Harold Owen "Gary" Wilmot (born 8 May 1954) is a British actor who rose to fame as a contestant on New Faces.
As a television presenter, he is best known as the host of You and Me, So You Want To Be Top and Showstoppers. His West End credits include Me and My Girl, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Prince of Egypt, and Wicked.
Wilmot was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2018 Birthday Honours for services to drama and charity.
Early life Wilmot was born in Lambeth, London, into a mixed-race household; his mother was English, and his father, Harry, was Jamaican and arrived in Britain on the Empire Windrush in 1948. Harry was a member of vocal harmony group The Southlanders, but died in 1961, when his sons were still young. Despite these show business roots, Wilmot's upbringing was outside of the limelight; his mother suffered poor health and could only work part-time jobs, meaning they had to rely on family allowance. Wilmot worked on building sites and in warehouses and factories, but soon realised he did not wish to continue in this line of work.
Television Wilmot started his career in entertainment after a friend informed an agent of his talent, and soon began to perform as part of the variety circuit. However, his big break came in 1978, when he featured as part of a comedy double act with Judy McPhee on New Faces; the pair were later finalists. This would lead to numerous television appearances on Copy Cats, Knees Ups, Cue Gary!, and The Keith Harris Show. One of his most notable television roles was with the BBC children's quiz show So You Want to Be Top?, which he co-presented with Leni Harper.
In 1994, Wilmot hosted Showstoppers, a programme which featured him performing songs from musicals alongside special guests. Originally commissioned as a one-off series in which celebrities were given ten days to learn and perform a song, Wilmot was asked to record a further series of six spectaculars due to popular demand. He also starred in and directed a tour of Showstoppers which proved so popular that its original sixty dates were increased to one hundred and sixty.
Theatre In 1989, Wilmot made a move into musical theatre debuting in the West End production of Me and My Girl, playing the role of Bill Snibson at the Adelphi Theatre. He played the role to critical acclaim for two years, with Jack Tinker describing him as a "Musical Talent of the Highest Order". Wilmot was subsequently nominated in the "Best Actor" category at the Olivier Awards, and theatre tour of a new comedy, Teething Troubles followed. He was also cast as Joe in Carmen Jones at the Old Vic before starring in the world premiere of the Barry Manilow musical Copacabana at London's Prince of Wales Theatre.
In 2001, Wilmot joined The New Shakespeare Company to play Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, and the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance national tour with Su Pollard as Ruth, in 2001–2002. The national tour of Giles Havergal's adaptation of the Graham Greene novel Travels with My Aunt followed. In 2003, he was Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium, taking over from Michael Ball, and returning in 2006 and 2007 on the UK tour. Wilmot also played Billy Flynn in the national touring company of Chicago.
Other stage productions Wilmot has appeared in include H.M.S. Pinafore, Santa Claus the Musical, Oliver!, Half a Sixpence, The Wizard of Oz, The Goodbye Girl, One for the Road, Confusions, Lord Arthur Saville's Crime, and a national tour of the successful Watermill Newbury Theatre production of Radio Times.
Wilmot has recently appeared in Flowers for Mrs Harris at Chichester Festival Theatre, Little Miss Sunshine at the Arcola Theatre, Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear - the Musical! at the National Theatre, London, Jethro in The Prince of Egypt at the Dominion Theatre, The Wizard in Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre and Elisha J. Whitney in Anything Goes at the Barbican Centre in the West End.
Wilmot has also appeared in many pantomimes since 1986. Most recently he has appeared as the dame in the London Palladium pantomimes for Qdos Entertainment such as Dick Whittington (2017), Snow White (2018) and Goldilocks and the Three Bears (2019) co-starring Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin and Nigel Havers.
In September 2026, Wilmot will make his Royal Shakespeare Company debut as Duke Frederick / Duke Senior in Daniel Evans' all-male production of As You Like It at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon.
Music Wilmot's solo albums include Love Situation, The Album, and Double Standards.
