Peter Wingfield
Encyclopedia
Peter Wingfield is a Welsh
born television actor
, well known for his television roles as Dan Clifford in Holby City
, Dr. Robert Helm in Queen of Swords and Inspector Simon Ross in Cold Squad
. But he is internationally best known for his role as the 5000-year-old Immortal Methos
in the hit syndicated series Highlander: The Series
.
and grew up in the Grangetown
community, a good student, initially educated at The Cathedral School, Llandaff
he enjoyed athletics, music
, outdoor activities, and drama
. At the age of fifteen he was the Welsh National Trampoline
champion. After his A-levels he entered Brasenose College, Oxford
, and in 1982 began medical training at the prestigious St Bartholomew's Hospital
in London
. His time, however, was not devoted solely to medicine. In 1980 he spent his summer break at the National Youth Theatre of Wales where he discovered the sense of camaraderie and belonging that characterise truly outstanding acting troupes. His four-week stint with this youth theatre changed him in ways he didn’t fully appreciate at the time, but which were to have a lasting impact. He also worked during his college years at the Brasenose Little Theatre, both performing in, and producing, a variety of plays.
Shortly before completing his fifth and final year at St Bartholomew’s in 1987, Wingfield realised that the practice of modern medicine was not for him.One month before he was due to graduate, he made the decision to leave medical school and pursue acting as a full-time career.
in London, coincidentally located just across the street from St Bart’s Hospital in London. His training covered the range of an actor’s repertoire, including voice, movement, and the acting skills necessary to be successful in arenas ranging from radio to mime. Peter was chosen in 1990 to compete for the BBC
’s Carleton Hobbs Award for radio, which he won.
In 1990, shortly after leaving drama school, he landed his first television
acting part as a taxi driver in the film Antonia and Jane
. The qualification that led to his selection for the part was that he knew how to drive.
Wingfield appeared regularly on British television, and starred in numerous productions. His last major role in British television was as Tom Kirby in the series Noah’s Ark in 1997. Portraying a vet
in the series, Wingfield had to take medication to combat his animal allergies. One positive outcome of this short-lived series is that the constant exposure to animals has apparently reduced his allergic reactions.
In the late 1990s Peter played Simon Pemberton in BBC Radio 4's serial The Archers
.
, the oldest living Immortal in Highlander: The Series
. Since that series ended, Wingfield has appeared in numerous North American television productions for both Canadian
and U.S.
companies, including the portrayal of Dr Robert Helm in Queen of Swords, Stargate SG-1
as Tanith, and as Lach on Andromeda
s fourth season episode "The Others".
In addition to Antonia and Jane
, Wingfield has appeared in the feature films X2: X-Men United
, Highlander: Endgame
(reprising the role of Methos
), Edge of Madness
, Baby Geniuses 2, Catwoman
and Uncovered
.
While filming the fifth Highlander movie Highlander: The Source
, Wingfield related his love for Methos:
From August 2006 to October 2007, he appeared in the BBC medical drama Holby City
, playing General Surgical
Consultant
Daniel Clifford. Wingfield played the recurring role of David Emerson on Season 7
of 24
. He also played Dr. Watson on the science fiction series Sanctuary. In 2010, Wingfield starred in the remake of Riverworld
, playing Sir Richard Francis Burton. He has had guest roles in Human Target, NCIS: Los Angeles, and Alphas
. He has recently appeared in episodes of Caprica. Work in TV movies include Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge
and the Syfy original film Stonehenge Apocalypse
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
born television actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, well known for his television roles as Dan Clifford in Holby City
Holby City
Holby City, stylised as Holby Ci+y, is a British medical drama television series that airs weekly on BBC One.The series was created by Tony McHale and Mal Young as a spin-off from the established BBC medical drama Casualty, and premiered on 12 January 1999...
, Dr. Robert Helm in Queen of Swords and Inspector Simon Ross in Cold Squad
Cold Squad
Cold Squad is a Canadian police procedural television series first broadcast in 1998 that followed the investigations of a part of the Vancouver Police Department Homicide Division tasked with solving cold cases, the titular Cold Squad, as led by Sergeant Ali McCormick .The cast of Cold Squad was...
. But he is internationally best known for his role as the 5000-year-old Immortal Methos
Methos
Methos is a fictional character from the Highlander universe - the film series, the television show Highlander: The Series, and several fiction books. He is an Immortal. He is portrayed by actor Peter Wingfield in both series and the movies. Methos, as one of the The Four Horsemen, represents...
in the hit syndicated series Highlander: The Series
Highlander: The Series
Highlander: The Series is a fantasy-adventure television series featuring Duncan MacLeod of the Scottish Clan MacLeod, as the Highlander. It was an offshoot and another alternate sequel of the 1986 feature film with a twist: Connor MacLeod did not win the prize and Immortals still exist post-1985...
