Nigel Harman’s journey, from EastEnders bad boy and thespian to Strictly 2023

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The popular TV show, Strictly Come Dancing, has returned with a fresh lineup of famous people taking center stage.

Nigel Harman, the actor who was awarded the Olivier award, is one of the names on the list of people expected to participate in the 2023 series. He gained popularity for portraying a character on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) soap opera, EastEnders.

Harman was born in Surrey in the year 1973. His inclination towards performing arts was nurtured by his parents, who participated in amateur productions with Croydon Operatic and Dramatic Association.

When he was just 11 years old, Harman began his career as a child star by acting in the BBC One drama Tenko. He also gained a lot of experience in working in theatre and was part of the successful original cast of the popular Abba musical, Mamma Mia!.

Harman, who is currently 50 years old, had a hard time finding steady employment when he became an adult. He ended up working as a driver for Sainsbury's supermarket before he found out that he had been chosen to be a part of the cast of EastEnders.

Harman started acting as Dennis Rickman, the rebellious son of "Dirty Den" Watts, on the ongoing television series in 2003.

Dennis played a significant role in EastEnders, but was shockingly written out of the show on December 30th, 2005.

Harman talked about a scene that left a lasting impression on him during an interview with Inside Soap. He revealed that he had a strong urge to put an end to the character, and believes that this is the reason why people continue to remember him.

Nigel Harman was spotted at the Inside Soap Awards back in 2003.

I had no idea that Dennis was so well-liked back then. It's only now, twenty years later when people still approach me, that I realize how much of an influence Dennis had.

Following his departure from the TV show EastEnders, Harman experienced a revitalization of his career in the theater world. He starred in a number of productions such as Guys and Dolls and The Caretaker, which was written by Harold Pinter.

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Back in 2011, this actor had a role in Shrek the Musical as Lord Farquaad in the West End production. He was acknowledged for his solid performance by receiving the Best Performance award as a Supporting Role in a Musical at the Olivier Awards in 2012.

In 2014, he agreed to take the role of director for the traveling edition of Shrek The Musical. He also acted alongside Mark Benton in a touring show of David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross.

In 2015, Harman and his spouse Lucy Liemann attended the opening night of "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" at the Playhouse Theatre.

Harman has also starred as the lead character in the television shows Plus One and Hotel Babylon.

He acted as the character Green in Downton Abbey and was also featured as Bradley in six seasons of Sky One's sitcom, Mount Pleasant, from 2013 to 2017.

He made a comeback to soap operas this year by landing a spot in the famous medical show, Casualty. In September, he revealed that he would be departing from his role as Max Christie, the clinical lead of Holby ED, in February 2024.

Harman is in a matrimonial union with Lucy Liemann, an actress known for her role in The Bourne Ultimatum. They also have a daughter together.

The actor mentioned his dance experience before joining Strictly Come Dancing. He stated to Radio Times that he obtained a diploma in musical theatre at the age of 16. Thus, he had the opportunity to dance, yet he wasn't the best in his class. The program had three streams - A, B, and C - and he started in the C stream but eventually moved up to B.

Nigel Harman takes a pose for 'Strictly'

He said that after finishing college, he worked as a dancer on a cruise ship for half a year. He was quick to clarify that he didn't just play bingo during his time on the ship.

He went on to say, "We were on a lower-tier cruise ship, not the most luxurious one. Despite that, we worked diligently and I had to clean the costumes in the shower. It's the honest truth, but I was too ashamed to tell anyone for five years. I wanted to be successful and I knew that having worked on a lower-tier cruise ship had a negative connotation to it. However, now I feel proud of my experience."

Before the premiere of Strictly, Harman issued a statement expressing his feelings: "I am astonished, thrilled, and scared to be participating in Strictly. Being a passive viewer of the show, I have admired the way performers have spun and moved across the screen. And now, it's my turn...I'm nervous!"

Discover the remaining members of Strictly's 2023 roster by reading more about them.

The program called Strictly Come Dancing will be broadcasted every Saturday beginning on September 16th via BBC One.