Nicholas Lyndhurst Age: From Child Actor To Winning Awards

Nicholas Simon Lyndhurst or more commonly known as Nicholas Lyndhurst is a highly talented and well-loved English actor. His appearances in TV series have made him famous and he is now a favourite among the British households. 

Starting out as a child actor and paving his way towards stardom, Nicholas has come through a tough yet glorious journey. 

More about Nicholas Lyndhurst’s age, family and personality…

Who Is Nicholas Lyndhurst? 

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Nicholas Lyndhurst was born in Emsworth, Hampshire but now he lives in West Sussex with his wife, Lucy Smith and their son Archie. 

Looks like Nicholas is not the only talented artist in the family, his wife is too! Lucy used to be a ballet dancer for the English National Ballet, but has now retired. 

Fun Fact: Nicholas loves underwater diving, beekeeping and he owns aeroplanes that he enjoys piloting. 

What Is Nicholas Lyndhurst’s Age To Be Exact? 

If he started his acting journey in the late 70’s and is still making an impact, how old could he be now? 

Unbelievably, Nicholas Lyndhurst’s age is 59! He was born in April 1961! Yet, he manages to look young and still exudes a vibrant charm that makes us question his age! 

The Child Star Endured A Very Tough Childhood

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In fact, it is the financial hardship he and his mother faced that turned him into a child star. In his own words, 

“Fortunately for both of us, I was quite a cute-looking blond-haired kid and I was given the opportunity to appear in a few commercials, so I could earn enough to pay the fees.”

He landed the lead role in The Prince And The Pauper in 1976 and paid his boarding school fees using the payment. 

Nicholas was born from the affair between his father, Joe and his mum, Liz. They met at a holiday camp and Liz was not aware then that Joe was a married man. 

After Nicholas was born, Joe left but returned when Nicholas was eight years old. However, he left once again and then and it was just Nicholas and his mum.

Suffice to say, Nicholas got a taste of the bitter struggles of adulthood early on. 

“I worked out very early on that if that was what he wanted to do, then that’s what he had to do. I remember listening to my parents shout at each other. When that stopped, there was a great sense of relief. It was nice and quiet. I did miss him, but the peace was worth it.”

“We were very poor when he left. Not just hiding from the gas man but poverty-stricken. Beachcombing to find food. I thought it was fun, I wasn’t told that if you didn’t forage you weren’t going to eat, I had the happiest childhood, I really did. Mum had stresses, but I never knew that.”

His Remarkable Career Over The Years…

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After his debut into the industry as a child actor, he went on to gain national fame when he acted in the British sitcom Butterflies. 

After the series Butterflies, Nicholas rose to even more fame when he played Rodney Trotter in Only Fools and Horses, as the younger brother of the lead character Derek Trotter played by Sir David Jason. 

Moving on, Nicholas also acted as the villain Uriah Heep in David Copperfield and his co-stars were Danial Radcliffe and Dame Maggie Smith. 

Apart from that, Nicholas Lyndhurst played Gary Sparrow, the lead in Goodnight Sweetheart. 

Another remarkable character he pulled off is Freddie Robdal the gangster father of Rodney Trotter in the prequel to Only Fools and Horses, Rock & Chips (James Buckley is part of the cast too!).

Awards And Accolades

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His performance in Only Fools and Horses greatly captured the hearts of many and what’s more, he was even nominated thrice for BAFTA and other awards: 

• BAFTA TV Award for Best Light Entertainment Performance in 1987 and 1991 
• BAFTA TV Awards for Best Comedy Performance in 1997
• British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Actor in 1997
• National Television Award for Most Popular Comedy Performer in 1981

Surprisingly, he won the Most Popular Comedy Performer in the National Television Award in 1998 and 1999 for his performance in Goodnight Sweetheart. 

Fun Fact: Nicholas did win a BAFTA for an advert he did for the popular stationery chain store WH Smith. 

To top it all off, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Sir David Jason received the very prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards at the National Film Awards UK in 2017. 

With over 1.5 million voting in to celebrate their accomplishments over the years, the pair have proved that they did justice to the roles they played in Only Fools and Horses.

Nicholas (Rodney) Is Famous And Cherished Even After All These Years

Rodney Trotter of Only Fools and Horses is still a household name nearly four decades after its first airing. 

See for yourself! Nicholas’ Twitter is filled with fans who post random Rodney references and items they find on a daily basis. 

His Most Recent And Remarkable Venture…

Most recently, he played the Governer/Innkeeper in Man of La Mancha for English National Opera at the London Coliseum. He worked with Kelsey Grammer who played the lead, and according to Nicholas, 

“I pinch myself every morning because I am going to work with Kelsey Grammer. It’s outstanding. I’ve admired him for decades. I’ve seen everything he’s done.”

Remarkably, with all the talented artists in the house, the show garnered sweet responses from the audience! 

What Is The Net Worth Of The Award-Winning Actor?

Interestingly, when he started out working with BBC for Only Fools and Horses he didn’t make a lot of money. 

Apparently, his BBC salary didn’t make him a millionaire but he has done well enough (this is how well he has done!) over the years to be picky about the projects he wants to be a part of now. 

The Shy And Highly Private Star

Nicholas is widely recognised across the British households and even by youngsters today who have been enthralled with his performances. Surprisingly, he is a shy and private person, so much so he changed his wedding date to ensure his privacy. 

On another note, the actor had admitted his dislike of attention, fame and public life. 

Image Source/FarmWeek

“I adore being an actor, but I didn’t especially want to be famous. The thing about fame is that you can’t turn it off when it doesn’t suit you. When you’re not in the mood. When you’re busy. That doesn’t stop the next person coming up to you.”

“I often find myself in the canteen with the rest of the guys here, but I am reluctant to start a conversation. I’m not super-confident when it comes to breaking the ice.”

Endearingly, he also hates public events!

“I understand they want us to do the red- carpet thing, but if you could see my toes inside my highly polished shoes, they are absolutely curling up in horror. Every joint in my body is clenched.”

“I’ve tried to say to myself: “Just enjoy it. Relax.” But I can’t. I’m just that way I suppose. People say: “You can’t be shy and be in this business.” That’s not true for all of us. I don’t have many actor friends but the few I do have are naturally shy.”

How Does He Go On Stage And Perform Brilliantly If He Is Shy?

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Having said that, how could a remarkable actor who performs in front of a crowd feels so shy to appear in the public sphere? How does he perform then? 

Interestingly, Nicholas gets into character. More interestingly, he has never watched his own acting! 

“By getting into character. I couldn’t possibly go onto the stage at the London Coliseum as Nick Lyndhurst. Not in a million years. Providing I can go on as a character, that’s great.”

“I can’t bear watching myself. I don’t watch anything I make, though obviously I was there when it was being recorded.”