Nick Wilton


Nicholas Wilton is a British actor and scriptwriter. He has appeared as Mr Lister in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as a recurring character; he has also appeared in Carrott's Lib and Jackanory.

Early life

Wilton studied English and Drama at the University of Kent. His first professional engagement was in 1979 as a bluecoat entertainer at a Pontins holiday camp. He then spent two years as a stage manager in theatres, before moving into acting.

Career

Acting

Wilton made his acting debut in 1980 in the Whitehall farce Simple Spymen, directed by Brian Rix, and went on to play opposite Rix in the West End revival of Dry Rot at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue in 1988. He has appeared in many television shows, such as the BBC soap opera EastEnders, Doctors, Casualty, Heartbeat, The Bill, Carrott's Lib, The Omid Djalili Show and the children's show Scoop. He appeared as a guest in My Dad's the Prime Minister, No. 73, Saturday Superstore as Mo the Crow and as Mr Seagrove for 11 episodes in Big Meg, Little Meg. He was also a writer and performer for the children's sketch show Fast Forward for 19 episodes between 1984 and 1987.
He has appeared in many stage productions, such as Michael Cooney's play Cash on Delivery at the Whitehall Theatre, directed by Ray Cooney, and Tom, Dick and Harry, as well as The Railway Children, playing Mr Perks in four UK tours. On radio, he appeared in and wrote for In One Ear, Son of Cliché, Cover to Cover, Aspects of the Fringe and The Story So Far. He has written dialogue and provided voices for exhibitions at the London Transport Museum; presented the comedy channel for Emirates and SriLankan Airlines from 1998 to 2010, and made a recording of Ricky Gervais's biography, The Story So Far. In the late eighties, he also performed cabaret.
Since 2000 he has appeared as Pantomime dame every Christmas. In 2011, he appeared in a Specsavers advert alongside chef Gordon Ramsay. The following year, he was cast in the film version of Ray Cooney's farce Run for Your Wife. Wilton has also starred in international stage productions such as No Sex Please - We're British, produced by the British Theatre Playhouse in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in May 2015, and A Bedfull of Foreigners, produced by the same company in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in September 2006.

Scriptwriting

Wilton is also a scriptwriter and has written for Three of a Kind, Play Away, In One Ear, The Smith and Jones Sketchbook, Smack the Pony, WYSIWYG and wrote one episode of Jackanory. In 1987 he wrote an episode for The Les Dennis Laughter Show and in 1984 he wrote four episodes of Spitting Image. Wilton also wrote for Not the Nine O'Clock News, A Kick Up the Eighties and the TV series Alas Smith and Jones.

Pantomime

He first performed in pantomime in 1987 and as a dame every Christmas since 2000.
YearShowTheatre
1987Dick WhittingtonTheatre Royal, Plymouth
1991AladdinMillfield Theatre, Edmonton
2000Robin Hood & Babes in the WoodSalisbury Playhouse
2001Jack and the BeanstalkQueen's Theatre, Hornchurch
2002Mother GooseConnaught Theatre, Worthing
2003AladdinConnaught Theatre, Worthing
2004Snow White and the Seven DwarfsConnaught Theatre, Worthing
2005Dick WhittingtonKenneth More Theatre, Ilford
2006Dick WhittingtonTheatre Rhyl
2007Jack & the BeanstalkHull New Theatre
2008AladdinFestival Theatre, Malvern
2009Snow WhiteThe Playhouse, Weston-super-Mare
2017Snow White and the Seven DwarfsTheatre Royal, Bath
2018Beauty and the BeastGrand Theatre, Blackpool
2019Beauty and The BeastTheatre Royal, Bath
2022AladdinTheatre Royal, Bath
2023Sleeping BeautyTheatre Royal, Bath
2024Snow White and the Seven DwarfsTheatre Royal, Bath
2025Jack and the BeanstalkMalvern Theatres, Malvern

Awards and nominations

Wilton was nominated for the Perrier Award alongside his revue group, Writers Inc and won in 1982. He was in the "Carrott's Lib" team that won the BAFTA for Best Light Entertainment programme in 1983. On radio he was in the two Sony Award-winning comedy series Son of Cliché, with Chris Barrie and Nick Maloney, which was written by Red Dwarf creators Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, and In One Ear with Clive Mantle, Helen Lederer and Steve Brown, produced by Jamie Rix.

Personal life

Wilton was married to Julie Dawn Cole, with whom he has two children. He later married actress Lynette McMorrough.

Filmography

YearTitleRole
2012Run for Your WifeTaxi driver
2013Off the AisleFreddie Baker

YearTitleRoleNotes
1983Three of a KindUnnamed1 episode
1982–1983Carrott's LibUnnamed17 episodes
1982–1987Saturday SuperstoreMo the Crow5 series
198?Micro LiveUnnamed1 episode
1984Play AwayHimself4 episodes
1984No. 73Tony Deal10 episodes
1984–1987Fast ForwardHimself19 episodes
1985Glamour NightDaveepisode: "Summer Season"
1987Hello MumVarious Roles6 episodes
1987Hardwicke HousePeter Philpott2 episodes
1988Comic ReliefHimselfTV special
1988Valentine ParkGeraldepisode: "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"
1988Colin's SandwichPostmanepisode: "Back from Bengal"
1990–1993JackanoryStoryteller / Martins Mice10 episodes
199?The 10 PercentersHarry Shalesepisode: "Libel"
1995The BillBarry Pringleepisode: "A Year and a Day"
1995The PlantRoryTV movie
1997Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson'sReporterepisode: "The Clerical Error"
1998Noah's ArkKenny Fisherepisode: "Killing Time"
1998Duck PatrolJohn Ableepisode: "The Siege of Mallory Wharf"
1999The Jim Tavaré ShowScott1 episode
1999The BillRoger Carlsonepisode: "Long Term Investment"
2000The Thing About VinceMr RogersMiniseries, 1 episode
2000–2001Big Meg, Little MegMr Seagrove11 episodes
2004The BillMr. Turnerepisode: "242: Suicidal Thoughts"
2004My Dad's the Prime MinisterBankerepisode: "Marathoin"
2005CasualtyRobert Bewleighepisode: "Fat Chance"
2006HeartbeatDerek Taylorepisode: "Great Expectations"
2007BonkersClient1 episode
2008Nuzzle and ScratchMr Squeaky / Launderette Manepisode: "Launderette"
2008–2013, 2016–2018, 2020–2022, 2024EastEndersMr ListerRecurring role
2009The Omid Djalili ShowHugh1 episode
2009, 2010ScoopPaulo, Rex de Lacey2 episodes
2010, 2012DoctorsMilo Millard, Nigel Cushing2 episodes
2023DreamlandDoctor Beany1 episode

Title
Son of Cliché
In One Ear
Week-Ending
Semi-Circles
Fetlock P.I.
The Story So Far
Cinderella
Puss In Boots
Peter Claytons Nightcap
Aspects of a Fringe
Uncle Charlie
Cover to Cover

YearTitleNotes
1979Not the Nine O'Clock Newsnot defined
1981Three of a Kind8 episodes
1981A Kick Up the Eightiesnot defined
1984Alas Smith and Jonesnot defined
1984Spitting Image4 episodes
1987Hello Mum6 episodes
1987The Les Dennis Laughter Show1 episode
1991Jackanory1 episode
1992WYSIWYGnot defined
1999Smack the Pony1 episode
2006The Smith & Jones Sketchbook3 episodes

YearTitleNotes
2020PantomoniumOnline pantomime due to lockdown