Richie Campbell is back on our screens in another thrilling series of detective drama Grace, which began airing on ITV earlier this month and has already been recommissioned for a sixth season.
The 42-year-old, who hails from north London, plays Brighton-based detective Glenn Branson, who, alongside John Simm’s titular DS Roy Grace, investigates grisly crimes for the East Sussex police.
While viewers know all about Glenn’s home life in Brighton, what about the actor who plays him? Find out all we know about Richie’s life off-screen…
Richie’s career
Richie developed a passion for acting from a young age, having attended The Anna Scher Theatre, a community-based drama school, before studying A-Level drama.
After graduating with a degree in Communication and Culture Studies from university, Richie faced a dilemma when he was offered an apprenticeship at the same time he landed a role in a six-month tour of the play, Slam Dunk.
“It was going to pay me enough to be able to pay off my student loan, I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” he told Theatre Weekly in 2019.
But his parents took a little more convincing. “My parents are from Guyana, so it was always drummed into us the importance of getting a good education and a secure job,” explained the actor.
“But I went to them with good reasons for doing the play, I think the fact that I had gone to university, and now had a good justification for doing an acting job helped convince them.”
His performance in Slam Dunk opened the door to more acting opportunities, and Richie soon landed a role in ITV’s The Bill. He played the role of Dominic Hardy for 18 months from 2005 before later starring in Waterloo Road as Ndale Kayuni.
From there, Richie appeared in a string of major dramas, including DCI Banks, The Frankenstein Chronicles, and Liar.
© ITVHe didn’t abandon his stage career, however, and has performed in a number of plays in London, including To Kill A Mockingbird at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and They Drink it in the Congo at the Almeida.
Richie’s life off-screen
Richie tends to keep his personal life out of the spotlight, so his current relationship status is unknown.
However, at a press conference ahead of Grace season five, Richie gave a rare glimpse into his personal life. Reflecting on the joy of starring in a long-running show, the actor revealed that he’s often quizzed on the show by mums during the school run.
© Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock“I think the beauty of it is that the audience feels like they’re growing with you, and you’re growing with them. So there’s a real commonality,” he explained.
“I always say, I go and do the school run, and there’s mums constantly saying, ‘Oh, when’s Grace? Why did you do that? You’re so messy. Why are you living with him?’ They feel like they know your character, which is lovely.”
© Sally MaisAhead of the new series, Richie revealed that playing the suave and impeccably dressed DS Branson has influenced his passion for fashion.
“I liked fashion before, but I’ve got really into it since we’ve been doing the show,” he told ITV.
“And as soon as the suit goes on, Branson’s back. I’m hoping I’ll get to take the suits home eventually as they are tailored to me!”
Richie’s hobbies
When he’s not busy filming in Brighton for Grace, Richie spends his downtime listening to R&B music and watching films.
When asked to reveal some of his home comforts, the actor told ITV ahead of series three: “Listen, I’m a simple guy. I just need some music.
“I’m an R&B fan. As long as R&B is playing and I’ve got one or two movies, I’m all right,” continued the actor.
“Computer games not so much. It’s crazy, I’ve done a few characters for computer games and voiced stuff and it’s an amazing thing to be a part of but I’ve never been a gamer per se. I was a fiend for Championship Football Manager PC when I was younger, and I’ve recently got it on the tablet so that’s my little vice at the minute. I have that kind of personality where I get addicted to something and then I get bored and move onto something else.”
Grace continues on Sunday 20 April at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
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