Craig Parkinson

Craig Parkinson, an English actor and podcaster, was born on 11 March 1976 in Blackpool, Lancashire. He started acting in school plays at an early age, and went on to study at Blackpool and The Fylde College before moving to London at 17 to attend the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. He initially landed small roles in British television series such as Dalziel and Pascoe, The Bill, and Holby City, but made his film debut in Control (2007) playing the role of Tony Wilson. He then starred in several independent films afterward, including the 2008 film The Taxidermist, where he played the title role. Other notable roles include twins Jimmy and Johnny Kray in the ITV series Whitechapel, abusive care worker Ben in the television drama The Unloved, and DI Matthew 'Dot' Cottan in Line of Duty. Apart from acting, Parkinson also found success in podcasting, and episodes of his Two Shot Podcast often feature interviews with actors. Reviews of the podcast are generally favourable, and it even won best culture podcast at the 2018 British Podcast Awards.