Richard Wilson ( Scottish actor ) - wikipedia Richard Wilson ( Scottish actor ) Not to be confused with Richard Wilson ( Australian actor ). Richard Wilson OBE Wilson in 2007. Iain Carmichael Wilson ( 1936 - 07 - 09 ) 9 July 1936 ( age 81 ) Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland Nationality British Occupation Actor, theatre director, broadcaster Years active 1964 -- present Notable work See below Television Only When I Laugh One Foot in the Grave Born and Bred Britain 's Best Drives Merlin Doctor Who Richard Wilson OBE ( born Iain Carmichael Wilson ; 9 July 1936 ) is a Scottish actor, theatre director and broadcaster. He played Victor Meldrew in the BBC sitcom One Foot in the Grave. A later role was as Gaius, the court physician of Camelot, in the BBC drama Merlin. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Television 5 Films 6 Stage acting 7 Theatre direction 8 Radio 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External links Early life Wilson was born in Greenock, Scotland. He studied science subjects at Greenock Academy, then did his National Service with the Royal Army Medical Corps, serving in Singapore. Career He worked in a laboratory at Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow as a research assistant, before switching to acting at age 27. He trained at RADA and then appeared in repertory theatres in Edinburgh ( Traverse Theatre ), Glasgow and Manchester ( Stables Theatre ). He initially turned down the role of Victor Meldrew and it was almost offered to Les Dawson before Wilson changed his mind. Wilson was awarded the OBE for services to drama as a director and actor in 1994. In April 1996, he was elected Rector of the University of Glasgow for a term of three years. Wilson has worked for the gay rights campaign group Stonewall and the Labour Party. He is one of the patrons of Scottish Youth Theatre. Wilson is also a long - time supporter of the charity Sense and in 2007 hosted their annual award ceremony. He is also one of the honorary patrons of the London children 's charity, Scene & Heard. The narration of `` The Man Who Called Himself Jesus '', from Strawbs ' eponymous first album, was performed by Wilson. Wilson 's biography, One Foot on the Stage : The Biography of Richard Wilson, was written by James Roose - Evans. He is a major supporter of the Labour Party, and he recorded the party 's manifesto on audio for the 2010 general election. In March 2011, Wilson presented an edition of the Channel 4 current affairs programme Dispatches entitled Train Journeys From Hell, with transport journalist Christian Wolmar highlighting the failings of the British rail network. Personal life Wilson was a supporter of his local football club, Greenock Morton, but he has come to lend greater support to English club Manchester United. He is a patron of the Manchester United Supporters Trust. Wilson has been a campaigner for gay rights for many years, and he came out as gay in a Daily Mail interview in March 2013. Wilson is good friends with his One Foot in the Grave co-star Angus Deayton, and is godfather to Deayton 's son. It was reported on 12 August 2016 that Wilson had suffered a heart attack. He had been due to reprise the role of Victor Meldrew in a one - man show at the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Wilson has one older sister, Moira. She still resides in their home town of Greenock. Television Crown Court ( 1970s ) -- as a barrister. ( 1972 - 1984 ) My Good Woman ( 1972 - 1974 ) A Sharp Intake of Breath 1977 to 1980 The Sweeney episode `` The bigger they are '' as DCI Anderson ( 1978 ) Some Mothers Do ' Ave ' Em episode `` Wendy House '' as Mr. Harris The Insurance Man ( 1978 ) Only When I Laugh ( 1979 - 1982 ) as Gordon Thorpe In Loving Memory as Percy Openshaw ( in two episodes ) Andy Robson ( 1982 -- 83 ) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes episode The Red Headed League as Duncan Ross ( 1985 ) Have I Got News for You Emmerdale ( 1986 ) Tutti Frutti ( 1987 ) Hot Metal ( 1988 ) Normal Service ( 1988 ) One Foot in the Grave ( 1990 -- 2000 ) as Victor Meldrew Cluedo ( 1991 ) Selling Hitler ( 1991 ) Mr. Bean -- episode `` The Trouble With Mr. Bean '' as Mr. Peggit The Dentist ( 1992 ) Inspector Morse -- episode `` Absolute Conviction ( 1992 ) '' The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends as Mr. McGregor ( 1992 ) Under The Hammer ( 1994 ) ( as Ben Glazier ) Gulliver 's Travels ( 1996 ) Lord of Misrule ( 1996 ) ( as Bill Webster ). Filmed at Fowey in Cornwall Duck Patrol ( 1998 ) Father Ted -- episode `` The Mainland '' as himself ( 1998 ) The Mrs Merton Show ( 1998 ) guest appearance alongside Bernard Manning High Stakes ( 2001 ) Life As We Know It ( 2001 ) Jeffrey Archer : The Truth as Duke of Edinburgh ( 2002 ) King of Fridges ( 2004 ) ( as Frank ) Doctor Who -- episodes `` The Empty Child '' and `` The Doctor Dances '' ( 2005 ) -- Doctor Constantine Born and Bred ( 2005 ) The F Word -- Appeared as himself in the middle of the first series. ( 2005 ) A Harlot 's Progress ( 2006 ) Would I Lie to You ? ( 2007 ) Thank God You 're Here ( 2008 ) Merlin -- ( all 65 episodes + 2 children in need specials ) as Gaius ( 2008 - 2012 ) Demons -- as Father Simeon ( 2009 ) Britain 's Best Drives ( 2009 ) New Tricks ( 2009 ) -- as Father Bernárd in episode `` The War Against Drugs '' Confessions from the Underground - Narrated ( 2012 ) All Aboard East Coast Trains - Narrated ( 2013 ) Richard Wilson on the Road ( 2015 ) Trollied ( 2015 ) Films Those Glory Glory Days ( 1983 ) A Passage to India ( 1984 ) Foreign Body ( 1986 ) Whoops Apocalypse ( 1986 ) Prick Up Your Ears ( 1987 ) How to Get Ahead in Advertising ( 1989 ) A Dry White Season ( 1989 ) Carry On Columbus ( 1992 ) Soft Top Hard Shoulder ( 1993 ) The Man Who Knew Too Little ( 1997 ) Women Talking Dirty ( 1999 ) Gnomeo & Juliet ( 2011 ) Sherlock Gnomes ( 2018 ) Stage acting Twelfth Night, as Malvolio -- Royal Shakespeare Company Whipping it Up by Steve Thompson -- Bush Theatre, Ambassadors Theatre What the Butler Saw, as Dr Rance -- Royal National Theatre Peter Pan, as Mr Darling / Captain Hook -- Royal Festival Hall Waiting for Godot, as Vladimir -- Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh and Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester Uncle Vanya, as Vanya -- Traverse Theatre A Little Hotel on the Side by Georges Feydeau -- Theatre Royal, Bath, August 2013 Krapp 's Last Tape, as Krapp, Sheffield Crucible Theatre, 25 June - 19 July 2014 Forty Years On by Alan Bennett - Chichester Festival Theatre, as the Headmaster 21 April - 20 May 2017. Theatre direction Wilson won the TMA Best Director Award in 2000 for Mr Kolpert. An Inspector Calls by JB Priestley ; - The Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, 1986 A Wholly Healthy Glasgow by Ian Heggie -- The Royal Exchange Theatre, Edinburgh International Festival, The Royal Court, 1988 / 89 Women Laughing by Michael Wall ; -- The Royal Exchange Theatre, ( 1992 ) The Lodger by Simon Burke. World premiere at the Royal Exchange Theatre, ( 1994 ) Primo 2004 The Woman Before by Roland Schimmelpfennig -- Royal Court, May 2005 East Coast Chicken Supper by Martin J Taylor -- The Traverse, 2005 Rainbow Kiss by Simon Farquhar -- Royal Court, April 2006 Smack Family Robinson by Richard Bean -- Kingston upon Thames, March and April 2013 Blasted by Sarah Kane -- Sheffield Studio, 2015 Radio The Corrupted ( BBC Radio 4 2017 ) as Melford Stevenson References Jump up ^ Walker, Lynne ( 12 June 1999 ). `` he 's all the rage ''. The Herald. Retrieved 24 October 2017. Jump up ^ Richard Wilson 's Beacon Theatre hopes dated 27 Mar 2015 in Greenock Telegraph ^ Jump up to : `` Richard Wilson -- Drama Faces ''. BBC. Archived from the original on 16 December 2008. Retrieved 28 December 2008. Jump up ^ Plunkett, Richard ( 26 July 2016 ). `` I do n't believe it ! Victor Meldrew role almost went to Les Dawson ''. The Guardian. Retrieved 13 August 2016. Jump up ^ Ahad, Nick ( 3 July 2011 ). `` The big interview : Richard Wilson ''. Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 7 October 2011. Jump up ^ Young, Kevin ( 20 April 2010 ). `` Election 2010 : Political celebrities -- then and now ''. BBC News. Retrieved 20 April 2010. Jump up ^ `` Scottish Youth Theatre website ''. Scottishyouththeatre.org. 26 March 2008. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2011. Jump up ^ `` Celebrity supporters of Sense ''. Listal.com. 24 June 2009. Retrieved 7 August 2011. Jump up ^ `` Scene & Heard -- Who We Are ''. sceneandheard.org. 2010. Archived from the original on 10 February 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2010. Jump up ^ `` Strawbs website ''. Strawbsweb.co.uk. 22 November 1968. Retrieved 7 August 2011. Jump up ^ `` One Foot on the Stage on Vialibri ''. Vialibri.net. Retrieved 7 August 2011. Jump up ^ `` Delay in Labour braille and audio manifesto criticised ''. BBC News. BBC. 15 April 2010. Retrieved 5 May 2010. Jump up ^ `` Train Journeys From Hell ''. Dispatches. Channel 4. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2011. Jump up ^ Dugan, Emily ( 21 November 2010 ). `` Richard Wilson : Retire ? He does n't believe in it ''. The Independent. UK : Independent Print. Retrieved 11 June 2011. Jump up ^ `` Richard Wilson ''. joinmust.org. Manchester United Supporters Trust. Retrieved 11 June 2011. Jump up ^ Rees, Jasper ( 26 June 2014 ). `` Richard Wilson, interview : ' A lot of Scots hate me ' ''. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 22 November 2017. Jump up ^ Earp, Catherine ( 2 March 2013 ). `` ' Merlin 's Richard Wilson : ' I do n't mind people knowing I 'm gay ' ''. Digital Spy. Retrieved 22 November 2017. Jump up ^ McLean, Craig ( 12 July 2016 ). `` Interview : Richard Wilson and Angus Deayton on how they wo n't be painting Edinburgh red together this Fringe ''. The List. Retrieved 22 November 2017. Jump up ^ `` Victor Meldrew actor Richard Wilson suffers heart attack ''. BBC News. 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016. Jump up ^ Jones, Marcus ( 2016 ). `` Richard Wilson 's sister ' praying ' as Victor Meldrew star suffers heart attack ''. Premier Christianity. Retrieved 22 November 2017. Jump up ^ Richard Wilson archive Jump up ^ Richard Wilson On The Road Episode 2 presscentre Further reading J. Roose - Evans, One Foot on the Stage : The Biography of Richard Wilson External links Richard Wilson on IMDb The Official Richard Wilson Archive Exclusive Interview with Richard Wilson Academic offices Preceded by Johnny Ball Rector of the University of Glasgow 1996 -- 99 Succeeded by Ross Kemp BAFTA TV Award for Best Entertainment Performance Eric Morecambe & Ernie Wise ( 1970 ) Eric Morecambe & Ernie Wise ( 1971 ) Ronnie Barker & Ronnie Corbett ( 1972 ) Eric Morecambe & Ernie Wise ( 1973 ) Eric Morecambe & Ernie Wise ( 1974 ) Stanley Baxter ( 1975 ) Ronnie Barker ( 1976 ) Penelope Keith ( 1977 ) Ronnie Barker ( 1978 ) Ronnie Barker ( 1979 ) John Cleese ( 1980 ) Rowan Atkinson ( 1981 ) Nigel Hawthorne ( 1982 ) Nigel Hawthorne ( 1983 ) Tracey Ullman ( 1984 ) Judi Dench ( 1985 ) Victoria Wood ( 1986 ) Nigel Hawthorne ( 1987 ) Nigel Hawthorne ( 1988 ) Victoria Wood ( 1989 ) Rowan Atkinson ( 1990 ) David Jason ( 1991 ) Richard Wilson ( 1992 ) Joanna Lumley ( 1993 ) Richard Wilson ( 1994 ) Rory Bremner ( 1995 ) Rory Bremner ( 1996 ) John Bird & John Fortune ( 1997 ) Paul Whitehouse ( 1998 ) Michael Parkinson ( 1999 ) Graham Norton ( 2000 ) Graham Norton ( 2001 ) Graham Norton ( 2002 ) Paul Merton ( 2003 ) Jonathan Ross ( 2004 ) Paul O'Grady ( 2005 ) Jonathan Ross ( 2006 ) Jonathan Ross ( 2007 ) Harry Hill ( 2008 ) Harry Hill ( 2009 ) Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly ( 2010 ) Graham Norton ( 2011 ) Graham Norton ( 2012 ) Alan Carr ( 2013 ) Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly ( 2014 ) Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly ( 2015 ) Leigh Francis ( 2016 ) Michael McIntyre ( 2017 ) VIAF : 85084229 LCCN : no96009635 ISNI : 0000 0001 1476 3541 GND : 139959637 SUDOC : 13704979X MusicBrainz : 8bb5b1da - 38cc - 4c4a - b5b9 - d059e8cf2e58 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_Wilson_(Scottish_actor)&oldid=815591651 '' Categories : Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Scottish male television actors Gay actors 1936 births Living people Officers of the Order of the British Empire Scottish male film actors Scottish theatre directors Rectors of the University of Glasgow People from Greenock Scottish television presenters LGBT broadcasters LGBT entertainers from Scotland LGBT rights activists from Scotland Labour Party ( UK ) people Actors at the Royal Exchange, Manchester British male comedy actors Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from May 2015 Wikipedia semi-protected pages Use British English from August 2011 Use dmy dates from August 2011 Articles with hCards Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers Talk View source Contents About Wikipedia Български Dansk Deutsch Español فارسی Français 한국어 Italiano עברית Latina Nederlands Polski Português Русский Simple English Svenska Türkçe Українська Edit links This page was last edited on 15 December 2017, at 20 : 01. 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Question: who played victor meldrew in one foot in the grave
Answer: Richard Wilson