RICHARD Wilson is an actor whose career has spanned almost 60 years.
Here’s all you need to know about him and the productions he has acted in.
Richard Wilson is a Scottish actor, born on July 9, 1936, in Greenock.
He is best known for playing Victor Meldrew in the BBC sitcom One Foot In The Grave, which aired from 1990 to 2000.
It ran for six series and seven Christmas specials before ending in dramatic fashion in 2000 with Victor killed in a hit-and-run accident.
Another notable role of his was as Gaius, the court physician of Camelot, in the BBC drama Merlin.
He has also had a successful career in theatre.
Wilson was awarded the OBE in the 1994 Birthday Honours for services to Drama.
Wilson’s most famous role was as the grumpy Victor Meldrew in One Foot In The Grave.
Meldrew’s famous catchphrase on the show was “I don’t believe it!” which he used when his character was angry at a situation.
He starred as himself in a 1998 episode of Channel 4 comedy Father Ted.
During the episode, Ted, played by Dermot Morgan, and Dougal, played by Ardal O’Hanlon, have been watching Wilson in One Foot in The Grave.
Wilson attacks Ted during the episode for reciting his catchphrase as he was tired of hearing it, leading to a comical sequence of Wilson getting increasingly annoyed.
It was revealed in February 2023 that he was set to play a major role on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.
He is playing the head of ITV in this year’s mini-drama, called Murder At Bigwig Manor, which will air most weeks during series 19 of the show.
Wilson is gay, and does not have any children.
Time Out magazine listed him as an influential gay person in a 2013 edition, which he considers to have “outed” him.
He appeared at charity events organised by gay rights campaign group Stonewall, but had not discussed his own sexuality in interviews with the media before this.
