Philip Bretherton (born 30 May 1955) is an English–Swedish actor best known for his role as Alistair Deacon in the long-running British television series As Time Goes By. Early life Bretherton was born in Preston, Lancashire, and studied English and drama at the University of Manchester, where he decided to become an actor. As a young man, Bretherton was in an episode of the BBC TV series Miss Marple: "At Bertram's Hotel", playing Detective Inspector Campbell in 1987. Another early screen role came in The Balance of Nature (1983). Career Bretherton appeared in Rumpole of the Bailey in "The Barrow Boy" in November 1988 and made a brief appearance as "Rod" in Coronation Street also in 1988. He returned as "Robert Weston" in 1991, and again as "Ian Davenport" in 2004. He was in Casualty as Andrew Bower (Lisa "Duffy" Duffin's husband), Footballer's Wives as Stefan Hauser, New Tricks as Doug Standeven. He also appeared in an episode of The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, "The Problem of Thor Bridge" in 1990 as Mr. Joyce Cummings Q.C. He has appeared in Series 1 of Murder in Suburbia, as Phillip Whitmore. He further appeared in the episode "Last Seen Wearing" of the television series Inspector Morse in the role of French teacher David Acum. He also appeared in the fifth and final series of Young Dracula as Roquelaire, the vampire high council's head of security and father of Vlad Dracula's bodyguard Talitha. He played Matthew Woodley in Midsomer Murders “Made-to-Measure Murders” in 2010. Bretherton is probably best known in the role of Alistair Deacon in As Time Goes By from 1992 to 2002 and then 2005 for a reunion special. Theatre He is also active in theatre, performing as Henry Higgins in a nationally acclaimed production of Pygmalion at Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold, Flintshire. Filmography The Balance of Nature (1983) Cry Freedom (1987) Dark Floors (2008) The Fifth Estate (2013) References External links 1955 births Living people English male stage actors English male television actors English male film actors English male voice actors English male video game actors Swedish male stage actors Swedish male television actors Swedish male film actors Swedish male voice actors Swedish male video game actors Actors from Preston, Lancashire Alumni of the University of Manchester Male actors from Lancashire 20th-century English male actors 21st-century English male actors English expatriates in the United States