# Kevin Whately

Kevin Whately OBE (born 6 February 1951) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Neville "Nev" Hope in the comedy drama Auf Wiedersehen, Pet; Robert "Robbie" Lewis in the British crime drama Inspector Morse (1987–2000) and Lewis (2006–2015); and Jack Kerruish in the drama series Peak Practice (1993–1995), although he has appeared in numerous other roles.

## Early life

Whately is from Brampton, near Carlisle, Cumberland. The family later moved to North Tynemouth when Kevin was 4 years old. His mother, Mary (née Pickering), was a teacher and his father, Richard, was a Commander in the Royal Navy. His maternal grandmother, Doris Phillips, was a professional concert singer, his paternal grandfather, Herbert Whately, was Archdeacon of Ludlow, and his great-great-grandfather, Richard Whately, was Anglican Archbishop of Dublin. The BBC documentary Who Do You Think You Are?, broadcast in 2009, revealed that Whately is a descendant of Thomas Whately of Nonsuch Park (father of Thomas Whately), a leading London merchant, politician and writer who became a director of the Bank of England, and of Major Robert Thompson, a Parliamentarian during the English Commonwealth and later a tobacco plantation owner in Virginia.
Whately was educated at Barnard Castle School, and went on to study accounting and finance at Newcastle Polytechnic, graduating in 1969. He then trained as an actor at the Central School of Speech and Drama, graduating in 1975 after having partly supported himself by working for the National Theatre at The Old Vic. Before going professional, Whately was an amateur actor at the People's Theatre in Newcastle upon Tyne during the 1970s. His brother, Frank, is a lecturer at Kingston University in London.

## Career

Before turning to professional acting, Whately began his working life as a folk singer, and still plays the guitar, performing for charity concerts. Along with other Auf Wiedersehen, Pet stars, he makes an appearance at the biennial benefit concert Sunday for Sammy in Newcastle.
His acting career includes several stage plays, among them an adaptation of Twelve Angry Men, and film appearances in The Return of the Soldier, The English Patient, Paranoid and Purely Belter.
Whately's television appearances include episodes of Shoestring, Geordie Racer, Angels, Juliet Bravo, Strangers, Coronation Street, Auf Wiedersehen Pet, Alas Smith and Jones, Look and Read, You Must Be The Husband, B&B, Peak Practice, Skallagrigg, Murder in Mind, Inspector Morse, 2003 Comic Relief Auf Wiedersehen Pet, Lewis, New Tricks, Who Gets the Dog?, The Children, Silent Cry and Midsomer Murders. Whately provided one of the voices for the English-language version of the 1999 claymation Children's television series Hilltop Hospital. He has also done voiceovers for a WaterAid advertisement.
In 1985, Whately appeared in a 3-part Miss Marple adaptation ("A Murder Is Announced") for the BBC. His part, Detective Sergeant Fletcher, opposite John Castle as Inspector Craddock. Two years later, his role as Detective Sergeant Lewis, in the series Inspector Morse established him as a household name in the UK. Whately starred opposite the eponymous Inspector Morse, played by John Thaw, in 32 episodes over 13 years in the hugely successful series.
He reprised the role in the spin-off series Lewis, in which Lewis returns to Oxford as a full Inspector. With his new partner, the Cambridge-educated Detective Sergeant James Hathaway (Laurence Fox), Inspector Lewis solves murder mysteries while trying to rebuild his life after his wife's sudden death in a hit-and-run accident and to gain recognition from his initially sceptical new boss.
He was the lead in The Broker's Man, two series of 90 minute self-contained dramas about a former policeman turned insurance fraud investigator.
Richard Marson's book celebrating fifty years of Blue Peter comments that Whately auditioned as a presenter for the show in 1980 but lost out to Peter Duncan.
In 2010, Whately played the lead in the television film Joe Maddison's War about strained family and social relations in wartime. Directed by Patrick Collerton, it presented a view of World War II through the eyes of shipyard worker and World War I veteran Joe Maddison (Kevin Whately) who serves in the Home Guard during the Blitz.
Upon the conclusion of filming the seventh series of Lewis, at the end of 2012, both Whately and Laurence Fox announced that they would take a break of at least a year before appearing in any more episodes. ITV indicated a continuing commitment to the series and that they wished to produce additional episodes of the programme. On 4 November 2012, Whately performed in a radio drama on BBC3 called The Torchbearers, which chronicles the circumstances of several UK citizens whose lives are changed through contact with the Olympic Torch. In 2013, the Live Theatre of Newcastle upon Tyne produced a series of performances of the unique, acclaimed one-person play, White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, which is enacted as a cold reading with no sets or costumes by a different performer each night. Whately was the actor for the sold-out performance of 10 March 2013. Following the end of the ninth and final series of Lewis, Whately announced he had no intention of returning to the role of "Lewis", a character he had played over a span of 28 years.
Whately was the patron of the Central School of Speech and Drama Full House Theatre Company for 2011.

