Quick Facts
Biography
Neil Roberts (born 17 September 1964) is an English actor, known for portraying Rex Buckland in Charmed, Gavin Arnold in Family Affairs, Richard in Life Bites and DS Jason Wise in Emmerdale.
Background
Neil trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School between 1983 and 1986.
Acting career
Neil had classical training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Since then he has appeared in leading roles in numerous plays, musicals, television programmes and films in Britain and in America.
His West End and Regional Theatre productions, range from Christopher Robin in Winnie The Pooh, to the title role in Hamlet. Recent theatre also includes: playing Harry Bright in Mamma Mia!! in the West End, Captain Von Trap in The Sound of Music and the UK tour of the 2 hander Who Killed "Agatha" Christie?.
Recent television includes: playing the recurring role of Mike Leydon in “Coronation Street” and Richard, the Dad, in 62 episodes of the Disney Channel comedy “Life Bites”.
Other television includes: “New Tricks”; “Doctors”, series regular on Channel 5 soap opera Family Affairs, playing Gavin Arnold. and "Holby" as the cardiothoracic specialist Philip Lawlor. As well as: "Privates" written by Steven Moffat; The BAFTA nominated "A Breed Of Heroes"; and his "Mesmerising" (Daily Mail) and "Brilliant" (The Mirror) portrayal of the mass murderer Jeremy Bamber in "The White House Farm Murders".
Neil’s American work includes: playing Rex Buckland in the first season of Aaron Spelling’s "Charmed"; "Party of Five" opposite Neve Campbell; "Diagnosis Murder" with Dick Van Dyke; and opposite Tori Spelling as her love interest in "Beverly Hills 90210"
His film work includes Oscar winner Barry Levinson’s "The Second Civil War" opposite James Earl Jones, the lead opposite David Hasselhoff in the film "Nick Fury" based on the Marvel comic and "Killing Me Softly" with Heather Graham.
Neil’s latest project was producing and playing the lead in the short film "The History of Chance". The film premiered at the Oscar-qualifying 2012 Raindance Film Festival and has won the Grand Prize at the Canada International Film Festival, coming first out of nearly a thousand entries. In addition, it has picked up the Silver Lei Award at the Honolulu International Film Festival, was nominated for Best Drama at the Cape Fear Independent Film Festival and Best Film at the YoungCuts Film Festival, and is currently playing at selected international festivals.
Other credits include secret agent Max Meltus in the television commercials for cough medicine Meltus, and a 1998 commercial for Nescafé Gold Blend, opposite Simone Bendix in the last Gold Blend couple ads. He has also lent his voice to the Doctor Who audio drama Kingdom of Silver, and the Stargate Atlantis audio drama The Kindness of Strangers.
Personal life
Roberts is based in London. He has two sons.
Filmography
Television
| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Crime Story: The White House Farm Murders | Jeremy Bamber | Television film |
| 1994 | A Breed of Heroes | Lieutenant Philip Lamb | Television film |
| 1995 | Just William | PC Jones | TV series |
| 1996 | Party of Five | Gary Prescott - Not So Fast (1996) | Teen drama |
| Sliders | Ted Bernsen - Season's Greedings (1996) | Sci-fi drama | |
| Public Morals | Guy - The Goldenrod Cover (1996) | Drama | |
| 1997 | Baywatch Nights | John - Mobius (1997) | Drama |
| The Second Civil War | Tony Phillips | Television film | |
| Diagnosis Murder | Dr Shurmur - Looks Can Kill (1997) | Police drama | |
| Babylon 5 | Brother Michael - The Deconstruction of Falling Stars (1997) | Sci-fi drama | |
| 1998 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Jacob Wallenfels - The Wedding: Part One (1998) - The Wedding: Part Two (1998) | Teen drama |
| Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. | Alexander Goodwin Pierce | Television film | |
| Charmed | Rex Buckland 6 episodes Recurring (1998–1999) - Dream Sorcerer (1998) - The Wedding from Hell (1998) - The Truth Is Out There... and It Hurts (1998) - The Witch Is Back(1998) - Wicca Envy (1999) | Supernatural drama | |
| Privates | Jim 2 episodes Regular (2000) - Pilot - Ep 1.1 | TV series | |
| 2000 | The Bill | James Spiller - All Fall Down: Part One (2000) - All Fall Down: Part Two (2000) | Police drama |
| 2001 | Family Affairs | Gavin Arnold 64 episodes Regular | Soap opera |
| 2003 | Keen Eddie | Nicholas Ritter - Achtung Baby (2003) | Comedy-drama |
| Doctors | Harry Mawer - An Early Frost (2003) | Soap opera | |
| Holby City | Duncan Lewis - Just Getting By (2003) | Medical drama | |
| 2005 | Love Soup | Clive - There Must Be Some Way Out of Here (2005) - Death and Nurses (2005) | Comedy-drama |
| The Impressionists | Durranty - Three Part TV mini Series | Docudrama | |
| 2006 | Holby City | Dr Philip Lawlor Recurring - Extreme Measures (2006) - Complications Ensue (2008) - On a Mission (2008) | Medical drama |
| Mayo | Dr Sebastian Oliver - Episode 1.4 (2006) | Crime drama | |
| 2007 | Doctors | Laurent Cohen - Ménage à Trois (2007) | Soap opera |
| 2008 | Life Bites | Richard Regular 60 Episodes (2008-2009) | Children's TV series |
| 2010 | Doctors | James Forth - Legacy (2010) | Soap opera |
| I Shouldn't Be Alive | Eddie - Boys Adrift (2010) | Docudrama | |
| New Tricks | Anthony Vernon - Left Field (2010) | Crime drama | |
| 2010 | Coronation Street | Mike Leydon 4 Episodes Recurring - Episode 1.7748 (2011) - Episode 1.7770 (2012) - Episode 1.7771 (2012) - Episode 1.7772 (2012) | Soap Opera |
| 2016- | Emmerdale | DS Jason Wise | Soap Opera |
Film
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Killing Me Softly | Philip | Uncredited |
| 2007 | IntraVenus | James | Short film |
| 2012 | History of Chance | Tom Candle | Short film |