About Me

My History

Starting in Cornwall and my start in Showbusiness

Born in Cornwall in 1970, I gained an interest in acting when watching series being filmed in my village. Those series were the original Poldark filmed by the BBC between 1975 and 1977, and Penmarric in 1979. Soon I was on my way to London to find an agent, and had the good fortune to be accepted onto the books of one of the best, Sylvia Young.

I spent my 11th birthday on location, starring in Thames TVs schools programme The Shadow Cage, my 12th birthday on set starring in BBC TVs schools programme The Church and the Village, and my 13th birthday attending The Sylvia Young Theatre School in London.

A publicity shot of Me for Cornish newspapers to promote The Shadow Cage. It was taken at my parent's teashop in Pendeen, Cornwall, and the Cc badge is from Cape Cornwall Comprehensive School which I attended for a year before moving to London in1982.

London and Blackadder

Living in London was very different from living in Cornwall, but I loved the history of the great city, visiting museums, travelling on the Underground, and getting the chance to work on film sets. I did a couple of commercials, spent three years on Grange Hill at BBC Elstree where I was mostly a supporting artist but was at one point a member of a gang called 'The Smokers', and played Jason Swift in a Crimewatch reconstruction for the BBC.

When I was 16, I finished my time at Grange Hill, and left school. As I was about to leave I was asked what sort of thing I would like to do. I replied 'Comedy, preferably for the BBC, something like Blackadder' less than a year later, a few days after my 17th birthday, I was on the set of Blackadder, filming alongside Rowan Atkinson, Hugh Laurie, and Tony Robinson, playing the role of Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger in front of a live audience.

I have kept the scripts of almost every role I have ever had. These are some of my original Blackadder scripts with my hand-written changes made during rehearsals in 1987.

Further Roles and The Army

Further roles followed. I appeared in Yorkshire TVs Christmas is Coming where I was reunited with Grange Hill friend Lisa York who played my sister, while our parents were played by Alun Armstrong and Gwen Taylor.

Then in 1988 I played Dopper the member of a gang up to no good in BBCs crime series Rockliffe's Folly. As I turned 20, the roles got less for a while. I did some theatre, then travelled. My first trip was to the other side of the world, and a love of travel has stayed with me ever since.

In 1993, I joined The Royal Corps of Signals as a Territorial Signaller. Here, my time onscreen served me well, and I was treated a little differently from others as most of the British Army were Blackadder fans.

Me, seven years after Blackadder, during my basic training at Catterick Garrison in Yorkshire.

A Return to Cornwall and then onto New Places

I left The Royal Corps of Signals when I returned to Cornwall in 1996. In 1997 I took part in the 365 mile march from Cornwall to London to mark the 500th Anniversary of the Cornish Uprising. This I did wearing a Cornish Kilt all the way.

I had some roles in independent films and stage productions in Cornwall, and if you look hard enough you may even be able to spot me as a policeman in ITVs Wycliffe.

In 1999 I met Penny, and in 2000 we were married. We have a son, William - also in the film business - and I have to say I couldn't have a better or more supportive wife or son than what I have in Penny and William.

We have had many adventures all over the world, and eventually we found ourselves living in South Wales.

I have always had a love of history, but attending stage school meant I didn't place too much importance in gaining any qualifications. I therefore decided to get a degree, and I graduated with a BA (Hons) in History from the Open University in 2016.

I then spent a few years working in museums and heritage, and now with a return to performing, I am also offering these historical talks as History Pitt.

Me, on the march somewhere between Cornwall and London. I wore the same kilt when I married Penny, and it still gets worn every New Year's Eve, and St Piran's Day.

Thank You for Reading! Anyone who would like any more details on my adventures, my Personal History, Behind the Scenes, Travelogue and Blackadder inspired History Blog can be accessed via the Blog link at the the top and bottom of the page!