.
Early life
Wingfield was born in CardiffCardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
and grew up in the Grangetown
Grangetown, Cardiff
Grangetown is a community in the south of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It is one of the largest districts in the south of the city and is bordered by Riverside, Canton and Butetown. The River Taff winds its way through the area...
community, a good student, initially educated at The Cathedral School, Llandaff
The Cathedral School, Llandaff
The Cathedral School, Llandaff is a coeducational Welsh independent senior, prep and pre-prep day school. It is located in Llandaff, Cardiff. The school is part of the Woodard Schools foundation, as well as having many links to the neighbouring Llandaff Cathedral.In 1880 Dean John Vaughan opened a...
he enjoyed athletics, music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, outdoor activities, and drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
. At the age of fifteen he was the Welsh National Trampoline
Trampolining
Trampolining is a competitive Olympic sport in which gymnasts perform acrobatics while bouncing on a trampoline. These can include simple jumps in the pike, tuck or straddle position to more complex combinations of forward or backward somersaults and twists....
champion. After his A-levels he entered Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
, and in 1982 began medical training at the prestigious St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital, also known as Barts, is a hospital in Smithfield in the City of London, England.-Early history:It was founded in 1123 by Raherus or Rahere , a favourite courtier of King Henry I...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. His time, however, was not devoted solely to medicine. In 1980 he spent his summer break at the National Youth Theatre of Wales where he discovered the sense of camaraderie and belonging that characterise truly outstanding acting troupes. His four-week stint with this youth theatre changed him in ways he didn’t fully appreciate at the time, but which were to have a lasting impact. He also worked during his college years at the Brasenose Little Theatre, both performing in, and producing, a variety of plays.
Shortly before completing his fifth and final year at St Bartholomew’s in 1987, Wingfield realised that the practice of modern medicine was not for him.One month before he was due to graduate, he made the decision to leave medical school and pursue acting as a full-time career.
Early acting career
Wingfield began his formal acting training at the Guildhall School of Music and DramaGuildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama is an independent music and dramatic arts school which was founded in 1880 in London, England. Students can pursue courses in Music, Opera, Drama and Technical Theatre Arts.-History:...
in London, coincidentally located just across the street from St Bart’s Hospital in London. His training covered the range of an actor’s repertoire, including voice, movement, and the acting skills necessary to be successful in arenas ranging from radio to mime. Peter was chosen in 1990 to compete for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
’s Carleton Hobbs Award for radio, which he won.
In 1990, shortly after leaving drama school, he landed his first television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
acting part as a taxi driver in the film Antonia and Jane
Antonia and Jane
Antonia and Jane is a 1991 comedy film directed by Beeban Kidron and starring Imelda Staunton, Saskia Reeves, Brenda Bruce and Bill Nighy. It is about two mismatched woman friends who have had a love–hate relationship with each other since childhood....
. The qualification that led to his selection for the part was that he knew how to drive.
Wingfield appeared regularly on British television, and starred in numerous productions. His last major role in British television was as Tom Kirby in the series Noah’s Ark in 1997. Portraying a vet
Veterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
in the series, Wingfield had to take medication to combat his animal allergies. One positive outcome of this short-lived series is that the constant exposure to animals has apparently reduced his allergic reactions.
In the late 1990s Peter played Simon Pemberton in BBC Radio 4's serial The Archers
The Archers
The Archers is a long-running British soap opera broadcast on the BBC's main spoken-word channel, Radio 4. It was originally billed as "an everyday story of country folk", but is now described on its Radio 4 web site as "contemporary drama in a rural setting"...
.
Later and notable work
A large international audience came to know him as MethosMethos
Methos is a fictional character from the Highlander universe - the film series, the television show Highlander: The Series, and several fiction books. He is an Immortal. He is portrayed by actor Peter Wingfield in both series and the movies. Methos, as one of the The Four Horsemen, represents...
, the oldest living Immortal in Highlander: The Series
Highlander: The Series
Highlander: The Series is a fantasy-adventure television series featuring Duncan MacLeod of the Scottish Clan MacLeod, as the Highlander. It was an offshoot and another alternate sequel of the 1986 feature film with a twist: Connor MacLeod did not win the prize and Immortals still exist post-1985...
. Since that series ended, Wingfield has appeared in numerous North American television productions for both Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
companies, including the portrayal of Dr Robert Helm in Queen of Swords, Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich...
as Tanith, and as Lach on Andromeda
Andromeda (TV series)
Andromeda is a Canadian-American science fiction television series, based on unused material by the late Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, developed by Robert Hewitt Wolfe, and produced by Roddenberry's widow, Majel Barrett Roddenberry. It starred Kevin Sorbo as High Guard Captain Dylan Hunt...
s fourth season episode "The Others".
