Robin Mark Askwith (born 12 October 1950)^[1] is an English actor and singer who has appeared in a number of film, television and stage productions.

Making his film debut as Keating in the filmif.... (1968), a role he would reprise inBritannia Hospital (1982), Askwith went on to appear in many films includingOtley (1969),Alfred the Great (1969),Nicholas and Alexandra (1971) andThe Canterbury Tales (1972), the horror filmsTower of Evil (1972),The Flesh and Blood Show (1972) andHorror Hospital (1973) and the comedy filmsBless This House (1972),Carry On Girls (1973) andNo Sex Please, We're British (1973). However it was his role as Timothy Lea in theConfessions film series that would make him a household name.

Askwith has appeared on television as Fred Pickering inBeryl's Lot (1973–1975), Dave Deacon inBottle Boys (1984–1985) andRitchie de Vries inCoronation Street (2013–2014).

In 1975, at Drury Lane'sNew London Theatre, Askwith was voted "Most Promising Newcomer – Male" at theEvening Standard British Film Awards. Askwith's most recent television roles includeEmmerdale,Benidorm and a main role inThe Madame Blanc Mysteries.

Askwith was born inSouthport,Lancashire, England, the eldest child of Nelson and Hazel Askwith (née Cookson).^[2] His father was an accountant but served in theRoyal Navy during the Second World War and his mother in theWomen's Royal Naval Service (WRENs).^[3] As a young child, he swam in a pool contaminated with insects; later that day Askwith's mother found him fully submerged underwater in the bath. Taken to hospital in an ambulance, Askwith was found to have contractedpolio and had to spend nine months in an isolation ward at Southport Infirmary and had to learn how to walk again.^[3] Shortly after this, the family moved from Southport toEastcote,Middlesex, where Askwith was educated atOrley Farm in nearbyHarrow. Particularly sporty at school, Askwith represented the school at football, rugby and cricket and after joining the Ruislip and Northwood Swimming Club, he represented the South Counties at backstroke.^[3]

Askwith began an interest in acting because his neighbour was the floor manager atPinewood Studios where he and his neighbour's son would watch movies being filmed, includingThe Servant (1963) andCleopatra (1963).^[4] The next-door neighbour of a friend wasCarry On actorKenneth Connor, and so Askwith began attending a local amateur dramatics group. He also did a stint of modelling for catalogues and appeared in several commercials forbaked beans andFairy Liquid.^[3]

After finishing at Orley Farm at the age of twelve, Askwith attendedMerchant Taylors' School, Northwood. He found the school unduly strict and became a rebellious student to the extent that Askwith and two friends stole severalrifles from the school armoury andheld upPinner post office stealing hundreds of pounds' worth of stamps with the intention of returning them the following week.^[3] Askwith also persuaded acrane operator, who was carrying out work at the school, to lift the headmaster's car onto the school roof.^[3]

As a result of playingKing Edward IV during a school production ofRichard III, Askwith was approached by film directorLindsay Anderson, who had been in the audience, and encouraged him to audition for a role in his upcoming filmif..... Following a successful audition he played the role of Keating in the film.

Following the success ofif..., Askwith made his television debut as ayob in theBBC seriesScene. He would also attend theCorona Theatre School in between acting jobs.^[3] Askwith had roles in the historical epic filmAlfred the Great (1969),^[5] the thrillerOtley (1969),^[5] and, playing the title role, in the film version ofHans Brinker and the Silver Skates (1969).^[5] In 1970, Askwith had his first major role in the comedy filmCool It Carol! (1970).^[5]

Askwith then appeared on television in series such asRandall and Hopkirk (Deceased) andFather, Dear Father,^[5] and a recurring role as Eddie inPlease Sir!,^[5] and its spin-offThe Fenn Street Gang, before having his first regular role as Harvey Micklethwaite in the sitcomOn The House in 1971. In 1970, Askwith starred inScramble (1970),^[5] the first of four films he would make for theChildren's Film Foundation, the others beingAll Coppers Are... (1971),^[5]Hide and Seek (1972),^[5] andThe Hostages (1975). Askwith also had a role in the epic filmNicholas and Alexandra (1971). He would then have roles in television series includingDixon of Dock Green,Public Eye,The Main Chance andBless This House,^[5] and in a deleted scene from the filmBrother Sun, Sister Moon (1972). Askwith also starred in a string of horror films:Tower of Evil (1972),^[5]The Flesh and Blood Show (1973),^[5] andHorror Hospital (1973).^[5]

