# Sean Pertwee
**Sean Pertwee** is an English actor, voice performer, and director whose career since the late 1980s spans film, television, stage, and voice work. He is best known for playing [Alfred Pennyworth](https://www.edgepedia.org/alfred-pennyworth) in the Fox series *Gotham* (2014–2019), Detective Lestrade in the CBS series *Elementary*, and Sergeant Harry G. Wells in [Neil Marshall](https://www.edgepedia.org/neil-marshall)'s film *Dog Soldiers* (2002).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0675730/bio/) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/2185/sean-pertwee) Born in London in 1964, he is the son of the comedy actor [Jon Pertwee](https://www.edgepedia.org/jon-pertwee), who played the third Doctor in *Doctor Who*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0675730/bio/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Sean Carl Roland Pertwee; born 1964 in London, England[3](https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/d_ZREsvezEubxgUFEaFo86iaSis/appointments) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0675730/bio/) |
| Training | Bristol Old Vic Theatre School; joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, starring in *Titus Andronicus* directed by Deborah Warner[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0675730/bio/) |
| Signature screen roles | Alfred Pennyworth in *Gotham* (88 episodes); Detective Lestrade in *Elementary*; Sgt. Harry G. Wells in *Dog Soldiers* (2002)[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/2185/sean-pertwee) • [4](https://www.agathachristie.com/film-and-tv/the-pale-horse/the-pale-horse-cast/sean-pertwee) |
| Production work | Cofounder of the Natural Nylon film company in 1997, with Ewan McGregor, Jude Law, Sadie Frost, Jonny Lee Miller, and others[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/sean-pertwee/) |
| Voice career | Narrator of *MasterChef: The Professionals*; video game voices including Killzone, Fable, and Assassin's Creed[4](https://www.agathachristie.com/film-and-tv/the-pale-horse/the-pale-horse-cast/sean-pertwee) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0675730/bio/) |
| Family | Son of Jon Pertwee; uncle Michael Pertwee and grandfather Roland Pertwee were screenwriters and playwrights; sister Dariel Pertwee is an actress[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0675730/bio/) |
| Recent work | *The Night Caller* (2024), *Silent Witness* (2025), *NCIS: Tony & Ziva* (2025), *The Hack* (2025), and *Good Omens* as Brian Cameron[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/2185/sean-pertwee) • [6](https://www.sueterryvoices.com/artist/sean-pertwee) |
## Family background
Pertwee was born into what his IMDb biography calls a famous British theatrical family. His father, Jon Pertwee, was mainly a comedy actor known for starring roles in *Doctor Who* (1963), *Worzel Gummidge* (1979), the radio comedy series *The Navy Lark*, and appearances in several *Carry On* films. Screenwriting and playwriting kept his uncle Michael Pertwee and grandfather Roland Pertwee busy throughout their careers, while [Bill Pertwee](https://www.edgepedia.org/bill-pertwee), a cousin on his father's side, appeared regularly in the sitcom *Dad's Army* (1968). His sister Dariel Pertwee is an actress.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0675730/bio/) [TV Guide](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-guide) identifies his mother as Ingeborg Rhoesa, Jon Pertwee's second wife.[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/sean-pertwee/)
## Training and stage work
Pertwee's professional acting career started with the [Royal Shakespeare Company](https://www.edgepedia.org/royal-shakespeare-company) once he had completed his studies at the [Bristol Old Vic Theatre School](https://www.edgepedia.org/bristol-old-vic-theatre-school), and his most prominent early role was as the star of *Titus Andronicus*, with Deborah Warner directing. After touring for three years, he continued his classical training by playing [Julius Caesar](https://www.edgepedia.org/julius-caesar) for the BBC and Macbeth in Michael Bogdanov's production for Channel 4 films.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0675730/bio/) Encyclopedia.com's credit list records Royal Shakespeare Company stage appearances in *A Question of Geography* (1987) and *The New Inn* (1987), and in *Titus Andronicus* (1988–89).[7](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/pertwee-sean-1964)
## Film career
Pertwee's film career began with the [Joe Orton](https://www.edgepedia.org/joe-orton) biopic *Prick Up Your Ears* (1987), directed by [Stephen Frears](https://www.edgepedia.org/stephen-frears), in which he appeared opposite [Gary Oldman](https://www.edgepedia.org/gary-oldman) and Alfred Molina. He went on to appear in Paul W. S. Anderson's *Shopping* (1994) opposite Jude Law, *Event Horizon* (1997), *Soldier* (1998), *Love, Honour and Obey* (2000), and *Doomsday* (2008), and played the lead role of Sergeant Harry G. Wells in Neil Marshall's *Dog Soldiers* (2002). Other credits include *Blue Juice* (1995) opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones and Ewan McGregor, *Formula 51* (2001) with Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Carlyle, and *Alan Partridge* (2013) opposite Steve Coogan.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0675730/bio/) • [4](https://www.agathachristie.com/film-and-tv/the-pale-horse/the-pale-horse-cast/sean-pertwee) His agent's CV also lists *Equilibrium* (2002) as Father, *Goal! The Dream Begins* (2005) as Barry Rankin, and Neil Marshall's *The Duchess* (2022) as Danny.[8](https://profile.tagmin.com/0u5zaw73o727c20qkem2txa2424v0ipja3zl7)
