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James Fleet

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James Fleet
Born
James Edward Fleet

(1952-03-11) 11 March 1952 (age 72)
Bilston, Staffordshire, England[1]
Alma materRoyal Conservatoire of Scotland
OccupationActor
Years active1979–present
Spouse(s)Jane Booker
(m. 1984)
Children1

James Edward Fleet (born 11 March 1952) is an English actor of theatre, radio and screen. He is most famous for his roles as the bumbling and well-meaning Tom in the 1994 British romantic comedy film Four Weddings and a Funeral and the dim-witted but kind-hearted Hugo Horton in the BBC sitcom television series The Vicar of Dibley. Since 2020, he has played King George III in the Netflix Bridgerton.

Early life

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Fleet was born in Bilston, Staffordshire,[2][3] to a Scottish mother, Christine, and an English father, Jim. He lived in Bilston until he was 10 but, when his father died, he moved to Aberdeenshire with his mother.[4] He studied engineering at university in Aberdeen, where he joined the university dramatic society.[5] Afterwards, he studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow.

Career

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Stage

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Fleet began his career in the RSC, appearing in several plays in the early 1980s.[6][7][8] He has since appeared in touring productions of, among others, Habeas Corpus[9] and In the Club,[10] as well as in Festen and Mary Stuart[11] and others in the West End. He also played Alderman Fitzwarren in Dick Whittington in 2002.

In 2003 he played Kulygin in Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters alongside Kristin Scott Thomas who played Masha.

In 2009 he portrayed Sir Andrew Aguecheek in the RSC Production of Twelfth Night. In 2011 he was in Richard Bean's The Heretic directed by Jeremy Herrin at the Royal Court Theatre in London. Starting in November 2011 he was in the original line-up of The Ladykillers as Major Courtney at the Gielgud Theatre.

Radio

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Between 2000 and 2006, Fleet played the painfully upright and decent Captain Brimshaw in Revolting People, a BBC Radio 4 comedy set in pre-revolutionary America. He also appeared in the radio legal sitcom Chambers, which later moved onto television. As of 2005, he has starred as Duncan Stonebridge MP in the topical radio sitcom The Party Line.[citation needed] He also appeared as the Captain on the BBC Radio 7 series The Spaceship. He also plays the part of Sir John Woodstock in the BBC Radio 4 sitcom The Castle and Inspector Lestrade in the first, third and fourth series of The Rivals. Fleet played John Aubrey in the 2008 BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour production by Nick Warburton of Aubrey's Brief Lives.

Television

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In 1999–2001 he was the voice of "Dog" in the children's TV show Dog and Duck.[12] Probably his most famous role is that of Hugo in The Vicar of Dibley; he appeared in all 20 episodes, broadcast between 1994 and 2007. In 2004 he appeared in an episode of Monarch of the Glen. In 2005 he played a leading role in an episode of the long-running ITV murder mystery series Midsomer Murders. In 2007 he was a guest star in one episode of the sitcom Legit. He appeared as Frederick Dorrit in the BBC's 2008 production of Little Dorrit.[13] When Fleet appeared on the quiz show School's Out,[14] it was revealed that one of his teachers at Banff Academy had written in his school report that "[James] is the stupidest boy I have ever had to teach, out of all the stupid boys I have ever had to teach," and that he was the only student in his sixth form not to have been made a prefect. Despite his apparent lack of scholastic ability, he still won the show. In 2009, Fleet appeared in a cameo role in the third series of Skins.

Earlier in his career, Fleet was seen in a 1983 episode of Grange Hill as a teacher at the eponymous school's upmarket rival Rodney Bennett. In 1992 he played Paul Morgan in an episode of The Bill 'Runaway'. In 1999 he starred in the sitcom Brotherly Love.

Fleet appeared in Coronation Street in 2010. He played a character called Robbie Sloan, a recently released convict, helping escaped prisoner Tony Gordon plot revenge on his ex-wife Carla Connor. They intend to kidnap and kill her. Sloan lures Connor into her Underworld factory, and holds her at gunpoint. Leaving her tied to a chair with her mouth taped shut, Sloan also lures Hayley Cropper into the hostage situation. Sloan was eventually shot by Gordon during a siege at the factory.

