Charlie Condou

Charlie Condou (born 8 January 1973) is a British actor, columnist and LGBT rights activist. Condou secured a series of television movie roles during his teenage years in the 1980s. He later had guest roles in British television series during the 1990s. In 2007, Condou gained wider recognition when he took the role of sonographer Marcus Dent in the soap opera Coronation Street, in which he remained until 2014. He also played the role of Ben Sherwood in the medical drama Holby City. Condou has used his fame as a platform to promote LGBT rights, becoming a patron for charities and being an advocate for same-sex parenting.

Career Condou's acting career began in the 1985 American television movie The Key to Rebecca as Billy Vandam, the young son of the main character, William, played by Cliff Robertson. He then appeared in the 1985 movie Exploits at West Poley at the age of twelve. His television career continued throughout his teens with appearances in the shows Robin of Sherwood and A Sense of Guilt. In 1988, Condou appeared in the television movie Every Breath You Take as a thirteen-year-old chorister. He worked with actress Connie Booth, who played his on-screen mother in the movie. He went onto secure the role of Stuart Wolvis in the six-part British comedy drama series The Wolvis Family. The show focuses on the Wolvis family's issues, with Stuart being the problematic teenager of the family. He continued in his twenties, playing a variety of roles in series like Martin Chuzzlewit, Pie in the Sky, The Bill, Peak Practice, Urban Gothic, The Infinite Worlds of H. G. Wells and Midsomer Murders. Other roles included a guest appearances as Nino in television series Gimme, Gimme, Gimme alongside Kathy Burke, and Giles in the film Dead Babies. He then played the role of Auguste in the 2001 thriller film Charlotte Gray alongside Cate Blanchett.

In 2005, the actor played editor Jonatton Yeah? in Channel 4 sitcom Nathan Barley. In 2006, Condou appeared as Renoir in the BBC drama The Impressionists. He had a cameo role as an elf in the film Fred Claus. In 2007, Condou joined the cast of the British soap opera Coronation Street, playing Marcus Dent. In 2008 he left the show and stated that "I have had a fantastic time in Coronation Street, but as a jobbing actor I believe it is time to move on." A publicist from the show added "we'll be sad to see Charlie leave." At the time, Condou indicated that "there are a few things in the pipeline, one of which is a feature film which is being made abroad. But all that's under wraps at the moment." This film turned out to be Good, released later that year. In September 2014, he took the lead role of Adam in the West End production of Next Fall. From September to December 2016, he took part in the UK tour of The Rocky Horror Show. In February 2017, Condou played Reverend Hale in the UK tour of Arthur Miller's play The Crucible. That year, he was cast in the role of Simon Osborne in the second series of the ITV drama Unforgotten.

In 2019, Condou joined the cast of Holby City in a guest role, playing doctor Ben Sherwood.

In September 2024, it was announced that Condou had been cast in Doctor Who. He appeared in "The Interstellar Song Contest" as Gary Gabbastone, an engineer, in May 2025. In 2026, Condou appeared as Curtis Baxter in the Russell T Davies-penned television series Tip Toe, broadcast on Channel 4.

Personal life Condou is openly gay and he married his long-term Canadian boyfriend Cameron Laux on 8 June 2015. He lives in Islington with his husband and his children, Georgia and Hal, who split their time between him and their mother, the actress Catherine Kanter. Condou and Kanter first met in 1998 and made a mutual agreement that they would have a child if she was still single at the age of 40. In a number of interviews, Condou has revealed that the children were conceived through IVF treatment, following Kanter's fortieth birthday and relationship breakup. From October 2011 until July 2012, he wrote a column for The Guardian newspaper on the subject of same-sex parenting.

Condou supported the UK remaining a member of the European Union in the 2016 EU referendum.

Activism Condou has been listed on various LGBT influence lists and polls during his career. He was listed at number fifteen in the World Pride Power List 2012 and rose to number eleven on the 2013 list. and forty-second on the Pride Power List of 2011. He is a patron of the charities Diversity Role Models and the akt, and has volunteered for the Terrence Higgins Trust. Condou has also worked with Stonewall on fundraisers. In October 2012, he was named in the British gay publication Attitude as the magazine's "Man of the Year" at the inaugural Attitude awards and appeared on the cover of the November 2012 issue. In 2014 he was nominated for the "Advocate for change" award at the GLAAD awards in Los Angeles.

Condou has also been an advocate for LGBT families. In 2013, he set up the company, Out With the Family, which puts on events for LGBT families. In 2016, Condou wrote the introduction for Eric Rosswood's Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood: Firsthand Advice, Tips and Stories from Lesbian and Gay Couples. In December 2019, Condou spoke at a seminar focusing on "non-traditional families".

In August 2014, Condou was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian opposing Scottish independence in the run-up to September's referendum on that issue.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1985 The Key to Rebecca Billy Vandam TV movie 1985 Exploits at West Poley Leonard TV movie 1986 Robin of Sherwood Martin Guest role 1988 Every Breath You Take Tom TV movie 1988 The Storyteller Brother 2 Guest role 1988 To Kill a Priest Mirek Film 1991 A Sense of Guilt Peter Murray Recurring role 1991 Casualty David Williamson Guest role 1991 The Wolvis Family Stuart Wolvis Regular role 1992 Eldorado Clive Mitchell Guest role 1993 Frank Stubbs Promotes Jason Stubbs Guest role 1994 Martin Chuzzlewit Footman Guest role 1994 The Bill Michael Kenyon Guest role 1995 Casualty Cal McGregor Guest role 1995 Pie in the Sky Karl Elves Guest role 1995 The Bill Steve Downing Guest role 1999 Gimme Gimme Gimme Nino Guest role 1999 Peak Practice Private Benedict Grinter Guest role 1999 Honky Sausages O.G. Guest role 2000 Urban Gothic Lenny Guest role 2000 Dead Babies Giles Film 2001 The Infinite Worlds of H. G. Wells Sam Guest role 2001 Charlotte Gray Auguste Film 2003 Trust Max Guest role 2005 Midsomer Murders Jake Foley Guest role 2005 Nathan Barley Jonatton Yeah? Regular role 2005 Secret Smile Lawrence Guest role 2006 The Impressionists Renoir Recurring role 2007 Flirting with Flamenco Warren Film 2007 Fred Claus Elf Film 2007 Holby City Tony Butler Guest role 2007–2008,2011–2014 Coronation Street Marcus Dent Regular role 2008 Good Bekemeier Film 2009 Casualty Gal Guest role 2015 Time Crashers Self Regular role 2016 You, Me and the Apocalypse Father Alphonse Film 2017 Unforgotten Simon Osborne Regular role 2019−2020 Holby City Ben Sherwood Recurring role 2023 Midsomer Murders Perry Fleming Guest role 2025 The Madame Blanc Mysteries Pierre Guest role 2025 Doctor Who Gary Gabbastone Guest role 2026 Tip Toe Curtis Baxter Guest role Sources: