Simon Dutton: The Saint Actor’s Life, Career, Family, Theatre Work and Screen Legacy
Simon Dutton is a British actor with a long career across television, film and theatre. He is best known for playing Simon Templar, the elegant crime-solving hero in The Saint television films released in 1989. His career has also included roles in Doctor Who, EastEnders, Bones, Holby City, Doctors, Midsomer Murders, Endeavour, Not Going Out, Jupiter Ascending and Suite Française.
Beyond screen acting, he has worked on major British stages, taken part in repertory theatre, directed a documentary and produced theatre. His life also connects with an important British acting family through his former marriage to Tamsin Olivier, daughter of Sir Laurence Olivier and Dame Joan Plowright.
Quick Information — Simon Dutton
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Simon Dutton |
| Date of birth | December 1957 |
| Age | 68 years old in 2026 |
| Nationality | British |
| Profession | Actor, stage performer, director and producer |
| Best known for | Playing Simon Templar in The Saint TV films |
| Drama training | Central School of Speech and Drama |
| Famous TV roles | The Saint, Doctor Who, EastEnders, Bones, Not Going Out, Holby City, Doctors, Midsomer Murders, Endeavour |
| Doctor Who role | Played Alistair in The Time of Angels |
| EastEnders role | Played Philip Granger QC |
| Bones role | Played William Curry, a lawyer, in The Yanks in the U.K. |
| Notable films | Dangerous Beauty, The Place of the Dead, Walking with the Enemy, Suite Française, Jupiter Ascending, A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding, Royal Matchmaker |
| Theatre work | Another Country, The Importance of Being Earnest, Time and the Conways, The Trial, Heartbreak House, Semi-Monde, Nothing, Rough Crossing, Witness for the Prosecution, Hay Fever |
| Rough Crossing | Played Ivor in Tom Stoppard’s Rough Crossing in 2019 |
| Witness for the Prosecution | Played Sir Wilfrid Robarts at London County Hall in 2019 |
| Former wives | Betsy Brantley and Tamsin Olivier |
| Children | One known son with Tamsin Olivier: Wilfred Laurence Dutton |
| Relationship note | Ruth Kelleher was publicly identified as his girlfriend in 2013 |
| Company record | Former director of TBFL Productions Limited |
| Company status | TBFL Productions Limited is dissolved |
| Current status | Known as an experienced British actor with screen, theatre, directing and production credits |
| 2016 media coverage | Pleaded not guilty to an allegation of assault by beating; use only as an allegation unless a confirmed court outcome is available |
Simon Dutton Age and Early Life
Simon Dutton was born in December 1957, making him 68 years old in 2026. He is British and has spent much of his professional life in the United Kingdom’s theatre, film and television industries.
Drama Training
He trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama, one of Britain’s respected drama schools. That training gave him a strong foundation in classical acting, voice, movement and stagecraft. His later career shows the range of an actor comfortable in period drama, crime television, theatre comedy, courtroom drama and international film.
Simon Dutton Career Breakthrough in The Saint
Playing Simon Templar
The role that gave Simon Dutton wide recognition was Simon Templar, also known as The Saint. In 1989, he played the character in six two-hour television films. The role had already been made famous by actors such as Roger Moore and Ian Ogilvy, so taking on Simon Templar placed Dutton within a well-known British screen tradition.
Why The Saint Matters
The Saint required charm, confidence, wit and a controlled screen presence. Dutton’s version of Simon Templar fitted the stylish adventure format of the late 1980s. His connection with the role continued through his association with The Saint fan community, where he became recognised as one of the actors linked to the character’s screen history.
Simon Dutton Movies and Film Work
His film career includes a mixture of British, European and international productions. His better-known film credits include:
| Film / Project | Type | Career Note |
|---|---|---|
| Dangerous Beauty | Historical drama | Added to his international period-drama credits |
| The Place of the Dead | War / adventure drama | Showed his work in darker, action-led storytelling |
| Walking with the Enemy | War drama | Connected him with historical wartime cinema |
| Suite Française | Romantic war drama | Part of a major European historical production |
| Jupiter Ascending | Science-fiction fantasy | Gave him a role in a large-scale international film |
| A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding | Romantic television film | Added to his later screen work in popular festive drama |
| Royal Matchmaker | Romantic television film | Continued his association with light romantic screen productions |
These titles show his ability to move between historical drama, romance, fantasy, war stories and television films. While The Saint remains his most famous screen identity, his film work added variety and longevity to his career.
Simon Dutton in Doctor Who
Role as Alistair
Simon Dutton appeared in Doctor Who in 2010, playing Alistair in the episode “The Time of Angels.” This episode belongs to the Eleventh Doctor era and features Matt Smith as the Doctor, Karen Gillan as Amy Pond and Alex Kingston as River Song.
Doctor Who Confidential
His connection with the programme also extended to Doctor Who Confidential, where he was interviewed in the episode “Eyes Wide Open.” For many television fans, his Doctor Who role remains one of his recognisable modern credits.
Simon Dutton in EastEnders
Philip Granger QC
In EastEnders, he played Philip Granger QC in 2011. The character was connected to Ronnie Branning’s legal storyline. Although the role was brief, it placed him inside one of Britain’s most watched continuing dramas.
A Strong Television CV
His television work also includes Doctors, Holby City, Heartbeat, New Tricks, Garrow’s Law, Midsomer Murders, Endeavour, Not Going Out and The Walk-In. These credits show a steady career across British television drama, comedy and crime series.
Simon Dutton in Bones
William Curry
He also appeared in the American crime series Bones. He played William Curry, a lawyer, in the episode “The Yanks in the U.K.” The episode brought the American characters into a British setting, giving Dutton a role within a transatlantic television production.
