year, he was cast in the film version of Ray Cooney's farce Run for Your Wife. Wilton has also starred in international stage productions such as No Sex Please - We're British, produced by the British Theatre Playhouse in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in May 2015, and A Bedfull of Foreigners, produced by the same company in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in September 2006.

Scriptwriting Wilton is also a scriptwriter and has written for Three of a Kind, Play Away, In One Ear (three series), The Smith and Jones Sketchbook, Smack the Pony, WYSIWYG and wrote one episode of Jackanory. In 1982 he also wrote a sketch for the television film The Funny Side of Christmas. In 1987 he wrote an episode for The Les Dennis Laughter Show and in 1984 he wrote four episodes of Spitting Image. Wilton also wrote for Not the Nine O'Clock News, A Kick Up the Eighties and the TV series Alas Smith and Jones.

Pantomime He first performed in pantomime in 1987 and as a dame every Christmas since 2000. Year Show Theatre 1987 Dick Whittington Theatre Royal, Plymouth 1991 Aladdin Millfield Theatre, Edmonton 2000 Robin Hood & Babes in the Wood Salisbury Playhouse 2001 Jack and the Beanstalk Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch 2002 Mother Goose Connaught Theatre, Worthing 2003 Aladdin Connaught Theatre, Worthing 2004 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Connaught Theatre, Worthing 2005 Dick Whittington Kenneth More Theatre, Ilford 2006 Dick Whittington Theatre Rhyl 2007 Jack & the Beanstalk Hull New Theatre 2008 Aladdin Festival Theatre, Malvern 2009 Snow White The Playhouse, Weston-super-Mare 2017 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Theatre Royal, Bath 2018 Beauty and the Beast Grand Theatre, Blackpool 2019 Beauty and The Beast Theatre Royal, Bath 2022 Aladdin Theatre Royal, Bath 2023 Sleeping Beauty Theatre Royal, Bath 2024 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Theatre Royal, Bath 2025 Jack and the Beanstalk Malvern Theatres, Malvern

Awards and nominations Wilton was nominated for the Perrier Award alongside his revue group, Writers Inc and won in 1982. He was in the "Carrott's Lib" team that won the BAFTA for Best Light Entertainment programme in 1983. On radio he was in the two Sony Award-winning comedy series Son of Cliché (best comedy 1984), with Chris Barrie and Nick Maloney, which was written by Red Dwarf creators Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, and In One Ear (best comedy 1985) with Clive Mantle, Helen Lederer and Steve Brown, produced by Jamie Rix.

Personal life Wilton was married to Julie Dawn Cole, with whom he has two children. He later married actress Lynette McMorrough.

Filmography

+ Films Year Title Role 2012 Run for Your Wife Taxi driver 2013 Off the Aisle Freddie Baker

+ Television Year Title Role Notes 1983 Three of a Kind Unnamed 1 episode 1982–1983 Carrott's Lib Unnamed 17 episodes 1982–1987 Saturday Superstore Mo the Crow 5 series 198? Micro Live Unnamed 1 episode 1984 Play Away Himself 4 episodes 1984 No. 73 Tony Deal 10 episodes 1984–1987 Fast Forward Himself 19 episodes 1985 Glamour Night Dave episode: "Summer Season" 1987 Hello Mum Various Roles 6 episodes Hardwicke House Peter Philpott 2 episodes 1988 Comic Relief Himself TV special Valentine Park Gerald episode: "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" Colin's Sandwich Postman episode: "Back from Bengal" 1990–1993 Jackanory Storyteller / Martins Mice 10 episodes 199? The 10 Percenters Harry Shales episode: "Libel" 1995 The Bill Barry Pringle episode: "A Year and a Day" The Plant Rory TV movie 1997 Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's Reporter episode: "The Clerical Error" 1998 Noah's Ark Kenny Fisher episode: "Killing Time" Duck Patrol John Able episode: "The Siege of Mallory Wharf" 1999 The Jim Tavaré Show Scott 1 episode The Bill Roger Carlson episode: "Long Term Investment" 2000 The Thing About Vince Mr Rogers Miniseries, 1 episode 2000–2001 Big Meg, Little Meg Mr Seagrove 11 episodes 2004 The Bill Mr. Turner episode: "242: Suicidal Thoughts"My Dad's the Prime Minister Banker episode: "Marathoin" 2005 Casualty Robert Bewleigh episode: "Fat Chance" 2006 Heartbeat Derek Taylor episode: "Great Expectations" 2007 Bonkers Client 1 episode 2008 Nuzzle and Scratch Mr Squeaky / Launderette Man episode: "Launderette" 2008–2013, 2016–2018, 2020–2022, 2024 EastEnders Mr Lister Recurring role 2009 The Omid Djalili Show Hugh 1 episode 2009, 2010 Scoop Paulo, Rex de Lacey 2 episodes 2010, 2012 Doctors Milo Millard, Nigel Cushing 2 episodes 2023 Dreamland Doctor Beany 1 episode

+ Radio Title Son of Cliché In One Ear Week-Ending Semi-Circles Fetlock P.I. The Story So Far Cinderella Puss In Boots Peter Claytons Nightcap Aspects of a Fringe Uncle Charlie Cover to Cover

+ Writer Year Title Notes 1979 Not the Nine O'Clock News not defined1981 Three of a Kind 8 episodes A Kick Up the Eighties not defined1984 Alas Smith and Jones not defined Spitting Image 4 episodes1987 Hello Mum 6 episodes The Les Dennis Laughter Show 1 episode 1991 Jackanory 1 episode 1992 WYSIWYG not defined(only writer credited, played eponymous character) 1999 Smack the Pony 1 episode 2006 The Smith & Jones Sketchbook 3 episodes

+ Online Year Title Notes 2020 Pantomonium Online pantomime due to lockdown

References

External links