After appearing inPasolini'sThe Canterbury Tales (1972) and the comedy filmFour Dimensions of Greta (1972), Askwith played Mike Abbot in the film version of television sitcomBless This House (1972). During filming, Askwith became good friends with co-starSid James. Other members of the cast included comedy stalwartsPeter Butterworth,Terry Scott,June Whitfield andWendy Richard. Impressed by his performance, the producers offered Askwith the role alongsideSid James inCarry On Girls (1973).^[5]

Shortly after starring inAntony Balch'sHorror Hospital (1973),^[5] Askwith was offered the starring role inConfessions of a Window Cleaner (1974),^[5] directed byVal Guest. The part had been turned down byRichard Beckinsale,Richard O'Sullivan,Nicky Henson andDennis Waterman. The success of the film led to three sequels,Confessions of a Pop Performer (1975),^[5]Confessions of a Driving Instructor (1976)^[5] andConfessions from a Holiday Camp (1977).^[5]

Although theConfessions series came to an end withConfessions from a Holiday Camp, a fifth and a sixth film,Confessions of a Plumber's Mate andConfessions of a Private Soldier had been planned. Askwith even expressed a desire to directPrivate Soldier, but neither film materialised. Plans to shoot a further made-for-videoConfessions film in the 1980s also came to nothing, although by this time he was appearing in the poorly receivedITV sitcomBottle Boys (1984–1985).

He has also had roles in the soap operasEastEnders,Doctors,Hollyoaks andCoronation Street where he played a holiday tour guide named Aidan. The episodes of the soap that featured Askwith were filmed inMalta, close to the island ofGozo where he has lived for many years. Askwith returned toCoronation Street on 11 December 2013 as musicianRitchie de Vries.^[6]

Askwith published his autobiography, titledThe Confessions of Robin Askwith in 1999. In 2000, Askwith had a role in the horror filmThe Asylum.^[7]

Askwith made a cameo appearance in the filmRun For Your Wife, released in the UK on 14 February 2013.^[8] Askwith also appeared in an episode ofEmmerdale in 2015.^[9] His role as con-man Marcus Hornby in the TV comedy dramaBenidorm was broadcast in January 2016, and his episode ofCasualty aired later that year.

In 2021, he joined the cast of Channel 5's drama seriesThe Madame Blanc Mysteries appearing alongsideSue Holderness,Sally Lindsay andSteve Edge as a series regular.^[10][11] The first series received a positive reception which led to a Christmas special broadcast in 2022 succeeded by a second series to be broadcast in 2023. In December 2022, Askwith appeared in the fourth and final episode of the quartet,Strike: Troubled Blood, on BBC1. His character, Steve Douthwaite, plays one of the suspected killers in the J. K. Rowling-inspired mystery crime drama.^[12]

In 2023, it was announced that he would appear in the eighth series ofInside No. 9, and his name was used in the promotion for episode 5,Hold on Tight!. However the episode was fake and never produced, instead the hoax quiz show3 by 3 was episode 5 of the series.^[13]

In 2024 Askwith appeared in the ninth series of Inside No. 9, trying to get Shearsmith and Pemberton to create a real-life version of Hold on Tight!.^[14]

Askwith's extensive work on stage, includes numerous farces such asRun For Your Wife,Casanova's Last Stand,One for the Road plus the stageConfessions sequelThe Further Confessions of a Window Cleaner andTerry Johnson'sDead Funny. From 11 December 2012 – 27 January 2013, he appeared atthe Mill at Sonning,Reading, Berkshire inRay Cooney's farceCaught in the Net.

Inpantomimes, Askwith has appeared with theChuckle Brothers in Dick Whittington, withFrank Bruno andSooty in aWolverhampton production ofGoldilocks and the 3 Bears and in various productions ofAladdin as Abanazar.

More unusual stage roles include the title role in a production of Brecht'sThe Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, and theChild Catcher in a 2006 touring production ofChitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Askwith had relationships with the actressesCheryl Hall and laterLinda Hayden during the 1970s. Askwith married actressLeonie Mellinger in 1988 but they later divorced. From 1996 to 2002, he was married to Mary Smith, anaromatherapist.^[15]

Askwith lives onGozo, aMediterranean island nearMalta, having moved there in 1991, where his hobbies include swimming,underwater diving andyachting, however he regularly returns to the UK for tours, events and filming.^[15]

Askwith is a great-nephew of the comicRobb Wilton.^[3]

He is a passionate cricket follower and also a supporter ofQueens Park Rangers F.C.^[3]

