Michael Whitehall

Michael John Whitehall (born 12 April 1940) is an English author, producer, talent agent and television personality. He is a former theatrical agent who went on to form two production companies, Havahall Pictures (with Nigel Havers) in 1988, and Whitehall Films in 1998. He has represented Colin Firth and Dame Judi Dench.[1] He is the father of comedian and actor Jack Whitehall.[2]

Michael Whitehall
Born
Michael John Whitehall

(1940-04-12) 12 April 1940
Exeter, Devon, England
EducationAmpleforth College
Occupation(s)Author, producer, talent agent, television personality
Years active1988–present
Spouses
Jane McIntosh
​
​
(m. 1969; div. 1973)​
    Hilary Amanda Jane Isbister
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1986)​
    Children3, including Jack Whitehall

    Early life and education

    Whitehall was born on 12 April 1940 in Exeter, Devon.[3] He was educated at Ampleforth College, a Catholic boarding school in Yorkshire, run by Benedictine monks. After his education, Whitehall worked as a film reporter for The Universe, a weekly Catholic newspaper.[4] Both his father and grandfather were commercial travellers. His education was paid for by his grandfather, who had inherited significant wealth from his cousin, a wool merchant.[5][6]

    Career

    Whitehall has produced TV programmes such as Bertie and Elizabeth, Noah's Ark, Element of Doubt, The Good Guys and A Perfect Hero. He represented Judi Dench,[7] Colin Firth, Richard E. Grant,[8] and Leslie Grantham.[9]

    He has made guest appearances on various television shows including Countdown, John Bishop's Britain, The Million Pound Drop Live, Alexander Armstrong's Big Ask and Alan Carr: Chatty Man. In 2013, it was announced that he would present a TV chat show for the BBC with his son Jack. The first series of Backchat began airing on BBC Three, starting on 20 November 2013 but has since moved to BBC Two.[10] In 2017, he co-presented Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father, a travel documentary/road trip through Southeast Asia with his son on Netflix.[11] In 2018, Travels had a second series where they visited several countries in Eastern Europe. In 2019, Travels had a third, two-episode series where they visited, California, Arizona, and Nevada in the USA. In 2020, Travels had a fourth, two-episode series where they visited Australia. In 2021, Travels has a fifth, three-episode series where they traveled around the U.K. This series would go on to be the final series of the show. In 2019, Michael appeared in the programme Who Do You Think You Are? (UK TV series) along with his son Jack to discover his heritage.

    Whitehall's first book was Shark Infested Waters: Tales of an Actors' Agent, and his son Jack illustrated it.[12] The Times Literary Supplement (TLS) called the book "a most entertaining memoir" that was "wittily illustrated".[12] In October 2013, he released his second book Him & Me, which was co-written with his son. Written in two distinctive styles, it reflects the different personalities of its authors.[13]

    Personal life

    Whitehall married Jane McIntosh in 1969. The couple had no children and after their divorce in 1973, McIntosh married lyricist Tim Rice.[14][15]

    Whitehall married television actress Hilary Amanda Jane Isbister (stage surname Gish) on 12 April 1986, Whitehall's 46th birthday.[16] As of 2013, Whitehall and Isbister were living in Putney in the London Borough of Wandsworth. They have three children together: Jack Whitehall (born 1988), Molly (born 1989) and Barnaby (born 1992).[17]

    Whitehall is a supporter of the Conservative Party.[18]

    Books
    • Shark Infested Waters: Tales of an Actors' Agent (Timewell Press, 2007) ISBN 978-1857252156[19]
    • Him & Me by Michael and Jack Whitehall (Michael Joseph, 2013) ISBN 978-1405910903[20]
    • Backing into the Spotlight: A Memoir (Constable, 2017) ISBN 978-1472127099[21]

    Filmography

    Television
    YearTitleRoleNotes
    2013–2015BackchatPresenter
    2017–2021Jack Whitehall: Travels with My FatherPresenterAlso Executive Producer, 4 series
    2019Jack Whitehall: Christmas with My FatherHimself
    2020 Jack Whitehall: Father's Day Himself
    2023Jon and Lucy's Odd Couples

    References
    1. "Michael Whitehall, an actors' agent – memoirs published by Apostrophe Books | Apostrophe Books". Retrieved 1 March 2019.
    2. Cavendish, Dominic (12 October 2013). "Jack and Michael Whitehall interview". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
    3. "Jack and Michael Whitehall on Who Do You Think You Are?: Everything you need to know". Who Do You Think You Are Magazine. 26 February 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
    4. "Michael Whitehall". BBC3.
    5. "Who Do You Think You Are? – Series 16: 3. Jack and Michael Whitehall". BBC.
    6. "Jack and Michael Whitehall – Who Do You Think You Are?". The Genealogist. 31 July 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
    7. Smith, Julia Llewellyn (16 November 2013). "So what was it like bringing up Jack Whitehall?". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
    8. Grant, Richard E. (1999). With nails : the film diaries of Richard E. Grant. Woodstock, N.Y.: Overlook Press. ISBN 0879519355. OCLC 41554963.
    9. "Grantham memoir to Timewell". Bookseller (5231): 15. 26 May 2006.
    10. "Jack Whitehall bags new BBC3 chat show, with his dad". Daily Mirror. 22 August 2013.
    11. "Jack Whitehall travels with his dad". Chortle. 28 February 2017. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
    12. Cecil, Jonathan (9 November 2007). "SHARK-INFESTED WATERS". TLS (5458): 33. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
    13. "About – Jack Whitehall". jackwhitehall.com.
    14. Palmer, Katie (25 September 2021). "Michael Whitehall first wife: Who did Jack Whitehall's father marry?". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
    15. Nikkhah, Roya (27 November 2011). "Why Jane Rice wants to save the red squirrel". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
    16. "What you need to know about Hilary Gish, Jack Whitehall's mother". inews.co.uk. 19 June 2020.
    17. Hattenstone, Simon (14 December 2013). "Comedians and their parents: Jack Whitehall and father Michael". The Guardian.
    18. Gordon, Bryony (19 December 2012). "Jack Whitehall: The funny thing about being posh".
    19. results, search (14 June 2007). Shark Infested Waters. Timewell Press. ASIN 1857252152.
    20. Whitehall, Jack; results, search (5 June 2014). Him & Me. Penguin. ASIN 1405911379.
    21. Whitehall, Michael (26 October 2017). Backing into the Spotlight: A Memoir (1st ed.). Constable. ISBN 9781472127099. ASIN 1472127099.
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