Philip Martin Brown

Philip Martin Brown (born 9 July 1956) is an English actor. He is known for his portrayal of English teacher Grantly Budgen in the BBC One drama series Waterloo Road, which he played from 2006 to 2013. He is also known for playing Steve McDonald's therapist in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street in 2015, although he first appeared in the show as D.I. Pinnock in 2005. In 2021, Brown appeared in the BBC One medical soap opera Doctors as Marvin Bulis, having previously played various other roles in the show.

Career From March 2006 to October 2013, Brown appeared as English teacher Grantly Budgen in the first nine series of the BBC One school-based drama series Waterloo Road. He was the longest serving cast member on the show and featured in 154 episodes in total. He has also worked on The Professionals, Cutting It and The Bill, where he appeared in ten episodes as Seth Mercer, and has made appearances in many other British dramas, including Heartbeat, Midsomer Murders, Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, New Tricks and Doctors.

Brown's most prominent role in a drama before Waterloo Road was Eddie Vincent in Casualty, where he appeared in 17 episodes between 2002 and 2003. He also played John Adams in the 1984 film The Bounty and appeared in Sharpes Justice in 1997. He played a detective in the second episode of the ITV drama Rosemary & Thyme. He also appeared in a Skins online episode in 2012 as a drug dealer. Brown left Waterloo Road during the autumn term of Series 9. He appeared briefly in the 1999 film Sleepy Hollow starring Johnny Depp. In January 2015, he appeared in Coronation Street as Steve McDonald's (Simon Gregson) therapist. He appeared in the CBBC series The Worst Witch in 2017, playing the role of Algernon Rowan-Webb.

Filmography

Film

Television

Year Title Role Notes 1978 A Horseman Riding By Sam Potter Main role; 7 episodes 1979 Crown Court Bernard Caplan Episode: "Boys Will Be Boys"1980 Enemy at the Door Private Hoskins Episode: "The Raid" Bull Week Eddie Kowal TV mini-series; all 6 episodes Him and His Magic Stanley Television short1981 BBC2 Playhouse Miles Episode: "A Last Visitor for Mr. Hugh Peter" Chronicle Lt. Beattie Episode: "The Crime of Captain Colhurst" Keep It in the Family Mr. Wilkins Episode: "The Inferior Decorator" 1982 Juliet Bravo Billy Read Episode: "Betrayals"1983 The Professionals Cook Episode: "No Stone" Jemima Shore Investigates Clive Gartrell Episode: "A Model Murder"1986 Bluebell Sam Smith Series 1: Episode 1 The Monocled Mutineer Turner Episode: "A Dead Man On Leave"1987 Indelible Evidence Andrew Boulden Episode: "Process Of Elimination" Floodtide Special Branch Man Episode: "One: The Call" 1914 All Out Jack Fairbrother Television film A Perfect Spy Kaufmann Series 1: Episode 3 1988 Coming Through David Television film All Creatures Great and Small Jack Scott 2 episodes 1989 The Paradise Club Peter Noonan Main role; 5 episodes1990 Chain Jobelin Episode: "Miss. Brinkwell" Die Kinder Norris Episode: "Direct Action"1991 EastEnders Sergeant Jimmy Buckwell Episode #1.644 The Sharp End Andy Barras TV mini-series; all 8 episodes 1992 El C.I.D. Keith Smith Episode: "The Lone Stranger" Medics Charles Davies Series 2: Episode 3 The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles Guard Episode: "Germany, Mid-August 1916" Boon Maurice Episode: "Love Or Money" Birds of a Feather M.C. Episode: "Okey-Cokey-Karaoke"1993 Minder Pike Episode: "No Way to Treat a Daley" The Bill Senior Prison Officer Episode: "Insider Dealing" Heartbeat Jack Scarman Episode: "Dead Ringer" Between the Lines Mick Furness Episode: "Manoeuvre 11"1994 Peak Practice Colin Meadows Episode: "In Good Faith" Murder Most Horrid Psycho Episode: "Smashing Bird" The Lifeboat Colin Hicks Episode: "The Birdman"1995 The Bill Jack Spellman Episode: "Life's a Bitch" Band of Gold Mr. Moore 3 episodes Men of the World John Episode: "Happy Birthday Kendle" Coogan's Run PC Ted Cromwell 2 episodes 1996 Pie in the Sky Chief Inspector Kendon Episode: "Devils on Horseback"1997 The Bill Ray Kingsley Episode: "No Claims Bonus" Sharpe's Justice Saunders Television film Screen One Cook Episode: "Hostile Waters" 1997–1998 Wing and a Prayer John Daley Main role; 14 episodes 1998 Hetty Wainthropp Investigates Philip Hoskins Episode: "Digging for Dirt" 1998–2000 City Central Sgt. Paul Dobson Regular role; 29 episodes1999 Playing the Field Bus Inspector 2 episodes The Bill Jack Thompson Episode: "Taxed" 2001 Where the Heart Is Bob Young Episode: "Sanctuary"2002 Cutting It Smedley Main role; 5 episodes The Bill Colin Greenstead Episode: "Playing Runaway" 2002–2003 Casualty Eddie Vincent Regular role; 17 episodes 2003 Rosemary & Thyme D.I. Trelawney Episode: "Arabica and the Early Spider" Blue Dove Andy Brennan TV mini-series2004 Murder in Suburbia Tim Gregson Episode: "Sanctuary" New Tricks Rick Brewer Episode: "Home Truths" Murphy's Law John Franklin Episode: "Convent" Foyle's War Andrew Neame Episode: "They Fought in the Fields" Midsomer Murders John Whittle Episode: "Things That Go Bump in the Night"2005 Doctors Pat Bolton Episode: "Little Lies" Down to Earth Trevor Episode: "Broken Dreams" The Royal Thomas Copley Episode: "Say a Little Prayer" Coronation Street D.I. Pinnock Recurring role; 8 episodes 2005–2006 The Bill Seth Mercer 6 episodes 2006–2013 Waterloo Road Grantly Budgen Regular role (series 1–9); 154 episodes 2006 A Harlot's Progress Gaoler Television film 2007 Heartbeat Frank Jackson Episode: "Out of Africa"2008 Midsomer Murders George Barkham Episode: "Days of Misrule"Doctors Harry Denver Episode: "Stranger on a Bridge" 2011 Eric Aspinall Episode: "Men and Motors"2013 Death Comes to Pemberley Mr. Bidwell TV mini-series; all 3 episodes Doctors Keith Rooney Episode: "Santa Ranter" 2014 Endeavour Bernard Yelland Episode: "Trove"2015 Coronation Street Therapist 2 episodes Vera Stan Convile Episode: "Old Wounds"2016 Suspects Ed Goddard Episode: "The Enemy Within: Part 5" Doctors 'Grandie' Eddie Coulter Episode: "Heartstrings" 2017–2019 The Worst Witch Mr Algernon Rowan Webb Regular role; 33 episodes 2018 Holby City Richard Nash Episode: "Belonging" Detroiters Uncredited Episode: "Lois" 2019 Doctors Greg Milne Episode: "The Getaway" 2020 Flack Terry Episode: "Brand Barron" 2021 Doctors Marvin Bulis Guest role 2023 Father Brown John Mulch Episode: "The Gardeners of Eden"2024CasualtyBill Brook"Episode 1362" (Internal Affairs - Episode 10)2025All Creatures Great and SmallMr. BoltonEpisode: Captain Farnon?2026Call The MidwifeEdwin RobbinsSeries 15: Episode 4

Personal life and awards He attended Barrow-in-Furness Grammar School for Boys. At the end of his fifth year, Brown was asked to leave the school, later stating that he was a "dreadful troublemaker". He lives in Paddock Wood, Kent, with his wife and family.

In 2010, Brown was nominated for the Best Actor prize in the 2010 TV Choice Awards, and won it three years in a row. Brown was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 19 and is now an ambassador for the charity Young Epilepsy.

He is an ex-epileptic and had to leave the stage until he underwent brain surgery which has left him seizure-free for 22 years.