## Personal life

Whately lives in Woburn Sands near Milton Keynes with his wife, actress Madelaine Newton, who starred in the 1970s BBC drama When the Boat Comes In. Madelaine starred as Morse's love interest in the Inspector Morse episode entitled "Masonic Mysteries" (1990; series 4, episode 4). Their daughter Kitty Whately is a classical operatic mezzo-soprano, whose career includes performances with the Edinburgh International Festival, the Royal Opera, and English National Opera.
Whately enjoys rock music and plays the guitar; he has cited Pink Floyd and Dire Straits as bands he has particularly enjoyed. He is a fan of Newcastle United on the football field, but says that he prefers rugby league, and as a cricketer admitted to Inspector Morse writer Colin Dexter that he would like to have played cricket professionally for England. Dexter devised the storyline for the Inspector Morse episode "Deceived by Flight" (1989; series 3, episode 3) in which Sergeant Lewis had to go undercover in a cricket team to investigate drug smuggling.
In August 2014, Whately was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian expressing their hope that Scotland would vote to remain part of the United Kingdom in September's independence referendum.
Whately was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2025 New Year Honours for services to drama and to charity.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1980 | Hawk the Slayer | | |
| 1982 | The Return of the Soldier | Hostile soldier's mate | |
| 1996 | The English Patient | Hardy | |
| 2000 | Paranoid | Clive | |
| 2000 | Purely Belter | Mr. Caird | |
| 2006 | The Fourth King | Narrator (English version) | Short film |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1978 | Out of the Past | | 2 episodes |
| 1979 | Shoestring | Bobby Treen | Episode: "The Partnership" |
| 1980 | BBC2 Playhouse | Bob Smith | Episode: "The Dig" |
| 1980 | Fair Stood the Wind for France | Lancaster crew | Mini-series; Episode #1.1 |
| 1980 | Angels | Norman Pollard | 3 episodes |
| 1980 | Juliet Bravo | PC Chris Evans | Episode: "Coming Back" |
| 1980 | Strangers | Michael Hobb | Episode: "Retribution" |
| 1981 | Coronation Street | Kevin | 2 episodes |
| 1983 | Shackleton | Jameson Adams | Mini-series; Episode: "Our Dead Bodies Must Tell the Tale" |
| 1983–2004 | Auf Wiedersehen, Pet | Neville Hope | Main role |
| 1985 | Miss Marple | Detective Sergeant Fletcher | 3 episodes: "A Murder is Announced" |
| 1987 | Carrott Confidential | Himself | Episode #1.2 |
| 1987 | Alas Smith & Jones | | Episode: "Sunday Film: The Sword of St. Petersburg" |
| 1987–2000 | Inspector Morse | Detective Sergeant Robert Lewis | Main role |
| 1988 | Geordie Racer | Ray Hilton | 10 episodes |
| 1988 | You Must Be the Husband | Hugo Mansell | Episode: "A Bit Prickly in the Morning" |
| 1990 | Screenplay | Neil Baldwin | Episode: "Night Voice" |
| 1991 | Jackanory | Storyteller | 3 episodes: "Bill's New Frock: Parts 1, 2 & 3" |
| 1991 | Aspel & Company | Himself | Episode #8.8 |
| 1992 | B&B | Steve Shepherd | Mini-series |
| 1993–1995 | Peak Practice | Dr. Jack Kerruish | Regular character |
| 1994 | Screen Two | Sam Hopkins | Episode: "Skallagrigg" |
| 1994 | Q.E.D. | Narrator | Episode: "Food Fights" |
| 1994 | An Audience with Ken Dodd | Himself | Uncredited Audience Member |
| 1996 | Trip Trap | Ian Armstrong | Television film |
| 1997 | Songs of Praise | Himself | 1 episode |
| 1997 | Gobble | Colin Worsfold | Television film |
| 1997 | Light Lunch | Himself | Episode: "Ooh Doctor, I Feel a Bit Peaky" |
| 1997–1998 | The Broker's Man | James 'Jimmy' Griffin | Lead role |
| 1999 | The People's Passion | Judas | Television special |
| 1999 | Pure Wickedness | Geoff Meadows | Main role, 4 episodes |
| 1999 | What Katy Did | Dr. Philip Carr | Television film |
| 1999–2003 | Hilltop Hospital | Dr. Matthews | Voice role; regular character |
| 2001 | Murder in Mind | Nigel Liddy | Episode: "Neighbours" |
