Daniel Rigby is an English actor and comedian who won a BAFTA for playing Eric Morecambe, one of Britain's best-loved comics. Since then, he has moved easily between television, film, radio and the stage. He has also lent his voice to Teletubbies and Watership Down.
Soon he will reach a much bigger audience. He plays Vernon Dursley in HBO's Harry Potter series.
This guide covers his early life, his career and his awards. It also covers his best-known screen and theatre roles, plus what he is doing next.
Who Is Daniel Rigby?
Daniel Rigby's Background and Acting Career
Rigby was born on 6 December 1982 and is 43 years old. He grew up in the Stockport area of Greater Manchester. Some profiles list his birthplace as nearby Cheadle Hulme.
He started as a stand-up comic, then trained as an actor. Today he is known for sharp comic timing and for performances that can turn serious without warning.
What Is Daniel Rigby Best Known For?
Most people know him for three things:
- Eric and Ernie (2011): his BAFTA-winning role as Eric Morecambe.
- Flowers (2016–2018): the dark comedy in which he co-starred with Olivia Colman.
- Accidental Death of an Anarchist (2022–2023): the manic stage comedy that earned him a UK Theatre Award.
Many viewers also remember his role in the Black Mirror episode "The Waldo Moment".
Early Life and Education
Growing Up in Stockport
Rigby grew up in Stockport. In one interview, he described himself as a kid fixated on comedy heroes such as Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer and Chris Morris. Years later, Reeves played Eric Morecambe's father in Eric and Ernie, a full-circle moment.
He has said he wanted to be a comedian because making people laugh mattered so much to him.
Education and Acting Training
Rigby attended Cheadle Hulme School. He then studied performing arts at Stockport College before training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). He graduated from RADA in 2004.
Stockport College later celebrated him as a former performing arts student who won a leading actor BAFTA. If you enjoy reading about how actors found their footing, our profile of Edward Norton is another place to start.
Daniel Rigby's Career Journey
His Early Career as a Stand-Up Comedian
Comedy came first. In 2007, he won the Laughing Horse New Act of the Year award and appeared in the So You Think You're Funny competition.
He later took solo shows to the Edinburgh Fringe, including The Mothwokfantastic, Afterbirth and Berk in Progress. That live-comedy training still shows in his stage work. He knows how to hold a room.
Breakthrough Performance as Eric Morecambe
In 2011, he played Eric Morecambe in the BBC drama Eric and Ernie. The film follows the early days of Morecambe's partnership with Ernie Wise.
The role made his name. Before it, few people outside comedy and theatre circles knew who he was.
BAFTA Award and Career Achievements
Rigby won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor for the role. He was seen as the outsider in that category. The other nominees included Matt Smith, Benedict Cumberbatch and Jim Broadbent.
His other major awards are:
- BAFTA TV Award, Best Actor for Eric and Ernie.
- Manchester Theatre Award, Best Actor for playing Alan Turing in Breaking the Code at the Royal Exchange, Manchester. He received it in March 2017.
- UK Theatre Award, Best Performance in a Play for Accidental Death of an Anarchist, according to his National Theatre biography.
Daniel Rigby Movies and TV Shows
Television has given Rigby his widest range. He has played everything from an awkward teacher to a bumbling police officer to a fantasy villain's sidekick.
Popular Television Roles
Black Mirror
In the 2013 episode "The Waldo Moment", Rigby plays Jamie Salter. Jamie is a struggling comedian who voices a rude cartoon bear. The character unexpectedly becomes a political force. It is one of the more unsettling episodes of the series, and Rigby plays it with real heart.
Flowers
In Flowers, he plays Donald, part of the troubled Flowers family. The show ran for two series from 2016 to 2018. It mixes grief, jokes and family secrets, and it stars Olivia Colman and Julian Barratt. Many critics see it as a high point of British dark comedy.
Big School and Sick Note
In the BBC comedy Big School (2013–2014), he played a teacher, Mr Martin. In Sick Note (2017–2018), he played Officer Hayward. Both roles lean on his comic skills, and both show he can steal a scene with very little screen time.
For readers who like to follow actors across different projects, our piece on John Catesby Harington covers another name worth a look.
Renegade Nell and Other TV Appearances
In The Ballad of Renegade Nell (2024), he plays Jack Trotter. His other television work includes:
- Landscapers (2021), as DCI Tony Collier.
- Tom Jones (2023), as Partridge.
- The Witchfinder (BBC Two), as Hebble.
- I, Jack Wright (2025), as John Wright.
- Undercover (2015), as DS Chris Anderson.
Daniel Rigby's Film Roles
Film has been a smaller part of his career than TV and theatre. His main credits include Flyboys (2006), The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021) and the 2026 film Cold Storage. In The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, he plays Bendigo. In Cold Storage, he plays Anthony.
