Daniel Rigby
Born (1982-12-06) 6 December 1982 (age 41)
Stockport, Greater Manchester, England[citation needed]
EducationCheadle Hulme School
Occupation(s)Actor, comedian
Years active2004–present

Daniel Rigby (born 6 December 1982)[1] is an English actor and comedian. He received a BAFTA TV Award for his leading role as Eric Morecambe in the 2011 BBC television film Eric and Ernie.[2]

Early life

Rigby was born in Stockport, Greater Manchester.[citation needed] He attended Cheadle Hulme School[2] and, after studying performing arts at Stockport College, he enrolled at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.[3]

Career

Rigby has worked as a stand-up comedian, having appeared at the Latitude Festival, won the 2007 Laughing Horse New Act of the Year, and been a nominee for winner of the 2007 So You Think You're Funny competition. In 2007, he moved to television roles with the BBC period drama Lilies.[4] In 2011, Rigby won the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor for his performance as the late comedian Eric Morecambe in Eric and Ernie, beating both Matt Smith and Benedict Cumberbatch for their roles as the Doctor and Sherlock Holmes.[5] From 2011 until 2014 Rigby voiced[6] Copenhagen in three series of the BBC Radio 4 comedy Warhorses of Letters alongside Stephen Fry. He performed in Tom Basden's Holes at the Arcola Theatre in London from 16 July to 9 August 2014 alongside Mathew Baynton.

In 2015 he narrated the reboot of the BBC children's television series Teletubbies.[7] In March 2017 he won the best actor award at the 2016 Manchester Theatre Awards for his performance as Alan Turing in Breaking the Code at the Royal Exchange, Manchester.[8]

In 2019 he voiced the title role in the BBC Radio 4 sitcom ReincarNathan, alongside Diane Morgan and Josh Widdicombe.[9]

In 2021 Rigby wrote and performed the highly rated audiobook novel Isaac Steele and the Forever Man.[10]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Flyboys Ives
2008 Stand Up John J. Jones Short film
2011 Chloe and Will's Hot Date Night Will Short film
2017 The Kidnapping of Richard Franco Brian Short film
2017 Sump PC Clarke Short film
2018 Careful How You Go Short film

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2007 Lilies Billy Moss 7 episodes
2008 Spooks: Code 9 David Episode: "Hackers"
2009 The Street James Episode: "Past Life"
2011 Ideal Hugh Episode: "The Love"
2011 Eric and Ernie Eric Morecambe BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor
2012–2014 BT adverts Simon
2013 Agatha Christie's Marple Canon Prescott Episode: "A Caribbean Mystery"
2013 Black Mirror Jamie Salter / Waldo Episode: "The Waldo Moment"
2013–2014 Big School Mr. Luke Martin 2 series; 5 episodes
2014 From There to Here Charlie 3 episodes
2014 That Day We Sang Mr. Kirkby TV movie
2015 Undercover Dave 6 episodes
2015–2018 Teletubbies Narrator[7] Children's television series
2016 Jericho Charles Blackwood 8 episodes
2016-2018 Flowers Donald 2 series; 12 episodes
2017 Gap Year Jotty Episode: "Kuala Lumpur: The Expats"
2018 Sick Note Officer Hayward 2 series; 10 episodes
2018 Watership Down Dandelion 4 episodes
2019 Timewasters Martin Episode: #2.1
2019 Defending the Guilty Phillip Episode: #1.5
2021 Landscapers Tony Collier 4 episodes
2022 The Witchfinder Hebble
2023 Tom Jones Partridge

Stage

Year Title Role Notes
2004 Hamlet King Thelma Holt Productions
2005 A Midsummer Night's Dream Demetrius/Moonshine Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
2005 The Burial at Thebes Haemon Nottingham Playhouse
2006 The White Album Miles Nottingham Playhouse
2009 The Mothwokfantastic Himself Performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
2009 Beyond The Front Line Welsh soldier (Private Vespa) The Lowry, Salford
2009 The Music Show Performed at Just for Laughs festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
2010 Afterbirth Himself Performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
2010 The Count of Monte Cristo Edmond Dantès West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds
2011 One Man, Two Guvnors Alan Dangle Royal National Theatre (Lyttelton Theatre); UK tour; Adelphi Theatre; Music Box Theatre, Broadway
2013 Daniel Rigby: Berk in Progress Himself Performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
2014 Holes Ian Arcola Theatre, Dalston, London
2016 Breaking the Code Alan Turing Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
2017 Twelfth Night Sir Andrew Aguecheek Royal National Theatre (Olivier Theatre}
2018 Frost/Nixon David Frost Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
2018 A Midsummer Night's Dream Bottom Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
2022-23 Accidental Death of an Anarchist The Maniac Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, transferred to Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith and subsequently to Theatre Royal, Haymarket
2023-24 The Witches Mr Stringer Royal National Theatre (Olivier Theatre}

References

  1. ^ Monahan, Mark (14 August 2009). "Daniel Rigby: The Mothwokfantastic at the Pleasance Cellar". The Telegraph. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
  2. ^ a b Devine, Peter (23 January 2013). "Eric Morecambe role brings BAFTA sunshine for actor Daniel Rigby". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Former Performing Arts Student Wins Leading Actor BAFTA". Stockport College. Archived from the original on 30 May 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
  4. ^ Hoggart, Paul (6 January 2007). "Lilies of the 'Pool". The Times. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
  5. ^ Masters, Tim (22 May 2011). "Bafta TV awards: New faces topple star names". BBC News. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
  6. ^ "Warhorses of Letters – BBC Radio 4". BBC. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  7. ^ a b Eames, Tom (7 April 2015). "Fearne Cotton for Teletubbies reboot". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Wish List wins big at Manchester Theatre Awards 2017". The Skinny. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  9. ^ "ReincarNathan". BBC Radio 4. 6 November 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  10. ^ Hawkins, Si (28 October 2021). "Daniel Rigby's Novel Approach to Sci-Fi". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 10 April 2023.

External links

BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor
Authority control databases
Categories