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Michael McKell

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Michael McKell
Born (1959-02-10) 10 February 1959 (age 66)
Tottenham, Haringey, England
Occupations
  • Actor
  • singer
Years active1985–present
Television

Michael McKell (born 10 February 1959) is an English actor and singer. His career began in music, co-writing various songs for Toyah Willcox, Dollar and Julien Clerc, as well as embarking on a brief solo career. McKell then focused on acting and became known for playing Inspector Trevor Hands in Murder Investigation Team (2003–2005), Dr. Nick West in Doctors (2006–2008) and Nick Henshall in Emmerdale (2008–2011). Alongside various television and theatre roles, McKell has led an established film career since the 1990s, having appeared in numerous films including Essex Boys (2000), Once Upon a Time in London (2019) and Prizefighter: The Life of Jem Belcher (2022).

Early life

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McKell was born on 10 February 1959 in Tottenham, Haringey, in his grandparents' house. He was initially to be named Paul, chosen by his mother, but after weeks of not having a registered name, his father registered him as Michael. Alongside his mother, a factory worker, and his father, a chargehand, moved to Walthamstow in his youth. Growing up, the family had money troubles.[1]

Career

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Music

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McKell started his working life as a musician. He was the singer/songwriter for the band The Park, penning hits for Toyah Willcox, Dollar and Julien Clerc. His solo career after deals with Phonogram, WEA and EMI was cut short by a near fatal car crash in August 1991.[2]

In 1985, he toured as Michael St James with French star Julien Clerc and worked with French singer–songwriter Serge Gainsbourg. McKell released an EP, Shower over Moon Street, in 2009 and performed tracks from his album Shower over Moon Street at the Royal Albert Hall in November 2009. "Save Me", the first single from the album, was released on 25 July 2010. In 2022, he released the album The Last Picture Show.[3]

Television

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McKell is known for appearing in two British soap operas, Doctors, in which he played Dr. Nick West from 2006 until the character was run over and killed in 2008,[4] and Emmerdale, in which he played DC Nick Henshall over two separate periods from 2008 to 2011, until the character committed suicide. He has also appeared in a third soap opera, EastEnders, as the hitman Carter who supposedly killed Paul Trueman under the orders of Andy Hunter. For his role as Nick in Doctors, McKell received nominations for Sexiest Male at the 2006, 2007 and 2008 British Soap Awards.[5][6][7] His exit storyline later saw a nomination at the 2009 ceremony.[8][9]

He is also known for playing D.S./D.I. Trevor Hands in two series of the ITV drama Murder Investigation Team, two series of Channel 4's Totally Frank and the BBC series Blessed, playing Ronnie, a Jaggeresque musician.[10]

Film

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McKell starred in the cult film Essex Boys alongside Sean Bean as drug dealer Wayne Lovell. Other films include Beneath Still Waters, Acts of Godfrey, The Low Down, Blood, Bar, Death, Freight, Shouting Men, Outpost: Rise of the Spetsnaz, Hatton Garden: the Heist and Who Needs Enemies.[10] McKell played the titular roles in Steve Lawson's 2021 film Jekyll and Hyde, and appeared in 2022's Prizefighter with Matt Hookings, Ray Winstone and Russell Crowe.[11]

Theatre

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McKell appeared in a production of Macbeth at the Lyric Hammersmith in the late 1990s. He has appeared in West End musicals, including Blood Brothers and the Rod Stewart musical Tonight's the Night, written and directed by Ben Elton. Elton later went on to write the character Ronnie for McKell in his BBC comedy Blessed. McKell played "Lank" in the double Olivier winning production of Crazy for You in 2012 and returned to the role he created "Stoner" in the 2014 production of Tonight's the Night.[12]

From January to July 2015, McKell co-starred with Tina Hobley, Jamie Lomas, Rik Makarem and Gray O'Brien in a nationwide touring production of Peter James's Dead Simple.[13] From September to October 2015, McKell appeared with Nick Moran in Roaring Trade at the Park Theatre.[14]

