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Actor, Writer, Director
Ian grew up on a farm in North Wales, initially expected to continue the family tradition. However, inspired by an exceptional drama teacher at his secondary school, he joined the school drama club and went on to become a founding member of the Flintshire Youth Theatre. At 19, Ian moved to London to study acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. To support himself during college, he performed a comedy show in Covent Garden.
After graduating, Ian spent much of the 1980s working in repertory theatres across the UK. During this time, having refined his comedy skills on London’s streets, he became involved in the burgeoning alternative comedy scene, becoming the first comedian reviewed by the London arts magazine City Limits. He performed at numerous clubs, including the renowned Comedy Store, showcasing his unique blend of quirky, visual, and spoken surreal comedy.
Despite his success in comedy, Ian is best known for playing villains, tough characters, and serial killers. His parents often wish he would play a “nice person.” Recent villainous roles include a serial killer in the Netflix original series Marcella and the menacing Frank in Sky Atlantic’s acclaimed drama Tin Star, filmed in Canada alongside Tim Roth and Christina Hendricks. Tin Star solidified Ian’s reputation in both Canada and the US. Currently, he stars as Mr. Pennyworth Sr. in the transatlantic Warner Horizon series Pennyworth, set in 1960s London and filmed at Warner Bros Studios in Leavesden. The show explores the early life of Batman’s loyal butler, Alfred Pennyworth.
Delighting both his parents and children, Ian’s most family-friendly role is the cheerful King Thistle in the popular animated series Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom. He has joyfully supported children’s charities by creating personalized letters and recordings as King Thistle, promoting the virtues of being a king while humorously warning about “Jelly Floods.” Charity work is a significant part of Ian’s life; he frequently leads campaigns and participates in various events. He serves as a Patron of the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and The Hospice of the Good Shepherd.
Like many in the acting profession, Ian has experienced both thrilling successes and challenging setbacks, the latter often related to his well-known battle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). His personal experience with this condition inspired him to become Patron of OCD-UK. Ian has spoken extensively about OCD at conferences and in the media. In 2017, he presented and narrated a 30-minute BBC Wales documentary titled OCD – An Actor’s Tale.
During quieter periods in his career, Ian has focused on writing. In 2005, drawing from his own struggles with OCD, he co-wrote the drama Dirty, Filthy, Love with Jeff Pope, an Oscar-nominated writer and prolific dramatist. Their work earned a Royal Television Society Award and a Broadcast Award for Best Single Drama, along with a BAFTA nomination in the same category. The film won the Silver Award at the New York Film and TV Festival and was nominated for Best Single Drama at the Prix Italia in Milan. Notably, Dirty Filthy Love was also recognized with a nomination from the Mental Health in Media Awards.
Sundance later acquired the rights and streamed the film on the Sundance Channel to critical acclaim.
More recently, Ian has ventured into directing, helming his first television drama, Time Out, last year. This standalone drama is part of the award-winning Moving On series produced by Colin McKeown’s LA Productions and executive produced by multi-award-winning writer Jimmy McGovern.
Having spent most of his adult life in London, Ian and his partner Sue relocated north to Chester to raise their family. Two years ago, Ian was honored with an honorary doctorate from the University of Chester for his contributions to Mental Health and the Arts, presented in the distinguished setting of Chester Cathedral.
In 2018, Ian was appointed Patron and Ambassador of the Square Chapel Arts Centre in Halifax.
