Nicholas Simon Lyndhurst (born 20 April 1961) is an English actor. He began his career as a child actor and is best known for his role as Rodney Trotter in the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses (1981–2003). He was cast as Professor Alan Cornwall in the revival of the American sitcom Frasier (2023–present). Lyndhurst had major roles in other sitcoms, including as Raymond Fletcher in Going Straight (1978), as Adam Parkinson in Butterflies (1978–1983), as Ashley Phillips in The Two of Us (1986–1990), as Peter "Piglet" Chapman in The Piglet Files (1990–1992), as Gary Sparrow in Goodnight Sweetheart (1993–1999, 2016), and as Jimmy Venables in After You've Gone (2007–2008). He starred as Freddie Robdal in the comedy-drama series Rock & Chips (2010–2011) and co-starred as Danny Griffin in the police procedural series New Tricks (2013–2015). Lyndhurst won two National Television Awards for his role in Goodnight Sweetheart, as well as being nominated for a British Comedy Award and three British Academy Television Awards for his role in Only Fools and Horses.

Early life

Nicholas Simon Lyndhurst was born in Gosport, Hampshire, England on 20 April 1961, as the only child to Anthony Arthur Joseph "Joe" Lyndhurst (1924–2000) and Elizabeth M "Liz" (née Long; 1934–2009). He grew up in Emsworth. His parents met at the holiday camp on the farm owned by his paternal grandfather, Francis Lyndhurst (1878–1952), a theatrical scenery painter, film producer and film director, who set up an early film studio at Shoreham Fort, Shoreham-by-Sea. His grandfather died three years prior to his grandson's birth. His parents separated when he was young, reuniting and separating permanently later on. His father, Joe, had had an affair and started a family with another woman, Yvonne Beryl Elsmore (1924–2008), by the time his son was eight, leaving his son and the mother of his child "poverty-stricken". Lyndhurst attended East Wittering Primary School. He then attended the Corona Theatre School in Hammersmith, London, where his friends included Lisa Vanderpump.

Career

Lyndhurst made his debut as an actor with the uncredited role of Shot Cabin Boy in the historical drama film Bequest to the Nation, which was released on 25 April 1973. He appeared in various television advertisements and children's films during the 1970s before gaining the starring role of Tom Canty/Prince Edward in a BBC Television version of The Prince and the Pauper, directed by Barry Letts and broadcast in January 1976. He gained increased national recognition two years later in two BBC sitcom roles - Raymond Fletcher, the teenage son of Ronnie Barker's Norman Stanley Fletcher in Going Straight, and Adam Parkinson, a son of Wendy Craig and Geoffrey Palmer in Carla Lane's Butterflies. Lyndhurst achieved his best-known role in another BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses, created and written by John Sullivan, in which he played Rodney Trotter, the younger brother of the main character, Derek "Del Boy" Trotter, played by David Jason. Only Fools and Horses was first aired in 1981 and increased in popularity until it reached it peak in 1996 with its Christmas Day show in the UK. In a BBC poll in 2004 it was voted Britain's Best Sitcom by television viewers. He appeared in the show from the start until its final airing at Christmas 2003. Lyndhurst had a minor part in the 1986 film Sky Bandits. The film went straight to video and was never seen in British cinemas. During the mid-1980s and 90s, he also played Ashley Phillips in ITV's The Two of Us, which co-starred Janet Dibley, and MI5 agent Peter "Piglet" Chapman in The Piglet Files, as well as in a number of stage performances. Lyndhurst played the lead character of Gary Sparrow in the time-travelling sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart between 1993 and 1999. At around the same time, he was the face and voice of the TV and radio advertisements for the telecommunications chain Peoples Phone. He said that he declined an opportunity to play the lead of Gary in the 1997 British film The Full Monty. Lyndhurst was the public face of the stationery story WH Smith between 1997 and 1999, starring in their adverts as all four members of one family. He won a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award for his acting in the adverts. In 1999, he played the villainous Uriah Heep opposite Daniel Radcliffe and Dame Maggie Smith in David Copperfield. Lyndhurst joined the cast as a regular in the BBC police procedural series New Tricks in 2013, alongside Dennis Waterman and Tamzin Outhwaite. Lyndhurst revived his Goodnight Sweetheart character, Gary Sparrow, in a one-off special episode, which was aired on 2 September 2016. Lyndhurst played the role of Star Keeper in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel at the English National Opera in 2019. He played the Governor/Innkeeper in Man of La Mancha for English National Opera at the London Coliseum in 2019, opposite Kelsey Grammer as Cervantes/Quixote, Danielle de Niese as Aldonza/Dulcinea and Peter Polycarpou as Sancho. Lyndhurst appeared as Johnny in an episode of the CBBC sitcom So Awkward, alongside his son, the late actor Archie Lyndhurst. The episode, "Awardatarian", was broadcast on 19 September 2019, having originally been released on BBC iPlayer on 12 September 2019. Lyndhurst was cast as Professor Alan Cornwall in the new Frasier series in January 2023.

Personal life

Lyndhurst married Lucy Jane Smith (born 19 April 1973), a former ballet dancer, in a secret ceremony at St Mary's Church in Chichester, West Sussex on 1 September 1999, having been engaged since 1990. The Reverend David Parker, rector of St Mary's Church, said the 40-minute ceremony took the form of a "traditional Church of England service". Lyndhurst and Smith's only child, a son, Archie Bjorn Lyndhurst, was born in Westminster, Greater London on 4 October 2000. Archie was an actor and designer, who was best known for his role of Oliver 'Ollie' Coulton in the CBBC sitcom So Awkward. Their son died in his sleep from a brain hemorrhage caused by acute lymphoblastic leukemia at the family home in Fulham, Greater London on 22 September 2020, aged 19. In a statement, he said he and his wife were "utterly grief stricken and respectfully request privacy." Lyndhurst and his wife now reside in West Wittering, West Sussex. Lyndhurst enjoys underwater diving, beekeeping and piloting his own aeroplanes.

Filmography

Film

Television

Radio

As himself

Source(s):

Awards and nominations

Source(s):