In February 2011, Fleet appeared as George (senior), the father of werewolf George Sands, in Being Human.

In December 2013 the BBC aired one of their major dramas for the Christmas season, Death Comes to Pemberley, a three-part British television drama based on characters created by Jane Austen in her novel Pride and Prejudice. The first episode was broadcast on BBC One at 8.15 pm on Boxing Day 2013. It was based on the best-selling novel by P. D. James, in which the characters of Pride and Prejudice are involved in a new story involving a murder. Fleet played the part of Mr Bennett in the series. In September 2014, Fleet appeared in the BBC Three sitcom Bad Education as Richard, an ex-boyfriend of Rosie Gulliver. He has most recently appeared in an episode of ITVs second series of Plebs, as Stylax's racing patron. In 2013, Fleet was engaged to play Scottish historian, the Reverend Dr. Reginald Wakefield, in seasons 1 and 2 of the Award-winning Starz adaptation of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander, broadcast in 2014–2016.

An April 2021 announcement stated that Fleet would be joining the cast of the second season of All Creatures Great and Small in the role of Colonel Merrick.[15]

Fleet has recurred as King George III in the Netflix romantic period drama Bridgerton, reprising the role in spin-off series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.

Film

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Fleet has appeared in numerous films. He played the role of Kevin's father in the 2000 film Kevin & Perry Go Large. He played the roles of Lefevre in the 2004 film adaptation of Phantom of the Opera, John Dashwood in 1995's Sense and Sensibility, and Lytton Strachey in the 2003 film Al Sur de Granada (South from Granada). In 2014, he played John Constable in the Mike Leigh film Mr Turner. In 2016, he played Sir Reginald DeCourcy in Whit Stillman's Love and Friendship.

Personal life

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Fleet lives in Sibford Gower, Oxfordshire with his wife, actress Jane Booker, and their son Hamish. [4]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1985 Defence of the Realm Ministry Man
1992 Electric Moon Simon Lidell
Blue Black Permanent Jim Thorburn
1994 Four Weddings and a Funeral Tom
Milner Hugh Bonning
1995 3 Steps to Heaven Harry Roberts
Gentlemen Don't Eat Poets Inspector Limp
Sense and Sensibility John Dashwood
The Butterfly Effect Oswald
1997 Thursday Patrick Short film
Remember Me? Donald
1999 Big Dreams and Paper Planes Son Short Movie
Milk Adrian
2000 Kevin & Perry Go Large Dad
2001 Charlotte Gray Richard Cannerly
2002 Two Men Went to War Major Bates
2003 South from Granada Lytton Strachey
Blackball Alan the Pipe
2005 The Phantom of the Opera Monsieur Lefevre
Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story Simon
2007 Lady Godiva: Back in the Saddle Alan Jenkins
2011 The Decoy Bride William
2013 Murder on the Home Front Professor Stephens
2014 Mr. Turner John Constable
2016 Love & Friendship Sir Reginald DeCourcy
Revolution: New Art For A New World Wassily Kandinsky (voice) Documentary
2017 Love of My Life Tom
2018 The Spy Who Dumped Me Tom
2019 One Red Nose And A Wedding Tom TV Short
Born a King George V
2020 Blithe Spirit Harry Price
2021 Operation Mincemeat Charles Fraser-Smith
2022 The Lost King John Ashdown-Hill
Scream of the Wolf Oliver

