Don Gilet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Don Gilét
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|---|---|
| Born | 17 January 1967 Walsall, England
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1993—present |
| Television | EastEnders 55 Degrees North Holby City Old Jack's Boat Death in Paradise |
| Spouse(s) | Tracy Whitwell |
| Children | 1 |
Don Gilét is a well-known English actor, born on January 17, 1967. You might know him best from his roles as DS Nicky Cole in 55 Degrees North, Lucas Johnson in EastEnders, or Jesse Law in Holby City.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Don Gilét grew up in Caldmore, Walsall, with his two older sisters. He went to Whitehall Junior School and then Blue Coat Academy. He also attended Sunday school. Later, he studied acting at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, which helped him become the actor he is today.
Acting Career Highlights
Don Gilét's first time on TV was on a Channel 4 dating show called Streetmate. He was interviewed as a friend of someone taking part. His first big acting job was playing Johnny Lindo in Babyfather. After that, he got the main role in the detective show 55 Degrees North, where he played Detective Sergeant Nicky Cole.
In 2006, Don Gilét had a special guest role in the Doctor Who Christmas episode called "The Runaway Bride". He also appeared in a famous commercial for Apple's iMac G4 computer in 2001. This ad was called "Window Shopping" and showed him making gestures that the computer copied.
He has also had smaller roles in popular TV shows like Casualty, Holby City, Silent Witness, and The Bill. Don Gilét even appeared in music videos, including Gabrielle's 2001 hit song "Out of Reach".
Theatre and Pantomime
On stage, Don Gilét has performed in classic plays like As You Like It and The Alchemist. During Christmas, he has starred in pantomimes. In 2010, he played Abanazar in Aladdin in Bromley. The next year, he was in Jack and the Beanstalk in Dunstable.
Return to EastEnders
Don Gilét is very well-known for his role as Lucas Johnson in the soap opera EastEnders. His character first left the show in 2010. However, he returned to EastEnders in 2015 and again in 2020. He also made a brief guest appearance in 2024.
Other Notable Roles
In 2013, Don Gilét played several characters in a BBC radio show called Neverwhere, which was based on a book by Neil Gaiman. In 2014, he joined the cast of the BBC medical drama Holby City as Consultant Anaesthetist Jesse Law.
In 2017, he appeared in the TV series The Loch, playing a psychologist named Blake Albrighton. More recently, in 2022, he played Coach Harris in the BBC series Rebel Cheer Squad.
New Lead Role in Death in Paradise
In 2024, it was announced that Don Gilét would become the new lead detective in the BBC police drama Death in Paradise. He will play DI Mervin Wilson. Interestingly, he had previously appeared in the show in 2015 as a guest character named Andre Morgan.
Personal Life
Don Gilét used to live in Bedfordshire with his wife, Tracy Whitwell. Tracy is also an actress and an author. They have one son together.
Film and Television Roles
Don Gilét has appeared in many TV shows and films over the years. Here are some of his roles:
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991, 2003 | The Bill | Martin Fisher/Gary Heywood | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Desmond's | Gerard | Episode: "Lollipop Man" |
| 1993 | Demob | Oliver | 2 episodes |
| 1994 | The Imaginatively Titled Punt & Dennis Show | 2 episodes | |
| 1995 | Now What | TV movie | |
| 1998 | Brothers and Sisters | Martin Etienne | |
| 2000 | The Return of Nick Cotton | Biscuit | TV movie |
| 2001 | Casualty | Lee Freeman | Episode: "Lost and Found" |
| 2001-2002 | Babyfather | Johnny Lindo | 12 episodes |
| 2002 | Time Gentlemen Please | Jamie Hardy | Episode: "Storming Up a Cook" |
| 2002 | Cutting It | Errol | 1 episode |
| 2002, 2014-2016 | Holby City | Martin/Jesse Law | Regular (as Jesse Law) |
| 2002 | Single Voices | Denzel 'Degsy' Coker | Episode: "Degsy" |
| 2002-2003 | Fimbles | Voice | |
| 2003 | Doctors | P.C. Graham Mitchell | Episode: "Driving Me Mad" |
| 2003 | Silent Witness | Carlton Johns | 2 episodes |
| 2004 | Belly Button | Carl | Short film |
| 2004-2005 | 55 Degrees North | DS Nicky Cole | Main role |
| 2006 | The Line of Beauty | Leo Charles | 3 episodes |
| 2006 | Doctor Who | Lance Bennett | Episode: "The Runaway Bride" |
| 2006 | The Ruby in the Smoke | Henry Hopkins | TV film |
| 2007 | Cape Wrath | Freddie Marcuse | 8 episodes |
| 2008 | Hotel Babylon | Brad Shelford | 1 episode |
| 2008-2010, 2016, 2020-2021, 2024 | EastEnders | Lucas Johnson | Regular |
| 2010 | EastEnders: E20 | Lucas Johnson | 2 episodes |
| 2012 | One Night | DC Hutton | 4 episodes |
| 2012-2013 | Wizards vs Aliens | Richard Sherwood | 3 episodes |
| 2013 | Father Brown | Douglas Taylor | 1 episode |
| 2013-2014 | Old Jack's Boat | Captain Periwinkle | Regular |
| 2015, 2024- | Death in Paradise | Andre Morgan / DI Mervin Wilson | Lead role (as DI Mervin Wilson) |
| 2017 | The Loch | Blake Albrighton | 6 episodes |
| 2018 | Midsomer Murders | Bill Viner | Episode: "The Lions of Causton" |
| 2018 | Death on the Tyne | Alan | TV movie |
| 2019 | The Corrupted | DI Graham Patterson | |
| 2019 | George & the Dragon | George | Short film |
| 2019 | Scarborough | Joe Cassidy | 1 episode |
| 2020 | The Stranger | Phillip Griffin | 3 episodes |
| 2020 | Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators | Winston Hoyte | 1 episode |
| 2021 | Decrypted | Martin | |
| 2022 | Rebel Cheer Squad | Coach Harris | 7 episodes |
| 2022 | Sherwood | Jacob Harris | 2 episodes |
| 2023 | Shetland | John Howell | 2 episodes |
| 2024 | The Beekeeper | Deputy Director Prigg |
Awards and Nominations
Don Gilét has been nominated for several awards for his acting.
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Inside Soap Awards | Best Actor | Nominated | |
| Best Dramatic Performance | Nominated | |||
| The British Soap Awards | Villain of the Year | Nominated | ||
| 2011 | Shortlisted | |||
| 16th National Television Awards | Serial Drama Performance | Nominated |