• Baked Beans – brand unknown (year unknown)
• Summer County – margarine (1967) – directed byRidley Scott
• Smith's Crisps – crisps (1967) withSimon Dee
• Pepsi Cola – drink (1971)
• Thomson Sky Tours – airways (1971) – directed byTony Scott
• Dulux Magicote – paint (1971)
• TUF Boots – footwear – (1971) – directed byTerence Donovan
• KitKat – chocolate biscuits (1973)
• Guinness – alcohol (1973)
• Car Care – part work magazine (1985)

• Traincare '90 – Narrator (1990)
• King Rocker (2020)
• Keeping the British End Up! (2023)

(incomplete)^[16]

• Play By Play – Kings Head Theatre, London (1975)
• The Further Confessions of a Window Cleaner – UK Tour (1977)
• The Further Confessions of a Window Cleaner – Rhodesia (1978)
• I Love My Wife – Prince of Wales Theatre, London (1978)
• Who Goes Bare? – UK Tour (1979)
• The Further Confessions of a Window Cleaner – New Zealand Tour (1980)
• The Further Confessions of a Window Cleaner – UK Tour (1980)
• Confessions From A Health Farm – New Zealand Tour (1981)
• Casanova's Last Stand – UK Tour (1982)
• The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui – Cambridge Theatre Company (1982)
• Aladdin – Theatre Royal, Lincoln (1983)
• Run For Your Wife – Criterion Theatre, London (1984)
• Run For Your Wife – Criterion Theatre, London (1985)
• Doctor in the House – UK Tour (1985)
• Run For Your Wife – New Zealand Tour (1986)
• Funny Peculiar – Australia Tour (1986)
• Jack and the Beanstalk – Wimbledon Theatre, London (1986)
• Run For Your Wife – New Zealand Tour (1987)
• Run For Your Wife – Criterion Theatre, London (1987)
• Aladdin – De Montfort Hall, Leicester (1987)
• Les Enfants Terribles – Avignon Drama Festival (1988)
• One for the Road – Mercury Theatre, Colchester (1988)
• Dick Whittington – Richmond Theatre (1988)
• Run For Your Wife – Jersey (1989)
• One for the Road – UK Tour (1990)
• One for the Road – Australia Tour (1991)
• One for the Road – New Zealand Tour (1992)
• Cash on Delivery – Theatre Royal, Windsor (1993)
• Dick Whittington – Theatre Royal, Bath (1993)
• Run For Your Wife – UK Tour (1994)
• Cinderella – Wimbledon Theatre, London (1994)
• Doctor in the House – UK Tour (1995)
• Dick Whittington – New Theatre, Cardiff (1995)
• Aladdin – Lyceum Theatre, Crewe (1996)
• Dick Whittington – Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield (1997)
• Dick Whittington – Darlington Civic Theatre (1998)
• Aladdin – Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford (1999)
• Jack and the Beanstalk – Theatre Royal, Nottingham (2000)
• Goldilocks and the Three Bears – Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton (2001)
• Aladdin – Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne (2002)
• Bedside Manners – Pier Theatre, Bournemouth (2003)
• Aladdin – Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes (2003)
• Aladdin – New Wimbledon Theatre, London (2004)
• Canterbury Tales – The Castle, Nottingham (2005)
• Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – Sunderland Empire Theatre (2005)
• Dead Funny – UK Tour (2007)
• Aladdin – Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea (2008)
• Aladdin – Theatre Royal, Lincoln (2010)
• Funny Money – The Mill at Sonning, Reading (2011)
• Caught in the Net – The Mill at Sonning, Reading (2012)
• Jack and the Beanstalk – Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea (2017)
• Aladdin – Darlington Hippodrome (2018)
• Aladdin – Hull New Theatre (2019)

• 1975: Appears on theConfessions of a Pop Performer – Original Soundtrack Album
• 1977: SingleConfessions/This Space Is Reserved for You (credited as Robin Aswith)
• 1994: Audiobook cassette, HarperCollins Audio –Ian Botham: My Autobiography – Don't Tell Kath read by Robin Askwith

• Simon SheridanKeeping the British End Up: Four Decades of Saucy Cinema 2011 (fourth edition) (Titan Publishing, London)
• The Confessions of Robin Askwith by Robin Askwith (Ebury Press) 1999 (ISBN 0091869714)

• Robin Askwith atIMDb
• Robin Askwith interview

• 1950 births
• Living people
• English male film actors
• English male television actors
• English male stage actors
• Male actors from Southport
• 20th-century English male actors
• 21st-century English male actors

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