Simon Dutton Theatre Career
Early Stage Work
Theatre has always been an important part of his professional identity. In 1981 and 1982, he portrayed Delahay in Julian Mitchell’s play Another Country at Greenwich Theatre and the Queen’s Theatre in London.
During the mid-1980s, he worked in the Royal National Theatre repertory season across the Cottesloe, Lyttelton and Olivier theatres. This placed him among major British performers and helped establish his serious stage background.
Major Stage Productions
| Stage Production | Venue / Period | Career Note |
|---|---|---|
| Another Country | Greenwich Theatre and Queen’s Theatre, 1981–1982 | Played Delahay in Julian Mitchell’s celebrated play |
| The Importance of Being Earnest | Whitehall Theatre, 1987 | Performed in Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy |
| Time and the Conways | The Old Vic, 1990 | Acted alongside Joan Plowright, Tamsin Olivier and Julie-Kate Olivier |
| The Trial | Young Vic Theatre, 1993 | Appeared in a European Stage Company production |
| Heartbreak House | Almeida Theatre, 1997 | Performed in George Bernard Shaw’s play |
| Semi-Monde | Lyric Theatre, 2001 | Featured in Noël Coward’s stage work |
| Nothing | Brits Off Broadway Festival, 2006 | Worked as actor and producer |
| Rough Crossing | Chichester Festival Theatre, 2019 | Played Ivor in Tom Stoppard’s play |
| Witness for the Prosecution | London County Hall, 2019 | Played Sir Wilfrid Robarts in Agatha Christie’s courtroom drama |
| Hay Fever | Salisbury Playhouse, 2020 | Announced as David Bliss in Noël Coward’s comedy |
These productions show a career rooted in strong writing and respected theatre spaces. His stage work also proves that Simon Dutton was not only a television actor but also a serious theatre performer with experience in comedy, courtroom drama, repertory theatre and classic British plays.
Simon Dutton in Rough Crossing
Playing Ivor
In 2019, Simon Dutton played Ivor in Tom Stoppard’s Rough Crossing at Chichester Festival Theatre. The production added another major theatre credit to his later career. Stoppard’s writing requires timing, intelligence and comic precision, making the role a natural fit for an experienced stage actor.
Witness for the Prosecution and Hay Fever
London County Hall Role
In 2019, he joined the cast of Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution at London County Hall, playing Sir Wilfrid Robarts. Production photographs from June 2019 showed the new cast after their first performance in May of that year.
Hay Fever
In 2020, he was announced for Noël Coward’s Hay Fever at Salisbury Playhouse, playing David Bliss opposite Maria Friedman as Judith Bliss. This role continued his association with classic British theatre.
Simon Dutton Family, Wife and Children
Simon Dutton was previously married to Betsy Brantley and later to Tamsin Olivier. Both marriages ended in divorce. Tamsin Olivier is the daughter of Sir Laurence Olivier and Dame Joan Plowright, two towering names in British theatre and film.
Child with Tamsin Olivier
He has one known child with Tamsin Olivier, a son named Wilfred Laurence Dutton, born in May 1997. The middle name Laurence clearly reflects the Olivier family connection.
Ruth Kelleher
In 2013, he was photographed with Ruth Kelleher at the Solo James Bond novel publication party at the Dorchester Hotel, where she was identified as his girlfriend. In 2016, court coverage stated that he pleaded not guilty to an allegation of assault by beating involving Ruth Kelleher. No verified conviction outcome is included here, so the matter should be treated strictly as an allegation.
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Simon Dutton as Director and Producer
Wheels Within Wheels
He also worked behind the camera. In 2004, he directed and starred in Wheels Within Wheels, a documentary about cyclist Tommy Simpson. The project was connected with TBFL Productions and took four years to complete.
TBFL Productions Limited
A Companies House record for Simon Dutton gives his date of birth as December 1957 and names him as a director of TBFL Productions Limited, appointed on 11 July 2005. The company is now dissolved. This business record fits his creative work connected with TBFL Productions.
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Simon Dutton Now
Today, Simon Dutton is best understood as an experienced British actor with a career covering screen drama, theatre, directing and production. His later work includes The Walk-In in 2022, Witness for the Prosecution and Rough Crossing in 2019, and Hay Fever in 2020.
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Final Thoughts
Simon Dutton has built a varied and durable career. He is remembered by many as Simon Templar in The Saint, yet his professional story is far broader. From Doctor Who and EastEnders to Bones, Jupiter Ascending, Suite Française, Rough Crossing and Witness for the Prosecution, his work reflects discipline, range and staying power. His career joins screen recognition with serious theatre experience, making him a notable figure in British acting.
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FAQs
1. Who is Simon Dutton?
Simon Dutton is a British actor, stage performer, director and producer. He is best known for playing Simon Templar in The Saint television films. His career also includes roles in Doctor Who, EastEnders, Bones, Not Going Out, Holby City, Doctors, Midsomer Murders, Endeavour, Jupiter Ascending and Suite Française.
2. How old is Simon Dutton?
Simon Dutton was born in December 1957. He is 68 years old in 2026. He is British and trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama before building a long career across theatre, television and film.
3. Is Simon Dutton married?
Simon Dutton has been married twice. His former wives are Betsy Brantley and Tamsin Olivier. Both marriages ended in divorce. Tamsin Olivier is the daughter of Sir Laurence Olivier and Dame Joan Plowright. His current relationship status is not publicly confirmed.
4. Does Simon Dutton have children?
Yes, Simon Dutton has one known child with his former wife Tamsin Olivier. Their son is Wilfred Laurence Dutton, born in May 1997.
