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John Altman
John Altman
	John Altman in 2014
Born	John Clarkson Stewart; 2 March 1952 (age 72); Reading, Berkshire, England
Occupation(s)	Actor and singer
Years active	1976–present
Notable work	See below
Television	EastEnders (1985–1991, 1993, 1998, 2000–2001, 2008–2009, 2014–2015)
Spouse	Bridget Poodhun (m. 1986; div. 1997)
Children	1

John Clarkson Stewart (born 2 March 1952), known as John Altman, is an English actor and singer. He was among the original cast members of the BBC soap opera EastEnders, playing Nick Cotton, appearing in the first episode in February 1985 and remaining on the show as a recurring character. His character was killed off in the 30th anniversary episode of the show which aired in February 2015. Altman has also appeared in several films, television series and stage productions. In 2010, he became the new frontman of the band Heavy Metal Kids following the death of former frontman Gary Holton in 1985.

Early life

Altman was born in Reading, Berkshire, elder son of Cecil Clarkson Stewart (1921–1995), a first-class clerk at the Bank of England, and Tina Florence (1920–2016), daughter of actor Johnnie Schofield. He and his younger brother William were raised at Herne Bay, Kent.^[2]^[3]

Career

Altman made his acting debut in the 1979 film The First Great Train Robbery where he played a minor role. Also in 1979, he portrayed musician George Harrison in the biographical television film Birth of The Beatles. He made brief appearances in several other films including Quadrophenia (1979), An American Werewolf in London (1981) and Memoirs of a Survivor (1981). In 1980, Altman worked as a model in creating prototypes of the Hawkmen that appear in the Dino De Laurentiis–produced film, Flash Gordon^[4] but did not appear in the film itself. In 1982, Altman played the role of a Royal Navy rating alongside Timothy Spall in the Channel 4 film Remembrance. Altman also featured in a 1982 short public information film, "Stupid Git",^[5] part of the British government's campaign against drink-driving.

In 1985, he began appearing as Nick Cotton in the new BBC television soap opera EastEnders, appearing in the first episode on 19 February that year. Altman was axed from the show the following year after Executive Producer Julia Smith told writers to 'write him out' of the show after he opposed a decision to make his character gay.^[6] However, he went on to make recurring appearances on the show over a span of nearly 30 years. He has had a major role in many famous storylines in the show including the murders of Reg Cox (whose body was found in the first episode) and Eddie Royle, his attempt to kill his own mother Dot by poisoning her and his various feuds with characters including Pete Beale, Den Watts and Mark Fowler. He also contributed towards the death of his own son Ashley by sabotaging a motorbike which Ashley ended up stealing and crashing.

His character was also given his own television spin-off episode titled Return of Nick Cotton which was completely centred on his character and aired in October 2000.

In 2015, his character was killed off in the episode that aired on 13 February 2015 and he made his final appearance as a corpse in the episode that marked the 30th anniversary of the show on 19 February 2015. His body was found in the same way as his victim Reg Cox was found in the first episode 30 years earlier. A year earlier, his character's death had been announced in the show, only for it to emerge within a few months that Nick had faked his own death.

In 1991, he played Thomas De Quincey in Malcolm Mclaren's 'The Ghosts of Oxford Street', where he appeared outside a purported subterranean 'Boots Apothecary', the origin of an urban myth that there is a parallel abandoned Victorian shopping street 'under' Oxford Street, London. This was actually the under-pavement storage vaults of 20-22 Stratford Place.^[7]

Away from television, he also appeared in an adult pantomime, which released on video in 1994 titled Pussy in Boots. In the pantomime he appeared alongside fellow EastEnders cast members Mike Reid and Barbara Windsor. In 2001 he won the Rear of the Year Award alongside Claire Sweeney.^[8] In the same year he also performed in the Leiber and Stoller tribute evening at the Hammersmith Apollo, singing Trouble, originally performed by Elvis Presley.

In 2002, he toured around the UK playing Billy Flynn in the long-running musical Chicago. He also appeared in the John Godber written stage play Bouncers opposite fellow soap actor Nigel Pivaro, who is best known for playing a similar style of character, Terry Duckworth in Coronation Street. Both Terry and Nick are the sons of long-running established characters, both are estranged from their mothers, both have committed criminal acts and both have made sporadic appearances on their respective shows.^[9]

In 2004, he made an appearance in the comedy sketch series Bo' Selecta! as his EastEnders character. In 2006, Altman was set to appear in an upcoming British film called It's Been Real, the trailer can be seen on YouTube.^[10] It still has yet to be released in cinemas. John Altman also appeared on 18 July 2009 episode of Totally Saturday by climbing out of the boot of a car.

In August 2010, he joined a band called Heavy Metal Kids.^[11] From late 2010, until early 2011, Altman appeared in adverts for Daz along with actors (Michael Starke and Amanda Barrie), from rival soap opera Coronation Street. In February 2011, he appeared on Live from Studio Five. In January 2012, he appeared as one of the first five couples in the third series of Celebrity Coach Trip partnering fellow actor Derek Martin.

In February 2015, he appeared as a guest on The Graham Norton Show as part of an EastEnders special episode alongside June Brown, Adam Woodyatt, Letitia Dean, Danny Dyer, Kellie Bright, Shane Richie, Jessie Wallace and Pam St. Clement.^[12]

In February 2017, he appeared in June Brown at 90 – A Walford Legend, a special BBC documentary that aired to celebrate June Brown's 90th birthday.