From 7 December 2015 to 3 January 2016, McKell appeared in his first pantomime as Abanazar in Aladdin at the Derby Arena.[15] McKell then portrayed Paul in Irvine Welsh's play Creatives at the Edinburgh Festival 2017. McKell embarked on a UK and Ireland tour when he appeared in We Will Rock You from 2019.[16]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2000 Blood Guy
2000 Essex Boys Wayne Lovell
2000 The Low Down Pubman
2000 Kitchen Sync Man Short film
2001 Bar Barman
2005 Beneath Still Waters Dan Quarry
2010 Freight Vasile
2011 Will First Detective
2012 Acts of Godfrey Billy McGann
2012 After Death Buck Darrenson
2013 Outpost: Rise of the Spetsnaz Colonel Strasser
2013 Who Needs Enemies Ian
2014 O. Sgt. Miles
2015 Shoe Polish Sidney Short film
2016 Essex Vendetta Spencer
2016 Hatton Garden: the Heist Basil
2016 Allied German Officer at Anfa Café
2017 The Birth of Boxing Frank the Ringmaster Short film
2017 Freehold Gerry
2017 Transhuman Michael
2017 Leonard Bernie Short film
2018 Winter Ridge John Faulkner
2018 Where Hands Touch Gestapo #4
2018 The Guard of Auschwitz Klaus
2019 The Cloaking Doctor Michael Thompson
2019 Once Upon a Time in London Detective Rogers
2019 13 Graves Len
2019 I Know What You Did Michael Downey
2019 The Angel of Auschwitz Josef Mengele Senior
2019 Abatement Andrew
2019 Pentagram Oliver
2019 Lucas and Albert Tony Mac
2019 A Midwinter Night's Dream The Vicar Short film
2021 Splinter Bobby
2021 Jekyll and Hyde Henry Jekyll / Mr Hyde
2022 Darkheart Manor Buck Darrenson
2022 Prizefighter: The Life of Jem Belcher Frank the Bomber
2022 Reset Doctor Frank Short film
2023 Trafficking The Duke
2023 A New Breed of Criminal Vic
2023 The New Housekeeper Leading Detective
2023 Thieves in the Night Mike
2024 War Blade —
2025 Treasures of Terror Vol 3 Vicar

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2010 The Bill Various 7 episodes
1996 Madson Ray McGreevy 1 episode
1996 Thief Takers Jones Episode: "Nasty Boys"
1997 Supply & Demand Police Observer Television film
1997 The Vanishing Man Steve Television film
1998 Animal Ark Jude Somers Episode: "Donkey on the Doorstep"
1999 Kavanagh QC Clifford Luscombe Episode: "End Game"
1999 CI5: The New Professionals Phoenix Episode: "Phoenix"
2000 Lock, Stock... Terry Gardner Episode: "...And Two Sips"
2000 Urban Gothic Dr. Stillman Episode: "Cry Wolf"
2002 NCS: Manhunt Lee Wilde Recurring role
2003 A Touch of Frost Flynn Episode: "Hidden Truth"
2003 Danielle Cable: Eyewitness Terry Cable Television film
2003–2005 Murder Investigation Team Trevor Hands Main role
2004 EastEnders Carter Guest role
2005 Holby City Billy Andrews Episode: "Dignity"
2005 Blessed Ronnie Main role
2005–2006 Totally Frank David Recurring role
2006–2008 Doctors Nick West Regular role
2008–2011 Emmerdale Nick Henshall Regular role
2009 Myths Daedalus Episode: "The Fall of Icarus"
2013 Casualty Paul Rivers Episode: "Three's a Crowd"
2013 Marple Frank Stanford Episode: "Endless Night"
2015 Cradle to Grave Joey Churcher 1 episode
2016 Obsession: Dark Desires Bill Episode: "The Devil in the Pews"
2017 Brussel Gordon Recurring role
2018 Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators Len Tekler Episode: "The Rascal Cook"
2019 Vera Michael Claythorpe Episode: "The Seagull"
2021 The Engineering That Built the World Joseph Strauss Episode: "Battle of the Bridges"

Awards and nominations

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Year Ceremony Category Nominated work Result
2006 British Soap Awards Sexiest Male Doctors Nominated
2007 Nominated
2008 Nominated
2009 Best Exit Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "I was born an 8lb baby on Shrove Tuesday Pancake day, in my grandparents large rented house, 13 Daleview Road in Tottenham London England at 8.45pm on the 10th of February 1959. After weeks of my name not being officially registered by my father, my mother was on his case to get it sorted". Facebook. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  2. ^ "Michael McKell - Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  3. ^ "The Last Picture Show - Album by Michael McKell". Spotify. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
  4. ^ "Dr Nick West". BBC. Archived from the original on 10 February 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  5. ^ "The British Soap Awards 2006 (2006)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  6. ^ Green, Kris (27 May 2007). "The British Soap Awards 2007: The Winners". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  7. ^ Hilton, Beth; Green, Kris (4 May 2008). "The British Soap Awards 2008: The Winners". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  8. ^ Green, Kris; Kilkelly, Daniel (10 May 2009). "British Soap Awards 2009: The Winners". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  9. ^ McLennan, Patrick. "British Soap Awards 2009: Nominations revealed!". What's on TV. Future plc. Archived from the original on 9 April 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  10. ^ a b "We Will Rock You: In conversation with Michael McKell". The Mancunion. Archived from the original on 18 June 2024. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
  11. ^ "Midlands Review of Jekyll and Hyde". Midlands Movies. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
  12. ^ "Michael McKell stars in The Heist". MMB Creative. Archived from the original on 4 December 2024. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  13. ^ "Michael McKell is currently starring in 'Dead Simple' at Milton Keynes Theatre & Hertfordshire Constabulary's Heritage Watch". BBC. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
  14. ^ "Casting announced for ROARING TRADE at Park Theatre". LondonTheatre1. Archived from the original on 25 June 2024. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
  15. ^ "Michael McKell - Bum on a Seat". Bum on a Seat. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
  16. ^ "Interview With Michael McKell As We Will Rock You Comes To The North". Chimeo. Archived from the original on 4 July 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
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