| 2001 | Merseybeat | Philip Kitchener | 2 episodes: "Crying Out Loud" & "What Goes Around" |
| 2002 | John Thaw: An Appreciation | Himself | Short television special |
| 2002 | The BAFTA TV Awards 2002 | Himself | Television special |
| 2002 | Plain Jane | David Bruce | Television film |
| 2002 | Silent Cry | Dr. Richard Herd | Television film |
| 2002 | The John Thaw Story | Himself | Television special documentary |
| 2002 | Lads' Army | Narrator | 10 episodes |
| 2003 | Little Wolf's Book of Badness | Akela | Voice role; short television film |
| 2003 | Comic Relief 2003: The Big Hair Do | Neville Hope | Television special |
| 2003 | Bible Mysteries | Narrator | Episode: "David and Goliath" |
| 2003 | Promoted to Glory | Maj. Nigel Hurst | Television film |
| 2003–2005 | GMTV | Himself | 3 episodes |
| 2004 | Richard & Judy | Himself | 1 episode |
| 2004 | The Legend of the Tamworth Two | Wolf | Television film |
| 2004 | Who Wants to Be a Millionaire | Himself | 1 episode |
| 2004 | Belonging | Jacob Copplestone | Television film |
| 2004–2011 | This Morning | Himself | 2 episodes |
| 2005 | Dad | Oliver James | Television film |
| 2005 | Drama Connections | Himself | Episode: "Auf Wiedersehen, Pet" |
| 2005 | ITV 50 Greatest Shows | Himself | Television special |
| 2005 | Footprints in the Snow | Kevin Hill | Television film |
| 2005 | ITV 50: The Golden Years | Himself | Television film documentary |
| 2006 | Today with Des and Mel | Himself | 1 episode |
| 2006 | New Tricks | Andrew Simson | Episode: "Congratulations" |
| 2006 | TV's 50 Greatest Stars | Himself | Television film documentary |
| 2006 | Live! Girls! present Dogtown | Bus Driver | BBC3 Comedy, Series 1 Episode 1 |
| 2006–2015 | Lewis | DI Robert Lewis | Lead role |
| 2007 | Lewis... Behind the Scenes | Himself | Television film |
| 2007 | There's Something About... Morse | Himself / Det. Insp. Lewis | Television film documentary |
| 2007 | The Music of Morse | Narrator | Television film documentary |
| 2007 | Kevin Whately: Morse & Me | Himself | Short documentary series |
| 2007 | Legends | Himself | Television documentary; Episode: "The Dankworths" |
| 2007 | Who Gets the Dog? | Jack Evans | Television film |
| 2008 | The Alan Titchmarsh Show | Himself | 1 episode |
| 2008 | 50 Greatest TV Endings | Himself | Television film documentary |
| 2008 | Profiling | Himself | Television documentary; Episode: "Colin Dexter" |
| 2008 | The Children | Cameron Miller | Mini-series; main role |
| 2009 | Who Do You Think You Are? | Himself | Television documentary; 1 episode |
| 2009 | Top of the Cops | Himself / DS/DI Robert Lewis | Television film documentary |
| 2009–2016 | Masterpiece Mystery! | Inspector Lewis | 10 episodes |
| 2010 | Breakfast | Himself | 1 episode |
| 2010 | Joe Maddison's War | Joe Maddison | Television film |
| 2011 | The A to Z of Crime | Himself / DI Robert Lewis | Television documentary; Episode: "U to Z" |
| 2012 | The Unforgettable John Thaw | Himself | Television film documentary |
| 2012 | Inspector George Gently | Donald McGhee | Episode: "Gently in the Cathedral" |
| 2013 | The Railway: Keeping Britain on Track | Narrator | Television documentary series |
| 2013 | Richard Briers: A Tribute | Himself | Television film documentary |
| 2013 | The Crime Thriller Club | Himself | Television documentary series; Episode #1.3 |
| 2015 | The Sound of ITV: The Nation's Favourite Theme Tunes | Himself / Lewis | Television film documentary |
| 2015 | Lorraine | Himself | 1 episode |
| 2016 | Pointless Celebrities | Himself | Episode: "Law and Order" |
| 2016 | Still Game | Cameron Hastie | Episode: "Job" |
| 2016–2017 | Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway | Himself | 6 episodes |
| 2017 | Who Shot Simon Cowell? | DI Robert Lewis | Television film |
| 2017–2019 | Island Medics | Narrator | Television documentary series |
| 2023 | Midsomer Murders | Jeremy Whittingdale | Episode: "For Death Prepare" |
| 2025 | Vera | Gary Creelan | Episode: "Inside" |

