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Richard Wilson

Richard Wilson OBE is a Scottish actor, theatre director and broadcaster. He played Victor Meldrew in the BBC sitcom One Foot in the Grave (1990) and Gaius, the court physician of Camelot, in the BBC drama Merlin (2008).

Wilson was born in Greenock, Scotland. He studied science in Greenock, and did National Service with the Royal Army Medical Corps, serving in Singapore. He worked in a laboratory at Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow as a research scientist before switching to acting at age 27. He trained at RADA and then appeared in repertory theatres in Edinburgh (Traverse Theatre), Glasgow and Manchester (Stables Theatre).

He initially turned down the role of Victor Meldrew and it was almost offered to Les Dawson before Wilson changed his mind.

Wilson was awarded the OBE for services to drama as a director and actor in 1994. In April 1996, he was elected Rector of the University of Glasgow for a term of three years.

Wilson's biography, One Foot on the Stage: The Biography of Richard Wilson, was written by James Roose-Evans.

Wilson has worked for the gay rights campaign group Stonewall and the Labour Party. He is one of the patrons of Scottish Youth Theatre. Wilson is also a long-time supporter of the charity Sense and in 2007 hosted their annual award ceremony. He is also one of the honorary patrons of the London children's charity, Scene & Heard.