In 1991, Wilmot teamed up with record producer Nigel Wright to record a medley featuring songs from Walt Disney film The Jungle Book. "The Bare Necessities Megamix"UK Mixmasters – "The Bare Necessities Megamix", produced by Nigel Wright for Skratch Music Productions, Executive Producer: Simon Cowell, 1991 Connect Records, licensed to BMG (UK) Ltd. catalogue number: ZB 45135 was a medley of "I Wanna Be Like You" and "The Bare Necessities", released under Wright's UK Mixmasters name. The record, executive produced by Simon Cowell, reached the top 20, ultimately peaking at number 14. This chart success gave the record a slot on BBC One's Top of the Pops, with Wilmot featuring in the clip used for the video breakers on the programme originally broadcast on 12 December 1991, but Gary Martin appearing as the vocalist instead of Wilmot, in the studio a week later.
In 2004, Wilmot embarked on his own national concert tour, My Kind of Music, taking him to concert venues throughout the country.
Stage credits Theatre
As actor Year Title Role Director Theatre 1989–91 Me and My Girl Bill Snibson Mike Ockrent Adelphi Theatre, London 1991 Carmen Jones Joe The Old Vic, London Teething Troubles UK tour 1993 Me and My Girl Bill Snibson Mike Ockrent UK tour 1994 Copacabana Stephen / Tony Roger Redfarn Theatre Royal, Plymouth and Prince of Wales Theatre 1995 Me and My Girl Bill Snibson Mike Ockrent UK tour 1997–98 The Goodbye Girl Elliot Garfield Albery Theatre, London and UK tour 1998–99 Oliver! Fagin Sam Mendes UK tour 1999–2000 One for the Road Bristol Old Vic and UK tour 2001 Confusions UK tour A Midsummer Night's Dream BottomAlan Strachan Regents Park Open Air Theatre Pirates of Penzance The Pirate King Regents Park Open Air Theatre 2002 Travels with my Aunt Henry UK tour 2003–04 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Caracticus Potts Adrian Noble London Palladium2004–05CinderellaButtonsGrand Theatre, Wolverhampton 2005 HMS Pinafore Dick Deadeye Ian Talbot Regents Park Open Air Theatre 2005–06 Santa Claus the Musical Joe the Elf Mayflower Theatre, Southampton 2006 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Caracticus Potts Adrian Noble Birmingham Hippodrome 2006–07 Peter Pan Captain Hook Grimsby Auditorium 2007–08 Half a Sixpence Arthur Kipps UK tourThe Wizard of Oz Hunk / The Scarecrow Mayflower Theatre, Southampton 2008 Zeke / The Cowardly Lion Royal Festival Hall 2009 Chicago Billy Flynn UK tour 2010 Lord Arthur Savile's Crime Septimus Podgers UK tour 2010–11 The Invisible Man Thomas Marvel Menier Chocolate Factory 2011 Radio Times Sammy Shaw Watermill Theatre2011–12CinderellaButtonsRichmond Theatre 2012 Radio Times Sammy Shaw UK tour Bowl of Cherries Various Charing Cross Theatre2013–14Snow WhiteNora CrumbleMichael HarrisonBirmingham Hippodrome 2014 The Pajama Game Vernon Hines Shaftesbury Theatre, London Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Andre Jerry Mitchell Savoy Theatre, London2014–15Jack and the BeanstalkDame TrotMichael HarrisonBirmingham Hippodrome 2015 Oklahoma! Ali Hakim Rachel Kavanagh UK tour 2015 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Andre Jerry Mitchell UK tour2015–16AladdinWidow TwankeyMilton Keynes Theatre 2017 The Wind in the Willows Badger Rachel Kavanagh London Palladium 2016 End of the Rainbow Anthony UK tour Big The Musical George McMillan Theatre Royal, Plymouth 2017–2018 Dick Whittington Sarah the Cook Michael Harrison London Palladium 2018 Flowers