# Owen Brenman

Owen Brenman (born 17 December 1956) is an English actor, known for his roles as Nick Swainey in the BBC sitcom One Foot in the Grave and Heston Carter in the BBC drama series Doctors.

## Early and personal life

Brenman was educated at University College School, an independent day school for boys in Hampstead in north west London, followed by the University of Birmingham, where he obtained a BA (Hons) degree in Drama, and the Webber Douglas School of Singing and Dramatic Art, now known as the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.
Brenman was married to wife Jackie Brenman until 2020, when she died of cancer. The pair met on Valentine's day in 1986 when he approached her in a bar and went on to have two sons together.

## Career

In addition to One Foot in the Grave, Brenman also played Lloyd Drewitt in two series of David Renwick's BBC dramedy Love Soup (2005–8). He also starred in People Like Us, three series of the children's television series Woof!, and three series of Alexei Sayle's Stuff. He played Mark Thatcher opposite John Wells and Angela Thorne in the political sitcom Dunrulin'.
On the London stage Brenman played Theo in the 2006 European premiere of Steve Martin's The Underpants at the Old Red Lion Theatre - a reworking of Carl Sternheim's 1911 satirical comedy, Die Hose. Brenman also played Ian in the football comedy An Evening with Gary Lineker at the Duchess Theatre, and Tariq Ali's and Howard Brenton's New Labour satire Ugly Rumours (Tricycle Theatre), The Ghost Train (Lyric Hammersmith Theatre), C4 Sitcom Festival (Riverside Theatre) which resulted in the C4 comedy series In Exile and a rarely performed Ionesco play, Journeys Among The Dead (Riverside Theatre).
Outside London, Brenman played Felix in Elly Brewer's and Sandi Toksvig’s Shakespeare deconstruction The Pocket Dream (York Theatre Royal), Brian in Terry Johnson's Dead Funny (Nottingham Playhouse), toured with Butterflies Are Free, appeared in The Winslow Boy and The Trial of Lady Chatterley (Nottingham Playhouse) and Richard Hope's black comedy about serial killers and the press, Good Copy, in which he played a paedophile priest opposite Robert Bathurst's prostitute murderer (West Yorkshire Playhouse).
In 2008, Brenman completed a UK tour, with Richard Wilson, of Steve Thompson’s political comedy Whipping It Up and featured in a new series of Doctor Who for BBC Radio 7. He played Heston Carter in BBC television series Doctors from 2008 to 2018.
He was nominated for Best Actor at the 2010, 2011 and 2016 British Soap Awards.

## Filmography
### Films

| Year | Film | Role |
| 2001 | The Martins | Teacher |
| 2000 | One of the Hollywood Ten | Dalton Trumbo |
| 1983 | The Jigsaw Man | Policeman |

### Television

| Year | TV Show | Role | Notes |
| 2024 | Father Brown | Lord St John Sprockett | 1 episode: The Hermit of Hazelnut Cottage |
| 2023 | Sister Boniface Mysteries | Captain Pargiter | 1 episode : Stage Fright |
| 2008–2018 | Doctors | Heston Carter | 1,234 episodes |
| 2010 | Decade of Doctors | Himself | 3 episodes: Behind the Scenes / Amazing Facts / Storylines |
| 2009 | The British Soap Awards | Himself - Audience Member | |
| 2008 | Filthy Rich | James Stewart | |
| 2005–2008 | Love Soup | Lloyd Drewitt | 8 episodes |
| 2007 | Comedy Connections | Himself | 1 episode : One Foot in the Grave |
| 2005 | Bremner, Bird and Fortune | Climate Adviser | 1 episode : Episode #7.2 |
| 2005 | Absolute Power | Anthony Dewson | 1 episode: The Trial |
| 2004 | Casualty | Brian Wallace | 1 episode : Who Cares? |
| 2003 | Doctors | Adam Cardwell | 1 episode : Doppelgänger |
| 2003 | My Family | Headmaster | 1 episode : Loco Parentis |
| 2001–2002 | Oscar Charlie | Alan Spinner | 13 episodes |
| 1990–2000 | One Foot in the Grave | Nick Swainey | 15 episodes |
| 2000 | Fat Friends | Harvey Lipman | 1 episode: When the Fat Lady Sings |
| 2000 | The Peter Principle | Victor | 1 episode: Desperately Seeking Susan |
| 1999 | People Like Us | Graham Broadbent | 1 episode : The Solicitor |
| 1998 | Drop the Dead Donkey | Sally 1 | 1 episode: A Bit of an Atmosphere |
| 1998 | In Exile | Bishop | 6 episodes |
| 1997 | Heartbeat | Lester | 1 episode: What the Butler Saw |
| 1997 | Underworld | Headmaster | 3 episodes: Episode #1.1 / Episode #1.3 /Episode #1.4 |
| 1997 | Sharpe | Witherspoon | 1 episode: Sharpe's Waterloo |
| 1996 | Dangerfield | Wills | 1 episode: "Eden" |
| 1996 | Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's | Englishman/actor (voice) | 1 episode: The Radio Ham |
| 1993–1995 | Woof! | Mr Thomas | 24 episodes |
| 1995 | Health and Efficiency | Mr. Lester | 1 episode: Finders Keepers |
| 1992 | Mr. Bean | Store Clerk | 1 episode: Merry Christmas Mr. Bean |
| 1992 | Perfect Scoundrels | Alan Reynolds | 1 episode: Dirty Tricks |
| 1988–1991 | Alexei Sayle's Stuff | Actor / Various Roles | 13 episodes |
| 1991 | 2point4 Children | Yuppy | 1 episode: Leader of the Pack |
| 1991 | The Les Dennis Laughter Show | Actor | 1 episode: Episode #5.6 |
| 1991 | The Bill | Dighton | 1 episode: With Intent |
| 1991 | The Upper Hand | Actor | 1 episode: And the Winner Is... |
| 1991 | About Face | Chris | 1 episode: Briefcase Encounter |
| 1990 | Birds of a Feather | The Snatcher | 1 episode: Sweet Smell Of Success |
| 1988 | The Bill | Solicitor | 1 episode: The Assassins |
| 1987–1988 | 'Allo 'Allo! | Guard / London Calling (voice) / Kingfisher (voice) / French' Radio Voice (voice) | 4 episodes |
| 1987 | No Place Like Home | Barman | 1 episode: Fortyfying the Over |
| 1986 | Screen Two | Actor | 1 episode: "Honest, Decent and True" |
| 1984 | Spitting Image | Writer (written by) | Episode #1.6 |
| 1983 | Sweet Sixteen | Youth | 1 episode:Episode #1.3 |
| 1983 | The Nation's Health | Orthopaedic S.H.O | 1 episode: Chronic |