# Philip Bretherton
**Philip Bretherton** (born 1955) is an English actor from [Lancashire](https://www.edgepedia.org/lancashire) whose screen work spans four decades of British television, best known as Alistair Deacon in the sitcom *As Time Goes By*, and who continues to work in West End and regional theater.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0107857/bio/) • [2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/philip-bretherton/credits/3030309512/) • [3](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/philip_bretherton/) His film credits include *[Cry Freedom](https://www.edgepedia.org/cry-freedom)*, *Christabel*, *Dark Floors*, and *The Fifth Estate* (2013).[4](https://www.holby.tv/philip-bretherton/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0107857/bio/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1955, Lancashire, England, UK; birth place given as Preston, Lancashire[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0107857/bio/) • [2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/philip-bretherton/credits/3030309512/) |
| Signature role | Alistair Deacon in *As Time Goes By*, from Series 1 (1992) through the 2005 Christmas Special[3](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/philip_bretherton/) |
| Co-stars in that role | Appeared alongside Dame Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer[5](https://www.damngoodvoices.com/Talents/Philip-Bretherton) |
| Training and early stage | University of Manchester; performed at Birmingham Repertory Theatre[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0107857/bio/) |
| Notable stage role | Tony Benn in *Tony's Last Tape*, revived at the Clapham Omnibus Theatre in April 2019[6](https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/BWW-Interview-Philip-Bretherton-Talks-TONYS-LAST-TAPE-at-the-Omnibus-Theatre-20190312) |
| Recent theater | Malcolm (replacement) in *A Role to Die For* at the Marylebone Theatre, 2025[7](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Philip-Bretherton/) |
| Voice work | London-based voiceover artist with a home studio approved by the RNIB Talking Books Team[5](https://www.damngoodvoices.com/Talents/Philip-Bretherton) |
## Early life and training
Bretherton was born in 1955 in Lancashire, England, and [TV Guide](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-guide) lists his birth place as Preston, Lancashire.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0107857/bio/) • [2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/philip-bretherton/credits/3030309512/) His own agency profile describes him as born and bred in Lancashire.[5](https://www.damngoodvoices.com/Talents/Philip-Bretherton) He attended the [University of Manchester](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-manchester) and performed at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0107857/bio/)
## As Time Goes By and television career
**Alistair Deacon.** The role that most identified Bretherton with British television audiences is Alistair Deacon in *[As Time Goes By](https://www.edgepedia.org/as-time-goes-by-tv-series)*, the romantic comedy starring [Judi Dench](https://www.edgepedia.org/judi-dench) and Geoffrey Palmer, in which he was a regular.[5](https://www.damngoodvoices.com/Talents/Philip-Bretherton) The British Comedy Guide credit list shows him playing Alistair from Series 1 in 1992 through Series 9 in 2002, and then returning for the 2005 Christmas Special, appearing in every series of the show's run.[3](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/philip_bretherton/) He and fellow cast member Moira Brooker later appeared in Johnston, Iowa, at an Iowa Public Television pledge drive to garner support for funding British comedies.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0107857/bio/)
Beyond the sitcom, his television credits are extensive and largely as a guest performer in British series drama and comedy: *Inspector Morse*, *The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes*, *At Bertram's Hotel*, *Vanity Fair*, *Christabel*, *Coronation Street*, *The Paradise Club*, *The Day Today*, *Hollyoaks*, *Reach for the Moon*, *Real Women*, *Wing and a Prayer*, *Family Affairs*, *Casualty*, *Footballer's Wives*, *[New Tricks](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-tricks)*, *Murder in Suburbia*, *The Bill*, *Doctors*, *Midsomer Murders*, and *Silk*.[4](https://www.holby.tv/philip-bretherton/) • [2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/philip-bretherton/credits/3030309512/) In *The Day Today* (1994), [Armando Iannucci](https://www.edgepedia.org/armando-iannucci) and Chris Morris's news satire, he appeared as an ensemble actor in Episode Five of Series 1.[3](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/philip_bretherton/) His film work includes *Cry Freedom*, *Christabel*, and *Dark Floors*.[4](https://www.holby.tv/philip-bretherton/) IMDb identifies him with *The Fifth Estate* (2013), *As Time Goes By* (1992), and *Coronation Street* (1960).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0107857/bio/)