for Mrs Harris Major / Monsieur Armande Daniel Evans Chichester Festival Theatre 2018–2019 Snow White Mrs Crumble Michael Harrison London Palladium 2019 Little Miss Sunshine Grandpa Mehmet Ergen Arcola Theatre Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear Jonathan Ripples Amy Hodge Dorfman Theatre, National Theatre 2019–20 Goldilocks and the Three Bears Dame Betty Barnum Michael Harrison London Palladium 2020 The Prince of Egypt Jethro Scott Schwartz Dominion TheatrePantoland at the PalladiumDameMichael HarrisonLondon Palladium2021Anything GoesElisha WhitneyKathleen MarshallBarbican Theatre, London2021–22Pantoland at the PalladiumDameMichael HarrisonLondon Palladium2022WickedThe Wizard of OzApollo Victoria Theatre2022–23Jack and the BeanstalkQueen NigellaMichael HarrisonLondon Palladium2024The Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz / Professor MarvelNikolai FosterLondon Palladium2023–24Peter PanMrs Henrietta HookMichael HarrisonLondon Palladium2024The Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz / Professor MarvelNikolai FosterUK and Ireland tourThe ArtistAl ZimmerDrew McOnieTheatre Royal, PlymouthSomething Rotten! In ConcertNostradamusTim JacksonTheatre Royal Drury LaneRobin HoodKing Richard (Guest Star)Michael HarrisonLondon Palladium2025A Man For All SeasonsThe Common Man Jonathan ChurchUK tour and Harold Pinter TheatreInside No. 9 Stage/FrightGuest Star (10 October)Simon EvansThe Alexandra, Birmingham 2026 While They Were Waiting BicksSydney Stevenson Upstairs at the Gatehouse Cats GusDrew McOnie Regent's Park Open Air TheatreAs You Like ItDuke Frederick / Duke SeniorDaniel EvansRoyal Shakespeare Theatre (Royal Shakespeare Company)
As writer/director
Sweet Lorraine (2018 - writer and director) While They Were Waiting (2026 - writer)
Filmography Television Year Title Role Channel / Production Notes 1970s New Faces Himself 1983–85 So you want to be Top Presenter BBC 1983 Chas & Dave's Knees-Up LWT 1984 Mike Reid's Mates and Music Himself ITV 1984 You and Me Presenter BBC 1985 The Bob Monkhouse Show Himself BBC 1985–86 Copy Cats Himself LWT 1985 The Keith Harris Show Himself BBC 1986 Saturday Gang Himself LWT Writer 1986 This is Your Life Himself ITV 1987 Aspel & Company Himself LWT 1987–88 Cue Gary Himself ITV Writer 1988 Disney Time Presenter 1989 The Book Tower Presenter Yorkshire Television 1989 Fun with Numbers Presenter Carlton Home Entertainment VHS only 1992–93 Junglies Various Characters (Voice) ITV 1994–95 Showstoppers Presenter BBC 1999 Hetty Wainthropp Investigates Guest Appearance BBC Comic Relief Special 2001 An Audience with Des O'Connor Himself LWT 2003 Never Mind the Buzzcocks Himself BBC Series 13, Episode 8 2017 The Keith & Paddy Picture Show Winston Zeddmore BBC Series 1, Episode 2: 'Ghostbusters' 2020 Dr Seuss' The Grinch Musical!Grandpa Who NBC 2020 Jane McDonald and friends Himself Channel 5 2021 Fireman Sam Trevor Evans Cartoonito 2025 Midsomer Murders Rufus Coulter ITV Series 25, Episode: "Treasures of Darkness"2026Would I Lie to You?HimselfBBCSeries 19, Episode 3Death in ParadiseAnton BusetteBBCSeries 15, Episodes 2 & 7
Film Year Title Role Notes 1985 Lollipop Dragon: The Great Christmas Race Lollipop Dragon / Hairy Troll (Voice) Television film 1986 Lollipop Dragon: The Magic Lollipop Adventure Lollipop Dragon (Voice) Television film 1994–95 Lazarus 1997 The Tony Ferrino Phenomenon Himself Television film 2026 Post-production
References
External links