The Night Caller star Robert Glenister's famous family, from Grantchester star son to actress ex and director wife
Robert Glenister's compelling turn as schoolteacher turned taxi driver Tony in Channel 5's gritty thriller The Night Caller has had viewers glued to their screens this week. The Sherwood actor is a safe pair of hands when it comes to TV shows – if he's in it, you know it's a must-watch!
The 64-year-old is best known for his roles in Hustle and Spooks, but what about his life away from the cameras? Keep reading for all you need to know about his very famous family, including his actor brother, son and ex-wife.
Robert Glenister's famous father and brother
It's perhaps no surprise that Robert pursued a career in acting considering his father is famous TV director, John Glenister, whose credits include the BBC's 1972 adaptation of Emma, and ITV detective drama, A Touch of Frost.
Both Robert and his younger brother Philip Glenister followed in their dad's footsteps and both boast hugely successful acting careers.
Philip, 61, is known and loved for his portrayal of DCI Gene Hunt in the BBC series Life on Mars and its sequel Ashes to Ashes. More recently, he starred in the BBC miniseries, Steeltown Murders, and ITV's hit crime thriller, After the Flood.
Sharing an insight into his and Robert's upbringing, Philip previously told the Daily Mail: "My home life was very suburban – not at all showbizzy. We lived in a road that was a community, and my mum and dad's closest friends were people they'd grown up with at school."
He continued: "By the Seventies, my dad was Mr Costume Drama, but home wasn't at all like the Hampstead set. He was away quite a lot because of his job. I remember he'd come home, the telly would be on and he'd sit down and work on his script on a big wooden board he'd prop on the chair, sipping a beer. He was very passionate about his job."
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Robert's famous ex-wife
From 1984 to 1992, Robert was married to actress Amanda Redman, known for her roles in New Tricks and The Good Karma Hospital. The former couple share one daughter, Emily, who was born in 1987 and now works as a director and literary agent.
In 2003, Amanda revealed that while her split from Robert "wasn't at all easy", "a lot of water has flowed under the bridge".
"I'm pleased that enough time has passed for me to enjoy the fact that at least Robert and Emily keep in touch," she told the Daily Mail. "But the break-up wasn't at all easy, and I don't like to be reminded of it."
Robert's second wife and actor son
Robert is now married to radio drama director and producer, Celia de Wolff, whose credits include BBC Radio 4's War & Peace starring John Hurt and the Harry Potter audiobooks read by Stephen Fry.
The couple share a son, Tom, who is also an actor. The 28-year-old has appeared in Grantchester, Vera, and more recently starred alongside his dad in Sherwood, playing a younger version of Robert's character.
On how his son landed the role, Robert previously told the BBC: "I just thought, and I know I'm his dad, but I think he's a terrific actor. I think he's got something special.
"I contacted [creator] James Graham initially about Tom and I said, 'Look, this is shamelessly nepotistic, but my boy has been out of drama school three years, he's terrific. He's been working and all the rest of it, can you have a word with the powers that be and just see if they'll let him put himself on tape?'"
Robert explained that Tom went up against "a load of people" in the audition process. "It wasn't an immediate decision, it took a while for everybody to come together and for the BBC to have a look under consideration but he got the part," explained the actor.