In addition to Antonia and Jane
Antonia and Jane
Antonia and Jane is a 1991 comedy film directed by Beeban Kidron and starring Imelda Staunton, Saskia Reeves, Brenda Bruce and Bill Nighy. It is about two mismatched woman friends who have had a love–hate relationship with each other since childhood....
, Wingfield has appeared in the feature films X2: X-Men United
X2 (film)
X2 is a 2003 superhero film based on the fictional characters the X-Men. Directed by Bryan Singer, it is the second film in the X-Men film series...
, Highlander: Endgame
Highlander: Endgame
Highlander: Endgame is a 2000 fantasy film originally released on September 1, 2000. It is the fourth theatrical release in the Highlander film series, and it serves as both a continuation of the Highlander films and the Highlander television series...
(reprising the role of Methos
Methos
Methos is a fictional character from the Highlander universe - the film series, the television show Highlander: The Series, and several fiction books. He is an Immortal. He is portrayed by actor Peter Wingfield in both series and the movies. Methos, as one of the The Four Horsemen, represents...
), Edge of Madness
Edge of Madness
Edge of Madness is a 2002 drama film based on the short story A Wilderness Station, written by Alice Munro. It stars Brendan Fehr, Caroline Dhavernas, and Corey Sevier.-Plot:...
, Baby Geniuses 2, Catwoman
Catwoman (film)
Catwoman is a 2004 American superhero film and quasi-spinoff of the Batman film series directed by Pitof and released by Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures on July 23, 2004....
and Uncovered
Uncovered (film)
Uncovered is a 1994 film based on Arturo Perez-Reverte's The Flanders Panel. It was directed by Jim McBride. The leading actress was Kate Beckinsale as the main character Julia.-Plot:...
.
While filming the fifth Highlander movie Highlander: The Source
Highlander: The Source
Highlander: The Source is the fifth installment of the Highlander film series, directed by Brett Leonard, and was intended to be the first film of a planned trilogy on SciFi Channel though no further direct sequels are currently planned. Adrian Paul reprises his role as Duncan MacLeod from the...
, Wingfield related his love for Methos:
From August 2006 to October 2007, he appeared in the BBC medical drama Holby City
Holby City
Holby City, stylised as Holby Ci+y, is a British medical drama television series that airs weekly on BBC One.The series was created by Tony McHale and Mal Young as a spin-off from the established BBC medical drama Casualty, and premiered on 12 January 1999...
, playing General Surgical
General surgery
General surgery, despite its name, is a surgical specialty that focuses on abdominal organs, e.g., intestines including esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and bile ducts, and often the thyroid gland . They also deal with diseases involving the skin, breast, soft...
Consultant
Consultant (medicine)
In the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, and parts of the Commonwealth, consultant is the title of a senior doctor who has completed all of his or her specialist training and been placed on the specialist register in their chosen specialty...
Daniel Clifford. Wingfield played the recurring role of David Emerson on Season 7
24 (season 7)
Season Seven, also known as Day 7 of the American serial television series 24, was to premiere on January 13, 2008, but was delayed for one year due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike. On November 23, 2008, Fox aired 24: Redemption, a two-hour TV movie set between seasons. Season...
of 24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
. He also played Dr. Watson on the science fiction series Sanctuary. In 2010, Wingfield starred in the remake of Riverworld
Riverworld (2010 film)
- Caretakers :The caretakers appear as blue-skinned robe-clad figures who watch over the humans. They were the beings who created Riverworld and are occasionally described as "demons." The caretakers are mostly divided between two separate factions: the Salvationists and the Second Chancers -...
, playing Sir Richard Francis Burton. He has had guest roles in Human Target, NCIS: Los Angeles, and Alphas
Alphas
Alphas is an American science fiction dramatic television series created by Zak Penn and Michael Karnow. The series follows a group of people with superhuman abilities, known as "Alphas", as they work to prevent crimes committed by other Alphas....
. He has recently appeared in episodes of Caprica. Work in TV movies include Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge
Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge
Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge is a 2001 Disney Channel Original Movie released for the holiday of Halloween. This is the second in the Halloweentown series.-Plot:...
and the Syfy original film Stonehenge Apocalypse
Stonehenge Apocalypse
Stonehenge Apocalypse is a 2010 made-for-TV American science fiction movie starring Misha Collins, Torri Higginson and Peter Wingfield. The movie follows a series of deaths, natural disasters, and strange energy readings that seem to be mysteriously connected to Stonehenge.-Plot:Jacob Glaser,...
.