Complete Filmography and Acting Credits
Here is a quick reference to his main credits:
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Flyboys | Ives | Film |
| 2011 | Eric and Ernie | Eric Morecambe | TV film |
| 2013 | Black Mirror: "The Waldo Moment" | Jamie Salter | TV |
| 2013–2014 | Big School | Mr Martin | TV |
| 2016–2018 | Flowers | Donald | TV |
| 2017–2018 | Sick Note | Officer Hayward | TV |
| 2018 | Watership Down | Dandelion (voice) | TV |
| 2021 | Landscapers | DCI Tony Collier | TV |
| 2021 | The Electrical Life of Louis Wain | Bendigo | Film |
| 2023 | Tom Jones | Partridge | TV |
| 2024 | The Ballad of Renegade Nell | Jack Trotter | TV |
| 2025 | I, Jack Wright | John Wright | TV |
| 2026 | Cold Storage | Anthony | Film |
| 2026 | Harry Potter (HBO) | Vernon Dursley | TV |
This is a selection, not every credit he has.
Daniel Rigby's Theatre Career
Many critics see the stage as Rigby's home turf.
Accidental Death of an Anarchist
In Tom Basden's adaptation of Dario Fo's play, Rigby plays the Maniac, a trickster who talks his way through a police station. The production began at Sheffield Theatres. It then moved to the Lyric Hammersmith and the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 2023.
Reviewers described him as tireless, fast and funny. Time Out named him one of its top performers of 2023, calling him "UK theatre's greatest comic performer."
One Man, Two Guvnors
In 2011, he joined the National Theatre cast of One Man, Two Guvnors as Alan Dangle. The show starred James Corden. It transferred to the West End and to Broadway's Music Box Theatre.
Shakespearean Performances and Other Stage Productions
Rigby has also worked in classical theatre. His credits include:
- Hamlet (an early production directed by Yukio Ninagawa, including a run at the Barbican).
- A Midsummer Night's Dream, in New York and London, and later at Sheffield Crucible.
- Twelfth Night at the National Theatre.
- Frost/Nixon at Sheffield Crucible, as David Frost.
- Noises Off at the Lyric Hammersmith.
- Roald Dahl's The Witches at the National Theatre, as hotelier Mr Stringer.
Theatre Awards and Recognition
His main stage honours are the Manchester Theatre Award for Breaking the Code and the UK Theatre Award for Accidental Death of an Anarchist. Both show he can handle drama as well as farce.
Voice Acting, Audiobooks and Writing
Teletubbies and Watership Down
From 2015, Rigby narrated the revived BBC series Teletubbies. In 2018, he voiced Dandelion in the BBC and Netflix version of Watership Down.
Isaac Steele Audiobooks and Novels
In 2021, he wrote and performed the audiobook novel Isaac Steele and the Forever Man, a sci-fi story. It shows a side of him many viewers don't see.
Other Voice Acting Projects
On radio, he voiced the title role in the BBC Radio 4 sitcom ReincarNathan in 2019. He also appeared in Warhorses of Letters alongside Stephen Fry. His voice work includes narration for factual TV as well.
Daniel Rigby's Recent and Upcoming Projects
Recent Film and Television Work
Recent credits include Renegade Nell, Tom Jones, I, Jack Wright, and the film Cold Storage. Variety has also reported that he is set to appear in Amazon's Blade Runner 2099.
Upcoming Productions and Future Projects
The biggest project is HBO's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Rigby plays Vernon Dursley, Harry's gruff uncle. In the films, Richard Griffiths played the role. Bel Powley plays Aunt Petunia.
HBO has set the premiere for 25 December 2026. Release dates can shift, so confirm the latest date before you plan your viewing.
If you follow casting news across film and TV, our profile of Aliza Barber may be worth a read too.
Why Daniel Rigby Is Worth Watching
Rigby is the rare performer who can be a stand-up comic, a BAFTA-winning TV lead and a West End show-carrier. If you want a place to start, watch Eric and Ernie for the BAFTA role, Flowers for dark comedy, and "The Waldo Moment" for something stranger.
Then look out for Vernon Dursley when HBO's Harry Potter arrives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Is Daniel Rigby?
Daniel Rigby is an English actor, comedian and writer born on 6 December 1982. He trained at RADA and works across TV, film, theatre and radio.
What Is Daniel Rigby Famous For?
He is famous for playing Eric Morecambe in Eric and Ernie, which won him a BAFTA. He is also known for Flowers, Black Mirror and Accidental Death of an Anarchist. Soon he will be known as Vernon Dursley.
Did Daniel Rigby Win a BAFTA?
Yes. He won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor for Eric and Ernie.
What Movies and TV Shows Has Daniel Rigby Appeared In?
His main TV credits include Black Mirror, Flowers, Big School, Sick Note, Landscapers, Tom Jones and Renegade Nell. His film credits include Flyboys, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain and Cold Storage.
What Are Daniel Rigby's Most Famous Theatre Roles?
His best-known stage roles are the Maniac in Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Alan Dangle in One Man, Two Guvnors, and Alan Turing in Breaking the Code.
