Tim Woodward

Timothy Oliver Woodward (24 April 1953 – 9 November 2023) was an English actor.

Timothy Oliver Woodward was born in Kensington, London, on 24 April 1953, the son of actors Edward Woodward and Venetia Collett (who used the stage name Barrett). His siblings included Peter Woodward and Sarah Woodward, both also actors.

He was educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College, and then trained at RADA in London.

Woodward was probably best known for his audio narration in the children's television show Wide-Eye.

One of his earliest starring roles was as Royal Flying Corps pilot Sergeant Alan Farmer in the 1970s BBC drama Wings. This was followed by his starring as the wealthy, eccentric and by-the-book Royal Air Force pilot Squadron Leader Rex in Piece of Cake (1988).

During the 1990s Woodward made an appearance in the Granada Television soap opera Families as well as taking the role of gamekeeper Walter Gillies in Yorkshire Television's long-running 1960s drama Heartbeat.

Woodward appeared in the 2000s ITV police drama Murder City and also portrayed Leonard "Nipper" Read of Scotland Yard in the 2008 ITV adaptation of Jake Arnott's crime novel He Kills Coppers. He guest-starred with his father Edward and son Sam as a London gangster family in a special storyline for The Bill in 2008. Also, he appeared with his father Edward in an episode of American TV's The Equalizer, in which he played Robert McCall's father in a flashback scene. He is the brother of actors Peter Woodward and Sarah Woodward.

Woodward's other television credits include: The Irish R.M., Tales of the Unexpected, Pie in the Sky, Absolutely Fabulous, Prime Suspect, The Ruth Rendell Mysteries—Bribery and Corruption with James D'Arcy, New Tricks, Bramwell, Midsomer Murders, Murphy's Law, Heat of the Sun, Rosemary & Thyme and Agatha Christie's Poirot.

Woodward had a cameo role in William Mager's short film Stiletto, completed in June 2008.

Woodward married Amanda Smith in 1997. They had two sons and a daughter. He also had a son from an earlier relationship with the actress Jan Chappell, and a daughter with Kate Barnwell.

Tim Woodward died of cancer on 9 November 2023, at the age of 70. He was survived by his wife and five children.