Michael McKell

Michael McKell (born 10 February 1959) is an English actor and singer. His career began in music, co-writing various songs for Toyah Willcox, Dollar and Julien Clerc, as well as embarking on a brief solo career. McKell then focused on acting and became known for playing Inspector Trevor Hands in Murder Investigation Team (2003–2005), Dr. Nick West in Doctors (2006–2008) and Nick Henshall in Emmerdale (2008–2011). Alongside various television and theatre roles, McKell has led an established film career since the 1990s, having appeared in numerous films including Essex Boys, Once Upon a Time in London (2019) and Prizefighter: The Life of Jem Belcher (2022).

Early life McKell was born on 10 February 1959 in Tottenham, Haringey, in his grandparents' house. He was initially to be named Paul, chosen by his mother, but after weeks of not having a registered name, his father registered him as Michael. Alongside his mother, a factory worker, and his father, a chargehand, moved to Walthamstow in his youth. Growing up, the family had money troubles.

Career Music McKell started his working life as a musician. He was the singer/songwriter for the band The Park, penning hits for Toyah Willcox, Dollar and Julien Clerc. His solo career after deals with Phonogram, WEA and EMI was cut short by a near fatal car crash in August 1991.

In 1985, he toured as Michael St James with French star Julien Clerc and worked with French singer–songwriter Serge Gainsbourg. McKell released an EP, Shower over Moon Street, in 2009 and performed tracks from his album Shower over Moon Street at the Royal Albert Hall in November 2009. "Save Me", the first single from the album, was released on 25 July 2010. In 2022, he released the album The Last Picture Show.

Television McKell is known for appearing in two British soap operas, Doctors, in which he played Dr. Nick West from 2006 until the character was run over and killed in 2008, and Emmerdale, in which he played DC Nick Henshall over two separate periods from 2008 to 2011, until the character committed suicide. He has also appeared in a third soap opera, EastEnders, as the hitman Carter who supposedly killed Paul Trueman under the orders of Andy Hunter. For his role as Nick in Doctors, McKell received nominations for Sexiest Male at the 2006, 2007 and 2008 British Soap Awards. His exit storyline later saw a nomination at the 2009 ceremony.

He is also known for playing D.S./D.I. Trevor Hands in two series of the ITV drama Murder Investigation Team, two series of Channel 4's Totally Frank and the BBC series Blessed, playing Ronnie, a Jaggeresque musician.

Film McKell starred in the cult film Essex Boys alongside Sean Bean as drug dealer Wayne Lovell. Other films include Beneath Still Waters, Acts of Godfrey, The Low Down, Blood, Bar, Death, Freight, Shouting Men, Outpost: Rise of the Spetsnaz, Hatton Garden: the Heist and Who Needs Enemies.

Theatre McKell appeared in a production of Macbeth at the Lyric Hammersmith in the late 1990s. He has appeared in West End musicals, including Blood Brothers and the Rod Stewart musical Tonight's the Night, written and directed by Ben Elton. Elton later went on to write the character Ronnie for McKell in his BBC comedy Blessed. McKell played "Lank" in the double Olivier winning production of Crazy for You in 2012 and returned to the role he created "Stoner" in the 2014 production of Tonight's the Night.

From January to July 2015, McKell co-starred with Tina Hobley, Jamie Lomas, Rik Makarem and Gray O'Brien in a nationwide touring production of Peter James's Dead Simple. From September to October 2015, McKell appeared with Nick Moran in Roaring Trade at the Park Theatre.