## Television
Pertwee's television work is extensive. Early roles included Jamie Douglas in *Chancer* (1990–91), Captain Heinz in *The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles* (1992), Jack Belford in *Clarissa* (1992), and Under-Sheriff Hugh Beringar in *Cadfael* (1994).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0675730/bio/) • [7](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/pertwee-sean-1964) He later played Detective Lestrade in the CBS series *Elementary* (2012) opposite [Jonny Lee Miller](https://www.edgepedia.org/jonny-lee-miller) as [Sherlock Holmes](https://www.edgepedia.org/sherlock-holmes), and appeared in *The Musketeers* (2014), *Poirot*, *Luther* (2010), and a recurring role in *Cold Feet*.[4](https://www.agathachristie.com/film-and-tv/the-pale-horse/the-pale-horse-cast/sean-pertwee)
**Gotham.** From 2014 Pertwee played Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne's unflappable butler and father figure, in the Warner Bros. series *Gotham*, which follows James Gordon's rise in [Gotham City](https://www.edgepedia.org/gotham-city) in the years before Batman's arrival. The series ran for five seasons, and TVmaze credits him with 88 episodes as Alfred.[4](https://www.agathachristie.com/film-and-tv/the-pale-horse/the-pale-horse-cast/sean-pertwee) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/2185/sean-pertwee)
**Recent roles.** His later television credits include Vic in series 4 of Netflix's *You* (2023), Detective Inspector Stanley Lejeune in the BBC's Agatha Christie adaptation *The Pale Horse* (2020), Jimmy in *Two Weeks to Live* (2020), Lawrence Brightway in Channel 5's *The Night Caller* (2024), DI John Flynn in *Silent Witness* (2025), [Aaron Graves](https://www.edgepedia.org/aaron-graves) in *NCIS: Tony & Ziva* (2025), and Sean Hoare in ITV's *The Hack* (2025), a series about the phone-hacking scandal and the Daniel Morgan murder investigation.[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/2185/sean-pertwee) • [6](https://www.sueterryvoices.com/artist/sean-pertwee) He also appears as Brian Cameron in *Good Omens*.[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/2185/sean-pertwee)
## Voice work and narration
Pertwee is a prolific voiceover artist, heard in documentaries, animated films, commercials, television series, and video games. His best-known narration job is *MasterChef: The Professionals*, and he returned to narrate the 21st series of *Celebrity MasterChef*.[4](https://www.agathachristie.com/film-and-tv/the-pale-horse/the-pale-horse-cast/sean-pertwee) • [6](https://www.sueterryvoices.com/artist/sean-pertwee) IMDb lists video game voices including *Fable*, *Killzone*, and *Assassin's Creed*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0675730/bio/) Earlier game credits recorded by Encyclopedia.com include the narrator of *Medieval: Total War* (2002) and Colonel Gregor Hakha in *Killzone* (2004).[7](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/pertwee-sean-1964) He has also narrated documentaries such as *Election: Behind the scenes at Sky News* (2024).[6](https://www.sueterryvoices.com/artist/sean-pertwee)
## Production and business interests
In 1997 Pertwee expanded behind the camera by founding the Natural Nylon production company with Ewan McGregor, Jude Law, Sadie Frost, Jonny Lee Miller, and others.[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/sean-pertwee/) Encyclopedia.com also records that he directed the short film *Another 24 Hours in London* (1996) and has worked as a designer of album covers, a painter, and an animator.[7](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/pertwee-sean-1964)
Companies House records three directorship appointments for Sean Carl Roland Pertwee. He has been a director of Pertwee Productions Limited since 21 March 2007, and the company is active. He was appointed a director of Pertwee, Anderson & Golding Limited on 13 June 2009 and resigned on 15 June 2015; that company is in liquidation. He was a director of Natural Nylon Entertainment Limited from 12 November 2001 until his resignation on 27 November 2002.[3](https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/d_ZREsvezEubxgUFEaFo86iaSis/appointments)
## Personal life
Encyclopedia.com records that Pertwee married Jacqui Hamilton-Smith in 1999.[7](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/pertwee-sean-1964)
## References
1. [Sean Pertwee – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0675730/bio/)
2. [Sean Pertwee, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/2185/sean-pertwee)
3. [Sean Carl Pertwee – personal appointments, Companies House](https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/d_ZREsvezEubxgUFEaFo86iaSis/appointments)
4. [Sean Pertwee, Agatha Christie official site](https://www.agathachristie.com/film-and-tv/the-pale-horse/the-pale-horse-cast/sean-pertwee)
5. [Sean Pertwee, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/sean-pertwee/)
6. [Sean Pertwee, Sue Terry Voices](https://www.sueterryvoices.com/artist/sean-pertwee)
7. [Pertwee, Sean 1964–, Encyclopedia.com (Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television)](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/pertwee-sean-1964)
8. [Sean Pertwee CV, B-Side Management Ltd](https://profile.tagmin.com/0u5zaw73o727c20qkem2txa2424v0ipja3zl7)
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*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 N to P*
*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