In April 2020, he appeared with 7 other celebrities in the 4th series of the BBC travel documentary series The Real Marigold Hotel, filmed in Pondicherry, India.

Personal life

In 1986, Altman married Bridgette Poodhun. They divorced in 1997. He has one daughter.^[13]

Altman released his autobiography, In the Nick of Time, which was published on 30 June 2016.^[14]

Filmography

Films

Year	Film	Role	Notes
TBA	I am Khama	Rev. William Willoughby (voice)	Pre-production
TBA	1066	Earl Leofric	pre-production
2020	Sphere of Fear 2	Demon Football (voice)
2019	Lucas and Albert	Charlie
2017	Is This Now	Johnny
2016	Essex Vendetta	Marine Police Officer
2016	Perfect Break	Michael
2015	My Lonely Me	Tom
2009	Photo Shoot	Wayne Wilson
2006	The Insane	John Vincent Narration	Short Film
2006	1969	Matt	Short Film
2005	Hell to Pay	Policeman
2005	It Could Be You	Tony Mantana
1994	To Die For	Dogger
1993	The Higher Mortals	Mr. Thomas
1983	Return of the Jedi	Rebel Pilot	Uncredited
1982	Remembrance	Steve
1981	Memoirs of a Survivor	Gerald's Courtier
1981	An American Werewolf in London	Assorted Police
1979	Birth of the Beatles	George Harrison
	Quadrophenia	John
	The First Great Train Robbery	First Pickpocket

TV

Year	TV Show	Role	Notes
2022	Good Morning Britain	Himself	Paying tribute to June Brown
2020	The Real Marigold Hotel	Himself
2017	June Brown at 90 – A Walford Legend^[15]	Himself	One Off Special Documentary
2015	The British Soap Awards 2015	Himself
2015	The Graham Norton Show	Himself	1 episode
2014–2016	Lorraine^[16]	Himself	2 Episodes: 15 December 2014/30 June 2016
2012	Pointless Celebrities	Himself	1 episode (S03E03)
2012	Celebrity Coach Trip	Himself
2011	Live from Studio Five	Himself	1 episode
2010	Fern Britton Meets	Himself	1 episode : June Brown
	The Wright Stuff	Himself – Guest Panelist	1 episode: Episode No.14.52
	EastEnders: The Murders of Lucas Johnson	Himself	One Off Special Documentary
	Loose Women	Himself	1 episode: Episode No.14.141
	EastEnders: The Greatest Cliffhangers	Himself	3 episodes
2007–2010	The Weakest Link	Himself	2 episodes: Goodies and Baddies/'EastEnders' Special 3
2009	The Alan Titchmarsh Show	Himself	1 episode
	Hole in the Wall	Himself	1 episode
	Totally Saturday	Himself	1 episode
	The British Soap Awards 2009	Himself
	The Podge and Rodge Show	Himself	1 episode
2008	EastEnders: Comebacks	Himself	One Off Special Documentary
	GMTV	Himself	1 episode
	EastEnders: Whodunnits	Himself	One Off Special Documentary
2007	No. 1 Soap Fan	Himself
	Granada Reports	Himself	1 episode
	Soapstar Superchef	Himself	2 episodes
2005	Balamory	Mick Morris	1 episode : The Game Show
2004	100 Greatest Christmas Moments	Himself	TV documentary
	Win, Lose or Draw Late	Himself	2 episodes
	Simply the Best	Himself	1 episode: Episode No.1.5
	Celebrity Fear Factor UK	Himself	1 episode: Episode No.1.1
	Bo' Selecta	Nick Cotton	1 episode: Episode No.3.4
2003	EastEnders: Christmas Party	Himself	TV film
2003	Loose Lips	Himself	1 episode
2002	Kelly	Himself	1 episode
2002	Top Ten	Himself	1 episode: Soap Queens
2001	Liquid News	Himself	1 episode
2000	EastEnders: The Return of Nick Cotton	Nick Cotton	(TV film)
1998	Lenny Goes to Town	Unknown Role	1 episode : Cambridge
1997	Adam's Family Tree	Angus the Caveman	1 episode: I'm the Urban Caveman
1996	Chef!	Pianist	1 episode : Lessons in Talking
	The Famous Five	Simmy	1 episode: Five Fall into Adventure
	Cold Lazarus	Restaurant Policeman	1 episode: Episode No.1.1
1995–1996	Blackhearts in Battersea	Midwink	6 episodes
1994	Pussy in Boots	The Wicked Giant	TV: Mike Reid Live
1992	Noel's House Party	Nick Cotton	1 episode: Episode No.1.13
1991	The Ghosts of Oxford Street	Thomas De Quincey	TV
1991	The Adventures of Scragtag and Toddles, Ace Detectives	Unknown Role	TV series
1990	The Paradise Club	Eddie	1 episode: Rock and Roll Roulette
1985–2015	EastEnders	Nick Cotton	Series regular, 1985–1991, 1993, 1998, 2000–2001, 2008–2009, 2014–2015 (277 episodes)
1984	Minder	Cabbie	1 episode: The Car Lot Baggers
1983	Pictures	Lance Repton	1 episode: Episode No.1.1
1982	The New Adventures of Lucky Jim	Vic Slater	1 episode: The Apartment
1982	Play for Today	Young man on tube	1 episode: Life After Death