About

Known credits:
24
Birthday:
1964-01-10
Place of birth:
Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, Greater Manchester, England, UK
Website:

Tony Gardner

Overview

Tony Gardner (born 10 January 1964) is an English actor and doctor. He sits on the national governing body of the actors' trade union Equity.

He attended St Augustine's Catholic College in Trowbridge. Gardner qualified as a physician at Guy's Hospital in 1987, then as a general practitioner in 1993. He combined medicine and comedy during the 1990s as half of the award-winning comedy duo Struck Off and Die with Phil Hammond.

Gardner eventually left medicine to become an actor, starring in a number of TV commercials, including that for the Renault Mégane. He reached prominence playing Brian Johnson in CITV's My Parents Are Aliens (episodes of which he also wrote) and Michael, the café owner in Jack Dee's BBC sitcom Lead Balloon. In 2009–10 he starred in three plays directed by Sir Peter Hall. In 2011 he played Professor Tony Shales in the Channel 4 series Fresh Meat. Between 2012 and 2020, he played John in five series of the critically acclaimed romantic drama series Last Tango in Halifax. The programme attracted impressive ratings for BBC One, with the third series posting an average of 7.8 million viewers.

Between 2013 and 2015, he appeared as Lieutenant Colonel Phillip Smith in three series of the wartime comedy Bluestone 42, about a British bomb disposal detachment in Afghanistan during Operation Herrick. He appeared as Dan Miller MP in the BBC political comedy The Thick of It. He was a main character of the music video "Giant Peach" by Wolf Alice. He appeared in a variety of roles in Tracey Ullman's Show from 2016. He also appeared in an episode of the Netflix show, Lovesick, portraying Dylan’s father at surprise wedding anniversary party.

In January 2021, Gardner appeared in S11E1 of Not Going Out as a neighbour to Lee and Lucy. He then appeared again in S12E4 in 2022.

Known for

Acting

2021 The Larkins Actor Alec Norman 68
Fair
2019 Horrible Histories: The Movie - Rotten Romans Actor Antonius 57
Average
2018 Death on the Tyne Actor Justin Valentine 58
Average
2017 Tracey Breaks the News Actor Various 58
Average
2016 Minutes Past Midnight Actor Detective Inspector Jack Bailie (segment Crazy for You) 57
Average
2016 Young Hyacinth Actor Claude Cooper-Smith 58
Average
2013 Crazy for You Actor Detective 58
Average
2013 Bluestone 42 Actor Lieutenant Colonel Smith 71
Good
2012 Last Tango in Halifax Actor John 70
Good
2012 Cockneys vs Zombies Actor Clive 57
Average
2012 Gates Actor Aiden 69
Fair
2009 Mad Sad & Bad Actor Graham 59
Average
2009 May Contain Nuts Actor 69
Fair
2007 Spinners and Losers Actor Dan Miller 59
Average
2007 Spinners and Losers Actor Dan Miller 61
Fair
2007 Blaired Vision Actor Narrator N/A
N/A
2006 Lead Balloon Actor Michael 70
Good
2004 The Lenny Henry Show Actor 69
Fair
2001 The Armando Iannucci Shows Actor Television Executive #1 71
Good
1999 My Parents Are Aliens Actor Brian Johnson 68
Fair
1997 Sunnyside Farm Actor N/A
N/A
1996 Crossing the Floor Actor TV Interviewer 59
Average
1995 Restoration Actor Gallant 59
Average
A Little Grey Actor Grey N/A
N/A