## Theatre
Bretherton's theater credits are broad, ranging across classic and contemporary writing. Holby.tv's credit list includes *Blithe Spirit*, *The Importance of Being Earnest*, *Private Lives*, *Noises Off*, *[Pygmalion](https://www.edgepedia.org/pygmalion-play)*, *Present Laughter*, *An Ideal Husband*, *Who's Afraid of the Virginia Woolfe*, *Mary Stuart*, *The Medea*, *St Joan*, and *The Wizard of Oz*, among many others.[4](https://www.holby.tv/philip-bretherton/)
**Tony's Last Tape.** In 2019 Bretherton played [Tony Benn](https://www.edgepedia.org/tony-benn) in *Tony's Last Tape*, Andy Baker's one-man dramatization of the politician's audio diaries, revived at the Clapham Omnibus Theatre in April 2019.[6](https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/BWW-Interview-Philip-Bretherton-Talks-TONYS-LAST-TAPE-at-the-Omnibus-Theatre-20190312) In an interview he explained his approach to the voice: Benn's way of pitching his voice when making a speech was very particular to him, so there were certain hooks to hang the performance on.[6](https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/BWW-Interview-Philip-Bretherton-Talks-TONYS-LAST-TAPE-at-the-Omnibus-Theatre-20190312) The review site The Peg gave the production three stars, writing that, mimicking the power and conviction in Benn's oratory, Bretherton nevertheless captured a degree of humility and pathos in his portrayal of Benn in the late years of his career, and that he rendered Benn's oratorical charisma as he reflected on the ill-advised nature of England going to war in Iraq, with words taken directly from Tony's 1998 speech to Parliament.[8](https://thepegreview.com/2019/04/05/%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85-tonys-last-tape/) The Morning Star's interview framed the performance around the question of whether Britain would see Benn's like again, describing the play as a dramatization of the diaries of one of Britain's most respected, divisive and celebrated politicians.[9](https://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/article/%E2%80%98will-we-see-his-again%E2%80%99)
**Recent work.** In 2023 he played Frank Foster in Wiltshire Creative's production of Alan Ayckbourn's *How the Other Half Loves*, directed by Gareth Machin, which opened on 14 February 2023.[7](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Philip-Bretherton/) In 2025 he appeared in *The Da Vinci Code* at Salisbury Playhouse[7](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Philip-Bretherton/) and joined the London cast of Jordan Waller's comedy *A Role to Die For*, which transferred from Cirencester's Barn Theatre to the Marylebone Theatre in a production directed by Derek Bond; Bretherton took over the role of Malcolm.[7](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Philip-Bretherton/)
## Voiceover work
Bretherton also works as a voiceover artist from a London home studio. His profile with the agency Damn Good Voices lists a playing age of 50s to 60s, neutral Northern and RP accents, and a delivery described as assured, confident, dynamic, mature, rich, and strong, suitable for everything from gritty documentary narration to commercial work.[5](https://www.damngoodvoices.com/Talents/Philip-Bretherton) His setup uses a Focusrite Scarlett Solo Studio microphone and Audacity software, with connections over Zoom, Facetime, or Cleanfeed, and the studio is approved by the RNIB Talking Books Team.[5](https://www.damngoodvoices.com/Talents/Philip-Bretherton)
## References
1. [Philip Bretherton Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0107857/bio/)
2. [Philip Bretherton, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/philip-bretherton/credits/3030309512/)
3. [Philip Bretherton, British Comedy Guide](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/philip_bretherton/)
4. [Philip Bretherton, holby.tv](https://www.holby.tv/philip-bretherton/)
5. [Philip Bretherton voiceover profile, Damn Good Voices](https://www.damngoodvoices.com/Talents/Philip-Bretherton)
6. [BWW Interview: Philip Bretherton Talks TONY'S LAST TAPE at the Omnibus Theatre, BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/BWW-Interview-Philip-Bretherton-Talks-TONYS-LAST-TAPE-at-the-Omnibus-Theatre-20190312)
7. [Philip Bretherton, BroadwayWorld person page](https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Philip-Bretherton/)
8. [Tony's Last Tape review, The Peg](https://thepegreview.com/2019/04/05/%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85-tonys-last-tape/)
9. ['Will we see his like again?', Morning Star](https://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/article/%E2%80%98will-we-see-his-again%E2%80%99)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › English actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Be to B*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license