### Stage

| Year | Title | Role | Theatre |
| | Whistling Milestones | | Edinburgh Festival Fringe |
| | Tunes of Glory | | Royal Lyceum Theatre / Scottish Tour |
| | The Foursome | Harry | Warehouse Theatre |
| | Raffles | Charles Lamb | Far Eastern Tour |
| | Accounts | Andy Mawson | Edinburgh / Riverside Studios |
| | Operation Elvis | Elvis | Tricycle Theatre |
| | Bad Language | Phil | Hampstead Theatre |
| | Henry IV | Prince Hal | Tyne Theatre |
| | Billy Liar | Title Role | National Tour |
| | She Stoops to Conquer | Tony Lumpkin | Oxford Playhouse |
| | Three Piece Suite | Keith Bishop | Queen's Theatre |
| | The Crucible | John Proctor | Leicester Haymarket |
| | Our Own Kind | Daines | Bush Theatre |
| 1989 | The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd | Blackmore | Leicester Haymarket |
| 1996 | Twelve Angry Men | Juror 8 | Bristol Old Vic / Comedy Theatre |
| 1997 | Snake in the Grass | Ray Lucas | Old Vic Theatre |
| 1998 | How I Learned to Drive | Uncle Peck | Donmar Warehouse |
| 2013 | White Rabbit Red Rabbit | | Live Theatre |
| 2015 | Gypsy | Herbie | Chichester Festival Theatre |
| 2015 | Arthur | Arthur | Theatre Royal Haymarket |