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Tom Watt (actor)

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Tom Watt
Born
Thomas Erickson Watt

(1956-02-14) 14 February 1956 (age 68)
Wanstead, London, England
Occupation(s)Actor, writer, broadcaster
Years active1981–present
Known forEastEnders (1985–1988, 2019,2022)
Children1

Thomas Erickson Watt (born 14 February 1956) is an English actor, writer and broadcaster, known for portraying the role of Lofty Holloway in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders. He is also known for his appearances on the BBC radio show Fighting Talk and his documentary films for BT Sport.

Career

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Acting

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Born in Wanstead, Watt studied drama at Manchester University where he directed several stage productions. One of his first television roles was in the comedy series Never the Twain in 1981, but his big break came in 1985 when he was cast as one of the original characters in the BBC One soap opera, EastEnders. Watt portrayed the role of Lofty Holloway, the barman of the Queen Vic pub from the show's inception until 1988.

Other acting credits have included roles in the BBC drama South of the Border, a South London detective show; the role of Norman in the 1990 film for ITV called And the Nightingale Sang, a love story set during the war; Boon 1992, with Michael Elphick; as well as a minor role in the 1992 film Patriot Games, among others.

As well as television and film he has had many theatre and stage roles. Most notably, he starred in the one-man show Fever Pitch, based on the Nick Hornby novel of the same name. Watt appeared in an episode of the BBC TV series New Tricks, had a minor role in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes and appeared in a production of Madness In Valencia.

In 2019 and 2022, Watt reprised his role as Lofty Holloway in EastEnders for two episodes, for the funerals of Dr. Harold Legg[1] and Dot Cotton.[2]

Television and radio

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After leaving EastEnders, Watt began presenting sports segments for Channel 4, Radio 1, Radio 3, Radio 5 Live, talkSPORT, and Cable TV. He has also written, presented and produced several documentaries about football for BT Sport Films, including the Football Outposts series. Watt featured regularly on BBC Radio 5 Live's Fighting Talk,[3] where he won the Champion of Champions trophy on 28 May 2011. He hosted Arsenal TV's Monday night Fans' Forum until the show was discontinued. He also produced, directed and presented the Channel 4 children's sports show, Rookies in the early 1990s.[4]

Music

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Watt recorded a version of Bob Dylan's Subterranean Homesick Blues in 1985, with members of the British band New Order among other artists appearing in the music video. The single peaked at number 67 in the UK singles chart.[5]

Writing

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Watt wrote match reports and features for The Observer for several years. He has written nine books about football, including The End, A Passion for the Game, A Beautiful Game and the legacy book for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. He was the ghost-writer for the David Beckham autobiography, My Side, which won a special prize at the British Book Awards.[6] In 2017, Watt wrote 13 Years In Heaven with Thomas Salme.[7]

Personal life

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Watt was once romantically involved with his EastEnders castmate Anita Dobson, who played Angie Watts.[8] He married his wife in 1993 and they have since had a son, Roland.[9]

Watt is currently an advisory board member for BounceBack, a charity that trains ex offenders.[10]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1992 Patriot Games The Electrician
2000 Saint Jude Pat
2005 Lost Dogs Dennis Balch
2006 Flirting with Flamenco Martin
2009 Sherlock Holmes Carriage Driver
2016 The Cucaracha Club Cameron Carrington

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1981 My Father's House Eddie 2 episodes
1982 A Kind of Loving Wally Chisholm 2 episodes
1983 Chessgame Technician 1 episode
1984 Love and Marriage Paul 1 episode
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: A Scandal in Bohemia 1st Loafer 1 episode
Dramarama Steve Berwick 1 episode
Never the Twain Duane 1 episode
1985–1988, 2019, 2022 EastEnders Lofty Holloway Series regular, 256 episodes
1986 Cold War Killers Technician Television film
1989 And a Nightingale Sang Norman
1992 Boon Steve 1 episode
1993 Comedy Playhouse Gordon 1 episode
1994–1995 Space Precinct Officer Beezle 4 episodes
2000 Happy Birthday Shakespeare Mickey Television film
2002 TLC Sid 1 episode
2009 Doctors Ray MacGyver 1 episode
2010 New Tricks Stuart Russell 1 episode

References

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  1. ^ "What have Lofty and Mary been up to for 30 years? Tom Watt and Linda Davidson on their EastEnders return". Radio Times. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  2. ^ "Who didn't return for Dot Branning's funeral in EastEnders?".
  3. ^ Fighting Talk 10 January 2009
  4. ^ "Tom Watt". HarperCollins Publishers: World-Leading Book Publisher. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  5. ^ "Cockney rebels: 12 EastEnders stars who tried to fashion a pop career - BBC Music". www.bbc.co.uk. 2 September 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  6. ^ "Tom Watt on David Beckham's retirement". talkSPORT. 17 May 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  7. ^ "9788860527608 Thomas Salme - Tom Watt 2016 - Pilota (abusivo) 13 anni tra le nuvole - LibroCo.it". www.libroco.it. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  8. ^ Kingsley, Hilary (1990). The EastEnders Handbook. BBC books. ISBN 9780563362920.
  9. ^ "From Wanstead to Walford". Essex Life. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  10. ^ "News | Bounce Back Project". Retrieved 19 February 2019.
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