Nigel Harman's Biography

Nigel Harman was born on 11 August 1973 in Purley, Surrey.

He was just 8 when he first appeared on television in an Oxo stock cube commercial. When Nigel was 10, he attended the same dance school as fellow EastEnders star, Lucy Speed, and Harman performed in his first musical - in The Sound of Music alongside Petula Clark.

When Nigel Harman was just 11, he came third in a talent show, singing 'Razzle Dazzle' from Chicago.

Nigel Harman acted in various plays and musicals including Tommy, Damn Yankees, Mamma Mia, Pirates Of Penzance, Three Sisters, My One And Only, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado About Nothing and Privates On Parade.

When Nigel worked on Mamma Mia he met Jessie Wallace, who plays EastEnders' Kat Slater. She was the production's make-up artist.

Nigel Harman got his big break in EastEnders as Dennis Rickman, the son of 'Dirty' Den Watts. He first appeared in EastEnders on 14 April 2003.

Harman's entry into the show was well received, The Guardian's review of EastEnders said:

"Also getting handy with his fists was Dennis Rickman (Nigel Harman), who wins my vote as The Most Welcome Addition to EastEnders Since Paul Nicholls. Last night's episode ended with Dirty Den Junior punching Phil Mitchell's lights out, as a nation stood to cheer ... it was a star-making moment ..."

Before joining EastEnders Nigel Harman acted on TV in Alas Smith & Jones, Coupling, The Girl with One Heart, The Bill, Red Cap, Doctors, and Crush.

Nigel Harman failed two auditions for EastEnders before landing the role of Dennis Rickman.

Initially spotted while acting in Mamma Mia, Harman auditioned as a policeman, but was unsuccessful. Harman then auditioned as a fireman and again didn't get the part.

Nigel Harman was named most popular newcomer at the National Television Awards 2003 and won two awards as best actor and sexiest male at the Inside Soap awards 2004. A feat he replicated a year later.

Nigel Harman's character Dennis Rickman was murdered in the last episode of EastEnders in 2005.

Meanwhile Nigel Harman had taken over from Ewan McGregor as playboy gangster Sky Masterson in the West End's Guys and Dolls - opposite former Coronation Street star, Sarah Lancashire.

Harman's other theatre work includes appearing in The Caretaker at the Tricycle Theatre and Three Days of Rain at the Apollo Theatre.

In 2009 Nigel Harman was cast as businessman Sam Franklin in BBC One's Hotel Babylon.

Also in 2009, Nigel Harman starred in the film Telstar: The Joe Meek Story.

His subsequent television credits include Downton Abbey and Mount Pleasant.

His numerous stage credits include playing Simon Cowell in the musical I Can't Sing! The X Factor Musical and Lord Farquaad in Shrek The Musical.

He was later appointed director of Shrek The Musical when it went on tour.

In 2023, Nigel joined the BBC's medical drama Casualty, playing Max Cristie, Holby ED’s new Clinical Lead.

He was paired with Katya Jones on Strictly Come Dancing in 2023.

Nigel and Katya reached the last five couples in the show, but they had to pull out because Nigel sustained an injury in rehearsal.