Michael Dundonald Cochrane (born 19 May 1947) is an English actor. Cochrane has played Oliver Sterling in the Radio 4 soap opera The Archers.

Michael Cochrane
Born
Michael Dundonald Cochrane

(1947-05-19) 19 May 1947 (age 76)
Brighton, Sussex, England
NationalityBritish
OccupationActor
Years active1973–present
Spouse
(m. 1979)
Children1

Biography edit

Early life edit

Cochrane was born 19 May 1947, in Brighton, East Sussex.[1] He was educated at Cranleigh School.[2]

Career edit

Cochrane played the role of Lieutenant Charles Gaylion, a Royal Flying Corps pilot in the BBC television series Wings (1977–78).[3] He has twice appeared in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who,[4] first as Charles Cranleigh in the serial Black Orchid (1982) and later as Redvers Fenn-Cooper in Ghost Light (1989). Cochrane was later associated with Doctor Who when he appeared in the 2006 Big Finish Productions audio drama, No Man's Land. This was followed by further appearances in the 2008 Big Finish Productions audio drama Brotherhood of the Daleks, Trail of the White Worm/The Oseidon Adventure in 2012, and The Fate of Krelos/Return to Telos in 2015.

Cochrane has also appeared as different characters in the Yorkshire Television period drama Heartbeat.[4] His first appearance was as the narcissistic businessman Derek Lightfoot in the episode Fool for Love (1997). A further appearance came in 2009, when Cochrane appeared as a character named Cunningham, a confidence trickster and sneak thief in two episodes; ("Thursday's Children" and "The Middle of Somewhere") both of which were set in Australia.

Other significant roles in which Cochrane has appeared are The Pallisers (1974),[4] Love in a Cold Climate (1980),[5] The Citadel (1983), a BBC serial adaptation of Goodbye Mr. Chips (1984), Raffles (1985–1993), No Job for a Lady, The Chief (1990–1995), and as Sir Henry Simmerson in the Sharpe series.[4] His film career has included roles in Escape to Victory (1981), The Return of the Soldier (1982), Real Life (1984), Number One Gun (1990), The Saint (1997),[4]Incognito (1998),[4]A Different Loyalty (2004) and The Iron Lady (2011).[4]

He was featured in the ITV science fiction series The Uninvited.[4] In 2008, he appeared in the soap opera Doctors as Daniel's solicitor and in 2009 in Margaret as MP Alan Clark.[4]

He appeared in the sitcom Perfect World as the sex-obsessed marketing director. He appeared in Offending Angels (2002). He was seen as the vicar in Downton Abbey with Hugh Bonneville and Maggie Smith.[4]

He had a small role in episode 5 of the BBC serial drama The Musketeers (2014).[6] He had a small role as Roger in series 1 episode 1 of the BBC sitcom Dear John. He appeared as the ship's officer in the BBC's Keeping Up Appearances episode titled "Sea Fever" (1993), and he also appeared as Mr Price in the ITV's detective drama Wycliffe episode titled "Strangers" (1997).[4]

In 2016, he played the role of Henry Marten in the Netflix series The Crown.[6]

Since 2007, Cochrane has played Oliver Sterling in the Radio 4 soap opera The Archers.[7]

In 2019 Cochrane appeared as one of the Number 2's in the 2016 Big Finish Productions audio drama adaptation of the cult 1960s British TV series The Prisoner aired by BBC Radio 4 Extra. In 2021, he appeared as Mr Kingsley the lawyer in The Outlaws.[4]

Personal life edit

Cochrane is married to the actress Belinda Carroll.[8]

Filmography edit

Year Title Role Notes
1974 The Pallisers Gerald Miniseries
1974 Warship (1973 TV series) Lieutenant Palfrey, RM 2 episodes
1975 Love Thy Neighbour Bernard Season 6 episode 6
1976–1978 Wings Lt. Charles Gaylion
1980 Love in a Cold Climate Cedric Hampton TV Serial
1981 The Life and Times of David Lloyd George Charles Masterman TV Serial
Escape to Victory Farrell – The English
1982, 1989 Doctor Who Lord Cranleigh/Redvers Fenn-Cooper 2 episodes
1982 The Return of the Soldier Stephen
1983 Ascendancy Officer
1984 Frankenstein Henry Clervell TV movie
Real Life Lipton
1987 Fortunes of War Clifford Miniseries
1989–2010 The Bill Commander Whiteside/Nigel Boscombe/Howard Walsh 3 episodes
1990 Howard's Way Pierre Challon 1 episode
Number One Gun Flash Fairmaid
1992 A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia Winston Churchill TV movie
1993–2008 Sharpe Sir Henry Simmerson
1993 Keeping Up Appearances The Ship's Officer Episode: Sea Fever
1994 EastEnders Coroner 2 episodes
1997 The Saint Cold Fusion Broker
Wycliffe Mr. Price Episode: Strangers
Heartbeat Derek Lightfoot Episode: Fool for Love
1998 Coronation Street Bob Fay 1 episode
Incognito Deeks
2000 Offending Angels Mentor
2002 A Touch of Frost Babcock, HMI 2 episodes
2003 Spooks Ross Vaughan 1 episode
2004 A Different Loyalty Dick Madsen
2004 Monarch of the Glen Colonel Ford 1 episode
2005–2019 Doctors Rowland Bryant/Charles Honeychurch/Tom O'Docherty/Judge David Tennyson
2009 Heartbeat Cunningham Episode: Thursday's Children
2010 Law & Order: UK Judge Burchville Episode: Help
2011–2012, 2015 Downton Abbey Reverend Travis
2011 The Iron Lady William
2012 Run for Your Wife Man on Bus
Titanic: Blood and Steel Captain Smith Miniseries
2013 The Escape Artist Judge Miniseries (Part 2)
2014 The Musketeers Judge Episode: Homecoming
2016 The Crown Henry Marten Episode: Scientia Potentia Est
2016 We’re doomed the dads army story (TV movie) Arnold Ridley/Pte Godfrey
2021 The Outlaws Mr Kingsley (lawyer) Episodes 2&5
2022 Living Sir James
2023 Call the Midwife Sir Brigham Aylward 1 episode

Radio edit

Year Title Role Notes
1985–1993 Raffles Bunny Manders BBC Radio 4
2000– The Archers Oliver Sterling[9] BBC Radio 4 Soap Opera
2002–2003 King Street Junior Revisited Mr Maxwell BBC Radio 4

Video games edit

Year Title Role Notes
2021 Bravely Default II Archbishop Domenic Voice role

References edit

  1. ^ "Michael Cochrane - Actor". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  2. ^ "The Archers – Oliver Sterling – BBC Radio 4". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  3. ^ "Wings (BBC TV series Season 2) 1978". archive.org. 28 March 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Michael Cochrane Credits". tvguide.com. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  5. ^ "IMDb Love in a Cold Climate". IMDb. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  6. ^ a b "Michael Cochrane". qvoice.co.uk. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Archers characters". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  8. ^ "Terminally-ill Archers actress wants her character to survive". BBC. 3 January 2017. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  9. ^ "Oliver Sterling". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 22 January 2021.

External links edit