# Don Gilet

Don Gilét (born 17 January 1967) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as DS Nicky Cole in 55 Degrees North, DI Mervin Wilson in Death in Paradise, Lucas Johnson in EastEnders, and Jesse Law in Holby City.

## Early life

Gilét was brought up in Caldmore, Walsall, with two older sisters. He attended Whitehall Junior School before Blue Coat Church of England Academy and Sunday school at Caldmore Gospel Hall in Caldmore, and the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.

## Career

Gilét's first television appearance was on the Channel 4 dating show Streetmate, where he was interviewed as the friend of a participant. His first major role was playing Johnny Lindo in Babyfather (opposite future EastEnders co-star Diane Parish), before landing the lead role in the detective series 55 Degrees North, as Detective Sergeant Nicky Cole. In 2006, he played Leo Charles in The Line of Beauty and had a guest role in the Doctor Who Christmas episode "The Runaway Bride".
In 2001, Gilét appeared in a commercial for Apple's iMac G4 computer. The commercial was named "Window Shopping" and showed Gilét making certain gestures towards the iMac, which the computer later copied. He also appeared as a store manager in a staff training video for Sainsbury's supermarkets. He has had minor appearances in Casualty, Holby City, Silent Witness and The Bill.
Gilét featured in the music video for Gabrielle's 2001 hit "Out of Reach". In 2011, he featured in a music video for the song 'I Want You to Remember' by solo artist I Am Spartacus.
In theatre, he has appeared in As You Like It and The Alchemist.
In April 2008, he joined the BBC television soap opera EastEnders playing serial killer Lucas Johnson. Gilét's character left EastEnders on 30 July 2010.
In 2010, he appeared as Abanazar in the Churchill Theatre Bromley's Christmas pantomime Aladdin alongside Melinda Messenger. He followed that in 2011 by appearing at the Grove Theatre, Dunstable in Jack and the Beanstalk, which also featured his EastEnders co-star Gemma Bissix.
In May 2013, Gilét played the roles of Fuliginous, Ruislip & Blackfriar in a BBC radio adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, adapted by Dirk Maggs.
In 2014, Gilét joined the cast of BBC medical drama Holby City in the role of Consultant Anaesthetist Jesse Law.
In 2015, Gilét rejoined the cast of BBC soap opera EastEnders to reprise his role of Lucas Johnson, departing again on 10 March 2016. In 2017, Gilét joined the TV series The Loch, playing psychologist Blake Albrighton. The character made his debut in the series's first episode on 11 June 2017.
Gilét's Lucas Johnson character returned to EastEnders on 25 December 2020 and departed on 18 March 2021. In 2022, he portrayed the role of Coach Harris in the BBC series Rebel Cheer Squad. Gilèt rejoined EastEnders in 2024 for a brief guest stint.
In 2024, it was announced that Gilet will be the new lead detective, DI Mervin Wilson, in the BBC police drama Death in Paradise. He had previously appeared in the fourth series in 2015 as a guest portraying a character called Andre Morgan.

## Personal life

Gilét previously lived in Barnet with his wife, Tracy Whitwell, an actress and author, and their son.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1991, 2003 | The Bill | Martin Fisher/Gary Heywood | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Desmond's | Gerard | Episode: "Lollipop Man" |
| 1993 | Demob | Oliver | 2 episodes |
| 1994 | The Imaginatively Titled Punt & Dennis Show | | 2 episodes |
| 1995 | Now What | | TV movie |
| 1998 | Brothers and Sisters | Martin Etienne | |
| 2000 | The Return of Nick Cotton | Biscuit | TV movie |
| 2001 | Casualty | Lee Freeman | Episode: "Lost and Found" |
| 2001–2002 | Babyfather | Johnny Lindo | 12 episodes |
| 2002 | Time Gentlemen Please | Jamie Hardy | Episode: "Storming Up a Cook" |
| 2002 | Cutting It | Errol | 1 episode |
| 2002, 2014–2016 | Holby City | Martin/Jesse Law | Regular (as Jesse Law) |
| 2002 | Single Voices | Denzel 'Degsy' Coker | Episode: "Degsy" |
| 2002–2003 | Fimbles | | Voice |
| 2003 | Doctors | P.C. Graham Mitchell | Episode: "Driving Me Mad" |
| 2003 | Silent Witness | Carlton Johns | 2 episodes |
| 2004 | Belly Button | Carl | Short film |
| 2004–2005 | 55 Degrees North | DS Nicky Cole | Main role |
| 2006 | The Line of Beauty | Leo Charles | 3 episodes |
| 2006 | Doctor Who | Lance Bennett | Episode: "The Runaway Bride" |
| 2006 | The Ruby in the Smoke | Henry Hopkins | TV film |
| 2007 | Cape Wrath | Freddie Marcuse | 8 episodes |
| 2008 | Hotel Babylon | Brad Shelford | 1 episode |
| 2008–2010, 2016, 2020–2021, 2024 | EastEnders | Lucas Johnson | Regular |
| 2010 | EastEnders: E20 | Lucas Johnson | 2 episodes |
| 2012 | One Night | DC Hutton | 4 episodes |
| 2012–2013 | Wizards vs Aliens | Richard Sherwood | 3 episodes |
| 2013 | Father Brown | Douglas Taylor | 1 episode |
| 2013–2014 | Old Jack's Boat | Captain Periwinkle | Regular |
| 2015, 2024– | Death in Paradise | Andre Morgan / DI Mervin Wilson | Lead role (as DI Mervin Wilson) |
| 2017 | The Loch | Blake Albrighton | 6 episodes |
| 2018 | Midsomer Murders | Bill Viner | Episode: "The Lions of Causton" |
| 2018 | Death on the Tyne | Alan | TV movie |
| 2019 | The Corrupted | DI Graham Patterson | |
| 2019 | George & the Dragon | George | Short film |
| 2019 | Scarborough | Joe Cassidy | 1 episode |
| 2020 | The Stranger | Phillip Griffin | 3 episodes |
| 2020 | Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators | Winston Hoyte | 1 episode |
| 2021 | Decrypted | Martin | |
| 2022 | Rebel Cheer Squad | Coach Harris | 7 episodes |
| 2022 | Sherwood | Jacob Harris | 2 episodes |
| 2023 | Shetland | John Howell | 2 episodes |
| 2024 | The Beekeeper | Deputy Director Prigg | |
| 2024 | Death in Paradise | DI Mervin Wilson | Christmas Special 2024 |
| 2025 | Death in Paradise | DI Mervin Wilson | 8 episodes |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Result |
| 2010 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Actor | Nominated |
| 2010 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Dramatic Performance | Nominated |
| 2010 | The British Soap Awards | Villain of the Year | Nominated |
| 2011 | The British Soap Awards | Villain of the Year | Shortlisted |
| 2011 | 16th National Television Awards | Serial Drama Performance | Nominated |