Kevin Whately Biography

Fast Facts

• Became an ambassador of the Alzheimer's Society in 2007 and continues to raise awareness of their work through campaigns and fundraisers
• Studied drama at the Central School of Speech and Drama
• Was an amateur actor in the 1970s at the People's Theatre in Newcastle upon Tyne
• Trained to become an accountant before deciding to become an actor
• Quote: "You suddenly realize that you have been a part of their lives for 26 years [as Sergeant Lewis] in the corner of their sitting rooms and it's quite touching how much it means to people, how much they've enjoyed your work․"
• Best known for his role as Robert Lewis in "Inspector Morse" and "Lewis․"
• His daughter, Catherine Whately, appeared as his on-screen daughter in "Auf Wiedersehen, Pet" in the first two seasons of the show
• Despite starring in one for more than 25 years, he has never liked crime dramas and has said he wouldn't watch "Lewis" if he wasn't on it
• The episode of "Inspector Morse" where Sergeant Lewis goes undercover on a cricket team is the result of him telling show writer Colin Dexter that he would have liked to play cricket professionally if he hadn't become an actor