Born: 2nd October 1950
Episodes Broadcast: 2010-2011

Born in Basingstoke, Hampshire, Ian McNeice discovered his talent for performance as a result of personal tragedy. His older brother, Alistair, died in a traffic accident in 1956. McNeice found solace in eating and started to gain weight, making him the target of school bullies. His comedic ability proved to be an effective shield, leading to his involvement with student drama. In 1969, McNeice joined Salisbury Playhouse as an assistant stage manager, and soon began to take acting roles as well. His success prompted him to enroll at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, from which he graduated in 1974. McNeice spent four years with the Royal Shakespeare Company starting in 1977, during which he began a relationship with actress Kate Nicholls. They would have two sons, Travers and Angus, and a daughter named Maisie.

McNeice made only a handful of television appearances during the Seventies, including an episode of Warship and the telefilm The Common Lot. But that would change in the Eighties, especially after McNeice gained notice for his role in the thriller Edge Of Darkness. Other credits during the decade included The Cleopatras, Wipe Out and the 1989 adaptation of Around The World In 80 Days. McNeice also began to find work in movies, including the Val Kilmer comedy Top Secret! and 84 Charing Cross Road with Anthony Hopkins.

McNeice played the foil to Jim Carrey in the 1995 comedy sequel Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls

During the Nineties, McNeice could be seen in shows ranging from Ruth Rendell Mysteries to Stay Lucky to Chef! to the 1999 version of David Copperfield. He could also be seen in a number of high-profile movies, such as The Russia House starring Sean Connery, Hugh Grant's The Englishman Who Went Up A Hill But Came Down A Mountain, and The Beautician And The Beast with Fran Drescher. McNeice was now often resident in Hollywood, which contributed to the breakdown of his relationship with Nicholls. However, he soon began a long-term romance with production co-ordinator Cindy Franke, whom he met while playing the foil to Jim Carrey in the 1995 comedy sequel Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls.

After the turn of the century, McNeice's television roles included Midsomer Murders, two mini-series based on Frank Herbert's Dune novels, and as a regular in Rome. He also joined the cast of Doc Martin, appearing from its debut in 2004 through to its tenth and final season in 2022. McNeice remained a regular presence on the silver screen, earning credits in films like the ensemble romance Town & Country, the Tim Burton thriller From Hell, Valkyrie with Tom Cruise, and another dramatisation of Around The World In 80 Days -- this time starring Jackie Chan. In 2007, he appeared in the Eighth Doctor audio drama Immortal Beloved for Big Finish Productions. The next year, McNeice appeared at the National Theatre, playing Winston Churchill opposite Jeremy Irons' Harold Macmillan in Never So Good.

Ironically, Doctor Who and Churchill would both loom large in McNeice's future: he was soon cast as the Prime Minister during Matt Smith's first season as the Eleventh Doctor, which was broadcast during 2010. McNeice made three appearances during the year -- most notably in Victory Of The Daleks -- with Churchill being established as a frequent ally of the Doctor's. He soon returned to portray an imperial version of Churchill from an alternate timeline in the 2011 season finale, The Wedding Of River Song. Another role for Big Finish followed, this time in 2012's Fourth Doctor adventure The Renaissance Man. McNeice then began reprising Churchill for Big Finish, beginning with Volume One of The Churchill Years in 2016.

Away from Doctor Who, McNeice's television work during the 2010s included Jonathan Creek and The Mystery Of Edwin Drood. He also continued to make occasional movie appearances, such as The Man Who Invented Christmas and Nativity 2: Danger In The Manger!, where he was the on-screen father to the character played by former Doctor Who lead actor David Tennant. McNeice continued to act into the Twenties, appearing in an episode of Foundation.