Who is Alun Armstrong? Actor who plays Clifford Bentley in Prime Suspect 1973 and star of New Tricks
ALUN Armstrong has had an impressive TV and film career spanning 50 years.
In his new role he is set to play Clifford Bentley in ITV cop drama Prime Suspect 1973. Here's all you need to know about the veteran actor.
Who is Alun Armstrong?
Alun, born "Alan", is a 70-year-old British actor who grew up in County Durham, North East England.
Both of his parents were preachers, though his dad also worked as a winding engineer in the local pit.
He auditioned for RADA but wasn't offered a place and instead studied fine art at Newcastle University. He was later expelled because he stopped turning up to classes.
Alun went on to do odd jobs before he tried his hand at acting again.
He has been married to Susan J. Bairstow since 1977 and they have three children together.
Who does Alun Armstrong play in Prime Suspect 1973?
Alun plays Clifford Bentley in the new ITV drama.
His character is a hardened criminal and has robbed lots of banks before.
Speaking to website Bradford Zone, he was asked whether he enjoyed playing a criminal.
He revealed: "I did because I spent all those years playing a cop in New Tricks so it’s nice to get back on the other side of the law for a change.
"Obviously he’s trying to escape from policemen all the time and get out of their way. He’s a pretty foul character in a way. He doesn’t have many saving graces so it’s nice to play somebody with rather questionable morality."
What other roles has Alun Armstrong had?
Alun is probably best known for his role as Brian Lane in New Tricks from 2003 to 2013, but he has played many parts before and since.
He has appeared in seven adaptations of Charles Dickens' novels, including two versions of Oliver Twist (1999 and 2005) and Little Dorrit (2008).
Most recently he has played Lord Benton in TV series Frontier, starring Game of Thrones star Jason Momoa.
