Bonekickers

Professor Gregory ‘Dolly’ Parton

A senior lecturer and a walking Google of historical knowledge wrapped up in old jumpers, eccentric scarves and hats and oiled by vast quantities of good claret. Dolly was dragged kicking and screaming from the hallowed cloisters of the Bodleian Library to join Gillian’s team and can’t believe he has given up a life of quiet research and good lunches for the mud, blood and danger of her world.

Urbane, louche and with a fondness for female students, he has the slightly florid look of a man for whom middle-age just makes him more interesting. The dirty twinkle in his eye should not, however, be mistaken for anything other than sheer exuberance, which only a remarkable thirst for knowledge and the occasional bottle of ´84 Pomerol can provide. He admires and respects Gillian and they have a mutual understanding. She makes his life more exciting while he is the backbone of her team, the rock of wisdom.

Hugh Bonneville

Hugh Bonneville's most recent roles range from the impish Sir Hugh Carleton Green, Director General of the BBC, in Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story (BBC2), to leading men in Miss Austen Regrets (BBC1) and Freezing (BBC2). He is also soon to be seen as the effervescent John Mortimer QC in Hippie Hippie Shake (Working Title Films).

Hugh’s productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company included The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Virtuoso, 'Tis Pity She's a Whore and The Alchemist. He played Laertes to Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet and received a nomination for the Ian Charleson Award for his work with the RSC.

Hugh has become a familiar face on television, with leading roles in Take a Girl Like You, Daniel Deronda, and The Commander amongst others. He appeared in the Emmy award-winning The Gathering Storm and played the poet Philip Larkin in Love Again (2003). Recent credits range from comedies such as The Vicar of Dibley (2007) to hard-hitting dramas like Tsunami: The Aftermath (2006) and Five Days (2007), both for BBC/HBO. He also received critical acclaim for his performance as Mr Pooter in BBC4's Diary of a Nobody (2007).

Hugh has appeared in a dozen films, including Mansfield Park, Asylum, Scenes of a Sexual Nature (with Adrian Lester), Stage Beauty and Iris for which Hugh received a BAFTA nomination as Best Supporting Actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as Bernie, the dozy stockbroker, in Roger Michell's Notting Hill.

Hugh plays the encyclopaedic but terminally louche Professor Gregory Parton in Bonekickers.