About Vincent Franklin
Vincent Franklin is an English actor who trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and has become one of British television's most dependable character performers. He is especially known for political and institutional satire, as spin doctor Stewart Pearson in The Thick of It (2007-2012) and Olympic official Nick Jowett in Twenty Twelve (2011-2012). His drama work includes Andy Shepherd in Happy Valley (2016-2023), Mike Travis in Bodyguard (2018), Drawlight in Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (2015), Henry Best in Cucumber and Banana (2015), Christopher Rawson in Gentleman Jack (2019) and the Prime Minister in The War Between the Land and the Sea (2025). He is also a regular in Mike Leigh's films, including Topsy-Turvy (1999), Vera Drake (2004), Mr Turner (2014) and Peterloo (2018). In Beyond Paradise series 4 (2026) he plays James Smith, the new senior officer who replaces Chief Superintendent Charlie Woods.
Vincent Franklin TV shows and films
- The Thick of It (2007-2012, Stewart Pearson)
- Twenty Twelve (2011-2012, Nick Jowett)
- Happy Valley (2016-2023, Andy Shepherd)
- Bodyguard (2018, Mike Travis)
- Gentleman Jack (2019, Christopher Rawson)
- Beyond Paradise (2026, James Smith)
Read the James Smith character profile →
Beyond Paradise appearances
| Role | Episode | First UK broadcast |
|---|---|---|
| James Smith | Series 4, Episode 1: A novelist’s final plot | 27 March 2026 |
| James Smith | Series 4, Episode 3: A Morris event emergency | 10 April 2026 |
| James Smith | Series 4, Episode 5: The Green Man and an off-grid fire | 24 April 2026 |
| James Smith | Series 4, Episode 6: Fire at the pirate festival | 1 May 2026 |
Episode guides are spoiler-safe: they set up the case without revealing who did it.
Also in these episodes
- Alex Macqueen as Anthony Westley
- Andrea Lowe as Helen Linder
- Michael Cochrane as Kenneth Linder
- Nimmy March as Bethan Hughes
- Omar Ibrahim as Eddie
- Sandra Hale as Jill
- Wayne Cater as Dafydd Bevan
- Alec Nicholls as Bob Turner
- Elliot Janks as Craig
- Eva Feiler as Nurse Lucy Thompson
- Gina Bramhill as Amelia
- Phil Daniels as Marvellous Harris
Vincent Franklin: quick answers
Who does Vincent Franklin play in Beyond Paradise?
Vincent Franklin plays James Smith in Beyond Paradise, appearing in Series 4, Episode 1; Series 4, Episode 3; Series 4, Episode 5; Series 4, Episode 6 (first shown 27 March 2026).
What else has Vincent Franklin been in?
Vincent Franklin's other work includes The Thick of It (2007-2012, Stewart Pearson); Twenty Twelve (2011-2012, Nick Jowett); Happy Valley (2016-2023, Andy Shepherd); Bodyguard (2018, Mike Travis); Gentleman Jack (2019, Christopher Rawson).