Samuel West is an acclaimed actor, theatre director and narrator, best known for his role as veterinary surgeon Siegfried Farnon in the Channel 5 series All Creatures Great and Small.
The 57-year-old has won legions of fans for his portrayal of the cantankerous, but hilarious, owner of the Skeldale practice and Samuel feels privileged to be part of the charming show.
He told The Times: “I have to say, I’m happier than I’ve been professionally in any job, I think - and possibly not even professionally. I am just happy doing that job because I love the ensemble."
Fans of Samuel may also recognize him for playing the recurring character of Peter Judd in Apple TV Plus's Slow Horses.
But here are a few other interesting facts you may not know about the talented star...
He's the son of two acting legends
Samuel Alexander Joseph West was born on 19 June 1966 in Hammersmith, London.
The fourth generation of a thespian family, performing is in Samuel's blood. His father, Timothy West is regarded as one of the country's finest theatre actors and the son of the late Lockwood West. And his mother, Prunella Scales, is of course best known for playing the iconic Sybil Fawlty in beloved British sitcom, Fawlty Towers.
"As a baby, mum would take me to her dressing room at the Vaudeville Theatre,” Samuel revealed to The Financial Times. "I remember watching my father as King Lear when I was six. I got quite blasé about wandering around backstage as a boy — which must have been very annoying for the actors.”
But despite having a famous mum and dad, Samuel wanted to establish a career on his own merit.
"I tried not to mention my parents in the first 15 years of my career," he told The Independent. "I didn't want to work with people who only took me on because of who my parents are."
He went to university with Boris Johnson
Samuel was educated at Alleyn's School, an independent in Dulwich, West London.
He had dreams of becoming a chemistry professor, and undertook A-levels in chemistry, maths and physics, before deciding to study English Literature at Lady Margaret Hall College, in Oxford University.
It was during his time there that Samuel started to seriously consider acting as a career rather than a hobby, and became the president of the Experimental Theatre Club.
He also rubbed shoulders — albeit once — with a certain Boris Johnson, who was studying at Oxbridge during the same time.
"I saw him propped up on the floor at a Jericho house party once. I think that is the only time we’ve been in the same room," Samuel recalled to The Guardian.
He has dreams of playing Doctor Who
After graduating, Samuel had to choose between accepting a place at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School or a role in Harold Pinter's play, "Reunion" — and he went for the latter.
But it was Samuel's role opposite Helena Bonham Carter in the 1992 Merchant Ivory film Howards End that turned him into a household name.
Following in father Tim's footsteps, Samuel has enjoyed a very successful stage career. He spent two seasons with the Royal Shakespeare Company, playing the titular roles in "Richard II" and "Hamlet", which earned him the 2001 London Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Shakespearean performance.
Samuel's film credits include Darkest Hour, Notting Hill, Iris and Van Helsing.
He's also starred in a whole host of popular TV shows, including Poirot, Cambridge Spies, Mr Selfridge and The Crown.
But there are a couple of roles still on Samuel's wish list.
"Anything in a Sondheim musical — the judge in Sweeney Todd, the narrator in Into the Woods," he told The Guardian. "And Doctor Who, of course."
He's narrated over 100 audiobooks
Samuel's credits as a narrator of documentaries and audiobooks now runs into three figures.
His first voiceover project was a documentary about the Oklahoma land runs for his friend, the late Jonathan Gili.
"At the end of it, he (Jonathan) said, “You’re going to do a lot of these. Just trust me, you are,” Samuel shared with Vulture.
The actor has recorded over hundred audiobooks alone, including many Shakespeare plays, the complete Inspector Morse novels by Colin Dexter and several compilations of poetry.
Samuel's dulcet tones can also be regularly heard on the radio as a reader or reciter, and he's even performed at the Last Night of the Proms in 2002.
He's a collector of stamps
Samuel has been purchasing rare and discontinued stamps since he was five-years-old, and has built up a rather impressive — and valuable — collection.
“It started with The How and Why Wonder Book of Stamps,” he told The Financial Times. “As a child, I enjoyed cataloging things, so stamps helped turn me into a bit of a geek. I regard stamp collecting as an art form."
Amongst his collection are over 200 Two Shilling Blues — a stamp first produced in 1867 — which were printed in many shades of blue, with Cobalt being the rarest. Samuel's prize stamp is one of just 70 Blues still in existence, which were printed off a third plate run.
He's a dad of two
Samuel has been with his partner, the playwright Laura Wade, since 2007. They met at the Olivier Awards during his time working as artistic director of the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
“I was getting drunk and she (Laura) was already quite drunk. I complimented her on her shoes and she thought I was gay," Samuel told The Times. "Then we talked about the play and I said I wanted her to write a play about water, which I thought was going to be the next battlefront."
The couple have two daughters together, aged nine and six, and Samuel enjoyed teaching them both chess, alongside home schooling, during the Covid lockdown.
The actor was well into his forties when his first daughter was born, but is grateful for having become a father later in life.
“I just got to the point where I didn’t like being the most important person in my life as much as I had. And that’s a good place to start having children," he shared.
He's a proud RSPB ambassador
Samuel is a passionate ambassador for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and even staged a protest with TV wildlife presenter Chris Packham outside the government environment department building.
His interest in ornithology started over 18 years ago when Samuel started listening to a CD of birdsong in his car, then ventured out for thrice-weekly walks in the Peak District with his binoculars.
“I get itchy if I don’t go birding for a while. It stops me thinking so much about myself," Samuel confessed to Country Living.
Samuel and partner Laura enjoy birding in their London garden — she's the eyes and he's the ears. And his favorite other twitching spots further afield are Swale in north Kent or the A149 in Norfolk.
Samuel West's fact file
Frequently asked questions about the actor...
How old is Samuel West?
Samuel West is 57, he was born on June 19, 1966.
Is Samuel West married?
Samuel West is in a long-term relationship with English playwright, Laura Wade.
Does Samuel West have any children?
Yes. Samuel West and partner Laura Wade have two daughters.
Where was Samuel West born?
Samuel West was born in Hammersmith, London.
How tall is Samuel West?
Samuel West is six foot.
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