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1979 The Omega Factor Ian Episode: "Double Vision"
1983 Grange Hill Mr Perkins Episode #6.5
1985 Dempsey and Makepeace Man in the Office Episode: "In the Dark"
1987 The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Neil Fairfax Episode: "A Sleeping Life"
Still Crazy Like a Fox Bellhop TV movie
1991 Boon Keith Dawson, Prosecution Barrister Episode: "Trial and Error"
1991–1996 Screen Two Prime Minister / Algie / Peter Wentworth
1992 The Advocates Philip Jackson Episode 2
The Bill Paul Morgan Episode: "Runaway"
Screen One James Grahame Episode: "Running Late"
1993 A Year in Provence Hugo Compton Episode: "Room Service"
An Exchange of Fire Michael Shanks Episode #1.1 & #1.2
1994–2013, 2020 The Vicar of Dibley Hugo Horton
1994 Headhunters Alan Spence Episodes: "Right as Rain" & "Maradona Land"
Murder Most Horrid Tom Episode: "We All Hate Granny"
Cracker Michael Trant Episode: "The Big Crunch"
1996 Lord of Misrule Prime Minister TV movie
The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders James Bland
Interview Day Simon
1997 The Cows Thor Johnson
Gobble Prime Minister (voice)
Harry Enfield and Chums Teacher Mr Banks Episode #2.3
A Dance to the Music of Time Moreland Mini series
Spark Ashley Parkerwell
1998 Frenchman's Creek Sir Harry TV movie
1999 The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything William the Conqueror
2000 Brotherly Love Frank Robertson
2000–2001 Chambers Hilary Tipping
2002 Young Arthur Merlin TV movie
Dick Whittington Alderman Fitzwarren
Fields of Gold Alan Buckley
2003 Promoted to Glory Michael Prendergast
2004 Family Business David Episode #1.5
Murder in Suburbia John Stanton Episode: "A Good Deal of Attention"
Monarch of the Glen Liam Episode #6.6
Three Sisters Kulygin TV movie
2005 Sea of Souls Findlay Morrison Episode: Amulet Part 1 & 2
2005, 2017 Midsomer Murders Ralph Plummer / Michael Falconer "Sauce for the Goose", "The Curse of the Ninth"
2007 Legit Peter Episode: "Danny, Champion of the World"
2008 Harley Street Max Rogers Episode #1.5
Little Dorrit Frederick Dorrit
2009 Skins Martin
Micro Men Kenneth Baker TV movie
Hotel Babylon Martin Armstrong
2010 Coronation Street Robbie Sloan
2011 Being Human George Senior
2012 Lewis Dr Alex Falconer Episode: "The Soul of Genius"
Comedy Showcase Arthur Marvin
2013 Death in Paradise Jeremy Tipping
Toast Of London Various Episodes #2.1,
Big Bad World Kevin Episodes #1.1, #1.2, #1.4, #1.6 & #1.7
Citizen Khan Professor Stevens
Death Comes to Pemberley Mr Bennett
2014 Father Brown Dr Adam Crawford
Bad Education Richard
Blandings Colonel Fanshawe
Plebs Gaius Maecenas
2014–2016 Outlander Reverend Wakefield 6 episodes
2015 Love and Friendship Sir Reginald DeCourcy TV movie
Partners in Crime Major Anthony Carter Mini Series; 6 episodes
Top Coppers Charles Leatherby Mini Series, 2 episodes
2016 Indian Summers Lord Hawthorne 4 episodes
Houdini and Doyle Dr Pilsen
The Hollow Crown Hastings
Billionaire Boy Mr Darrow TV movie
2017 Tracey Ullman's Show Various – Archie / Awards Host / Tough Man
Urban Myths The Professor
Hospital People Neville Burley Episode: "The Charity Single"
2018 Unforgotten Chris Lowe 6 episodes
Patrick Melrose Sir Victor Eisen Mini Series, Episode: "Never Mind"
Death on the Tyne Jack TV movie
2019 Thanks for the Memories Patrick Conway Episode #1.1 & #1.2
2020 The Watch Archchancellor of Unseen University
The Pale Horse Oscar Venables
Belgravia The Reverend Stephen Bellasis
2020-present Bridgerton King George III Recurring character
2021 All Creatures Great and Small Colonel Merrick Episode: "Semper Progrediens"
2022-2023 Dodger Judge Fang 6 episodes
2023 Tom Jones Squire Allworthy Mini Series; 3 episodes
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story King George III Mini Series; Episode: "Crown Jewels"
Beyond Paradise Ernest Buchanan Episode: Christmas Special
2025 The Feud Derek Filming [16]