From 7 December 2015 to 3 January 2016, McKell appeared in his first pantomime as Abanazar in Aladdin at the Derby Arena. McKell then portrayed Paul in Irvine Welsh's play Creatives at the Edinburgh Festival 2017. McKell embarked on a UK and Ireland tour when he appeared in We Will Rock You from 2019.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2000 Blood Guy 2000 Essex Boys Wayne Lovell 2000 The Low Down Pubman 2000 Kitchen Sync Man Short film 2001 Bar Barman 2005 Beneath Still Waters Dan Quarry 2010 Freight Vasile 2011 Will First Detective 2012 Acts of Godfrey Billy McGann 2012 After Death Buck Darrenson 2013 Outpost: Rise of the Spetsnaz Colonel Strasser 2013 Who Needs Enemies Ian 2014 O. Sgt. Miles 2015 Shoe Polish Sidney Short film 2016 Essex Vendetta Spencer 2016 Hatton Garden: the Heist Basil 2016 Allied German Officer at Anfa Café 2017 The Birth of Boxing Frank the Ringmaster Short film 2017 Freehold Gerry 2017 Transhuman Michael 2017 Leonard Bernie Short film 2018 Winter Ridge John Faulkner 2018 Where Hands Touch Gestapo #4 2018 The Guard of Auschwitz Klaus 2019 The Cloaking Doctor Michael Thompson 2019 Once Upon a Time in London Detective Rogers 2019 13 Graves Len 2019 I Know What You Did Michael Downey 2019 The Angel of Auschwitz Josef Mengele Senior 2019 Abatement Andrew 2019 Pentagram Oliver 2019 Lucas and Albert Tony Mac 2019 A Midwinter Night's Dream The Vicar Short film 2021 Splinter Bobby 2021 Jekyll and Hyde Henry Jekyll / Mr Hyde 2022 Darkheart Manor Buck Darrenson 2022 Prizefighter: The Life of Jem Belcher Frank the Bomber 2022 Reset Doctor Frank Short film 2023 Trafficking The Duke 2023 A New Breed of Criminal Vic 2023 The New Housekeeper Leading Detective 2023 Thieves in the Night Mike 2024 War Blade 2025 Treasures of Terror Vol 3 Vicar

Television Year Title Role Notes 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2010 The Bill Various 7 episodes 1996 Madson Ray McGreevy 1 episode 1996 Thief Takers Jones Episode: "Nasty Boys" 1997 Supply & Demand Police Observer Television film 1997 The Vanishing Man Steve Television film 1998 Animal Ark Jude Somers Episode: "Donkey on the Doorstep" 1999 Kavanagh QC Clifford Luscombe Episode: "End Game" 1999 CI5: The New Professionals Phoenix Episode: "Phoenix" 2000 Lock, Stock... Terry Gardner Episode: "...And Two Sips" 2000 Urban Gothic Dr. Stillman Episode: "Cry Wolf" 2002 NCS: Manhunt Lee Wilde Recurring role 2003 A Touch of Frost Flynn Episode: "Hidden Truth" 2003 Danielle Cable: Eyewitness Terry Cable Television film 2003–2005 Murder Investigation Team Trevor Hands Main role 2004 EastEnders Carter Guest role 2005 Holby City Billy Andrews Episode: "Dignity" 2005 Blessed Ronnie Main role 2005–2006 Totally Frank David Recurring role 2006–2008 Doctors Nick West Regular role 2008–2011 Emmerdale Nick Henshall Regular role 2009 Myths Daedalus Episode: "The Fall of Icarus" 2013 Casualty Paul Rivers Episode: "Three's a Crowd" 2013 Marple Frank Stanford Episode: "Endless Night" 2015 Cradle to Grave Joey Churcher 1 episode 2016 Obsession: Dark Desires Bill Episode: "The Devil in the Pews" 2017 Brussel Gordon Recurring role 2018 Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators Len Tekler Episode: "The Rascal Cook" 2019 Vera Michael Claythorpe Episode: "The Seagull" 2021 The Engineering That Built the World Joseph Strauss Episode: "Battle of the Bridges" 2025 Juice Brian Recurring role, series 2

Awards and nominations Year Ceremony Category Nominated work Result 2006 British Soap Awards Sexiest Male Doctors 2007 2008 2009 Best Exit