Radio dramas

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Year Title Role Radio Notes Ref.
1986 The Vacillations of Poppy Carew Victor BBC Radio 4 [17]
1996–1999 Chambers Hilary Tripping
2000 As You Like It Touchstone BBC Radio 3 Sunday Play [18]
2000–2006 Revolting People Captain Brimshaw BBC Radio 4
2005 The Party Line Duncan Stonebridge MP
The Spaceship Captain Gordon "Flashdance" Taylor BBC Radio 7
2006 Quartermaine's Terms Mark Sackling BBC Radio 4
2007–2012 The Castle Sir John Woodstock
2008 Brief Lives John Aubrey
Fortunes of War Yakimov Classic Serial
Max Warp O'Reilley BBC Radio 7 Big Finish Productions
2011 Gormenghast Prunesquallor BBC Radio 4 Classic Serial
The History of Titus Groan
The Rivals Inspector Lestrade
2013 Greenmantle Sandy Arbuthnot BBC Radio 4 Extra
2015 Decline and Fall Prendergast BBC Radio 4 [19]
2018–2020 Quanderhorn Professor Darius Quanderhorn BBC Radio 4
2019 Coriolanus Menenius Agrippa BBC Radio 3 [20]
2023 Henry IV, Part 2 Robert Shallow [21]

Theatre

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Year Title Role Director Venue Notes Ref.
1981 The Witch of Edmonton Somerton Barry Kyle The Other Place Press night
1981-1982 Money Club Member / Servant Bill Alexander Barbican Theatre
A Midsummer Night's Dream Francis Flute Ron Daniels Royal Shakespeare Theatre [22]
1982 Henry IV, Part 1 Peto Trevor Nunn Barbican Theatre [23]
Henry IV, Part 2 Peto / Francis Feeble [24]
Within a Word Performer Cicely Berry Gulbenkian Studio
The Twin Rivals Subtleman John Caird Pit Theatre Press night
1982-1983 Peter Pan Slightly Trevor Nunn & John Caird Barbican Theatre World premiere [25]
1983 The Dillen Joshua Farr/ Postmaster / Walt Clack Barry Kyle The Other Place Press night
A New Way to Pay Old Debts Amble / Creditor Adrian Noble
The Time of Your Life Willie Howard Davies
Volpone Peregrine Bill Alexander
1984 Gulbenkian Studio
Pit Theatre
1984-1985 A New Way to Pay Old Debts Amble / Creditor Adrian Noble Barbican Theatre
Waste John Barton
1987 The Taming of the Shrew Hortensio Jonathan Miller Royal Shakespeare Theatre [26]
Hyde Park Barry Kyle Barbican Theatre
1987-1988 The Jew of Malta Lodowick [27]
1988 The Churchill Play Captain Thompson
1989 As You Like It Oliver Tim Albery The Old Vic [28]
1990 Berenice Arsace Royal National Theatre [29]
1991 The Government Inspector Bobchinsky Matthew Francis Greenwich Theatre
Just Between Ourselves Neil Terry Johnson Bristol Old Vic [30]
1999 The Late Middle Classes Charles Smithers / Holly in 40s Harold Pinter Watford Palace Theatre [31]
2005 Mary Stuart Sir Amyas Paulet Phyllida Lloyd Donmar Warehouse [32]
2005- 2006 Apollo Theatre [33]
2009 Cloud 9 Clive Thea Sharrock Almeida Theatre [34]
Twelfth Night Sir Andrew Aguecheek Gregory Doran Courtyard Theatre [35]
The Observer Saunders Richard Eyre Royal National Theatre [36]
2011 The Heretic Professor Kevin Maloney Jeremy Herrin Royal Court Theatre [37]
The Ladykillers Major Courtney Sean Foley Gielgud Theatre [38]
2016 Les Blancs Dr. Willy Dekoven Yaël Farber Royal National Theatre [39]
2023 Noises Off Selsdon Mowbray Lindsay Posner Theatre Royal Haymarket [40]

References

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  1. ^ BFI biodata
  2. ^ [1] Archived 12 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ James Fleet – Questions and Answers – Interview
  4. ^ a b James Fleet 'in his own words' http://www.bbc.co.uk/herefordandworcester/content/articles/2008/05/15/james_fleet_interview_feature.shtml
  5. ^ 20 questions at whatsonstage.com"20 Questions with ... James Fleet - - Interviews - Whatsonstage.com". Archived from the original on 12 February 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2008.
  6. ^ Cast list of RSC productions of The Taming of the Shrew www.rscshakespeare.co.uk/tamingOfTheShrew.html
  7. ^ Cast list of RSC productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream www.rscshakespeare.co.uk/midSummerNightsDream.html
  8. ^ Cast list of RSC productions of Henry IV, Part Two www.rscshakespeare.co.uk/Henry4th_part2.html
  9. ^ Review in The Stage http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/13225/habeas-corpus
  10. ^ Cast list in The Stage http://www.thestage.co.uk/listings/production.php/22083/in-the-club-tour
  11. ^ Review in The Stage www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/8761/mary-stuart
  12. ^ Mike Joyce. "Dog and Duck". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2013. (Press Release)
  13. ^ BBC Press Pack for Little Dorrit http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/10 october/13/dorrit7.shtml
  14. ^ Series Two, Episode Seven, originally broadcast 25 August 2007
  15. ^ "Patricia Hodge Replaces The Late Diana Rigg On Channel 5/PBS Series 'All Creatures Great & Small'". Deadline.com. 8 April 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  16. ^ Duke, Simon (12 May 2024). "Channel 5 drama The Feud takes over Jarrow as Jill Halfpenny and Derry Girls star spotted". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  17. ^ Mary Wesley - The Vacillations of Poppy Carew. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  18. ^ "As You Like It · British Universities Film & Video Council". bufvc.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  19. ^ "Decline and Fall". Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  20. ^ "Coriolanus · British Universities Film & Video Council". bufvc.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  21. ^ "Henry IV, Part 2 Radio · British Universities Film & Video Council". bufvc.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  22. ^ "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
  23. ^ "Henry IV. Part 1 · British Universities Film & Video Council". bufvc.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  24. ^ "Henry IV. Part 2 · British Universities Film & Video Council". bufvc.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  25. ^ "Peter Pan |". johncaird.com. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  26. ^ "Taming of the Shrew, The · British Universities Film & Video Council". bufvc.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  27. ^ "The Jew of Malta". Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.
  28. ^ "As You Like It · British Universities Film & Video Council". bufvc.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  29. ^ "Berenice". National Theatre Archive. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  30. ^ "James Fleet". www.agathachristie.com. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  31. ^ "The Late Middle Classes". Simon Gray. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  32. ^ Inverne, James (20 July 2005). "Mary Stuart Opens at London's Donmar July 20". Playbill. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  33. ^ Simonson, Robert (7 October 2005). "A Pair of Queens: Donmar's Mary Stuart Begins in London Oct. 7". Playbill. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  34. ^ Billington, Michael (2 November 2007). "Cloud Nine". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  35. ^ "Twelfth Night · British Universities Film & Video Council". bufvc.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  36. ^ Billington, Michael (20 May 2009). "The Observer". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  37. ^ "The Heretic". Royal Court. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  38. ^ Shenton, Mark (7 December 2011). "The Ladykillers Opens at West End's Gielgud Theatre Dec. 7". Playbill. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  39. ^ Billington, Michael (31 March 2016). "Les Blancs review – a near-perfect production of an imperfect play". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  40. ^ "Photos & Video: Noises Off in rehearsals including Mathew Horne, Tamzin Outhwaite & Felicity Kendal | West End Theatre". www.westendtheatre.com. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
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