Neil Morrissey Biography

Neil Morrissey (Neil Anthony Morrissey) was born on 4th July 1962 in Stafford, United Kingdom. He is an actor,voice actor, singer, comedian, and businessman. He is popularly known for his role as Tony Smart in Men Behaving Badly.

Neil and his youngest brother Stephen who died in 1997, of a heroin overdose, were placed under a care order and later legally separated from their parents, after all four brothers went on multiple theft and burglary sprees. They spent most of their lives in  separate foster homes with Morrissey at Penkhull Children’s Home, under the care of Margaret Cartlidge.

Neil did his A levels at the City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College. During his studies he was an active member of the Stoke Repertory Theatre, Stoke Schools Theatre. In 1979 he performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

He successfully applied to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The school helped him gain an educational grant for his first year as he joined the school with no education grant. During this time he started a street theatre act along with his friends which earned them an agent and hence the required 40 hours of bookings to gain an Equity card.

Neil was offered a leading role at The Theatre Chipping Norton’s 1982 pantomime as Robin Hood which led to him drop from the Guildhall School in the first term of his third year. In the mid 1980s he shot to fame after he featured in the ITV drama series Boon as Rocky.

Neil Morrissey Age

He was born on 4th July 1962 in Stafford, United Kingdom (83 years as of 2018)

Neil Morrissey Brother

Neil’s brother Stephen was separated from him in May 1973 when they were caught shopliting in a local shop for sweets and stationery and when they were taken to court the judge ruled for them to be entrenched in a care system and they were taken in separate children’s home.  In 1997 he died of a heroin overdose.

Neil Morrissey Wife – Neil Morrissey Partner

In 1987 he married Amanda Noar whom he met when she guested in an episode of ‘Boon’. They divorced in 1991. He became engaged to actress Elizabeth Carling, whom he had first met in 1989, when she too was working on Boon. They parted on good terms, and she later guest starred alongside him on ‘Men Behaving Badly’.

Neil Morrissey and Emma Killick

Neil is in a long term relationship with a lawyer Emma Killick and they share a home together in London. In March 2018 he revealed that he normally cooks, clean and iron as his girlfriend had a problem with her back.

“In my real life I cook, I clean and I iron. My beloved had a problem with her back the other week. She had a bulging disc or whatever and as we left the surgery the doctor told her, ‘None of that sweeping or mopping or ironing for you.’ I said, ‘Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered.’ That’s the kind of relationship we’re in. I’m not the ­domineering male in the house.”

Neil Morrissey Son

He has a son,  Sam Morrissey, born in 1989 from his marriage to Amanda Noar.

Neil Morrissey Affair

In 2000 he had a six weeks affair with Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden , who was married to Les Dennis at the time. Les went onto Celebrity Big Brother after and revealed his depression over the scandal on the show. Les and Amanda split over it, although Neil has said that their marriage was over before he came on the scene.

Men Behaving Badly

In 1992 he played the leading role of Tony Smart in Men Behaving Badly, a British sitcom. It follows a the lives of Gary Strang (Martin Clunes) and his flatmates Dermot Povey (Harry Enfield; series 1 only) and Tony Smart (Neil Morrissey; series 2 onwards).

The TV show was highly successful and won the Comedy Awards’ best ITV comedy, and the first National Television Award for Situation Comedy.

Neil Morrissey Pub

Neil Morrissey owns chain of pubs in Staffordshire, including The Plume of Feathers in Barlaston. In 2017 their boozer was shortlisted in the best partnership pub category for 2017.

In January 2017 health inspectors ordered the pub to improve after it breached hygiene rules nine times. The health inspectors found food in the refrigerators that were past their use-by date as well as dirty containers and freezers in the cramped kitchen.

Report by Stafford Borough Council stated: “Numerous items in the refrigerators were past the in-house ‘use by’ date label applied. The raw meat and ready to eat chopping boards were next to each other in the kitchen, presenting a risk of cross contamination. I was concerned that the size of the kitchen was limiting adequate separation between hazardous raw foods and cooked/ready to eat items. The plastic flour and dry foods containers in the kitchen were not clean. The large upright freezer required cleaning and also defrosting. Areas of wall and areas of the floor in the kitchen were not clean and, overall, the standard of cleaning to the structure of the kitchen was in need of attention. All areas of the kitchen required a thorough deep clean and they should be maintained in a clean condition.”

After the report the pub spokesman said: “We were very disappointed with the findings of the report and instigated an immediate review. This has resulted in changes in kitchen management and a re-appraisal and restatement of polices and procedure in relation to hygiene.”

In June 2018 Neil Morrissey opened his second pub ‘The Old Bramshall Inn’ in Bramshall, near Uttoxeter. The pub has a separate dining, bar and lounge areas as well as a revamped garden.

Neil said: “The pub ticked all the boxes. We’d been looking at it for a number of years so as soon as it became available a couple of months ago we leapt at it and made the deal. It’s simple really: people want a congenial atmosphere, that’s clean and consistent. They also want a great range of ales, and we have six – including two of our own. The Morrissey Blonde is our highest selling ale at The Plume of Feathers by about 25 per cent. We also have a ‘Plume’ bitter served there, so we’ve carried on that theme with our Old Bramshall Inn bitter.”

Neil Morrissey Bankrupt

In 2009 Neil said he lost £2.5 million after investing in a string of hotels and pubs. He had bought pubs and hotels around the country including Brown’s Hotel in Laugharne. The company overstretched itself and collapsed forcing Morrissey’s business partner into bankruptcy. He however said he wouldn’t file for bankruptcy and intended to pay his creditors in full.

He said: “People advise you to take the easy route – it’ll only last a year and you’ll be back up and running. But I just thought there are too many good people who’ve lost their money on these deals, and I wanted to repay them as much as I possibly could. I feel morally obliged. Afterwards I’ll feel better about myself. Now I’m working very, very hard. Every second out there to earn another penny. I don’t sit around and get depressed about things. It’s not my character.”

Neil Morrissey Net Worth

Neil has an estimated net worth of $5.8 million.

Neil Morrissey Movies

 Neil Morrissey TV Shows

 Neil Morrissey Interview

Neil Morrissey News

Neil Morrissey: ‘There was a rocky road in terms of relationships for a while’

Updated: 16th July 2018

We asked the actor, 56, what his younger self would make of him today…

A big element of my childhood was when I was taken into care, aged 10. It’s never pleasant taking a child away from their family, but my parents weren’t the best, in terms of leaving us alone in the house and going out to the pub. We were four smart, active boys and as soon as the coast was clear we were out on the streets of Stafford, throwing stones and appropriating other people’s possessions. We were basically just naughty boys, but social services saw us as vulnerable children and felt it was safer for us to be in the care -home system.

I don’t know if it’s a nature or nurture thing, but I’ve turned out all right now, although I know lots of people who didn’t. As a child I was always thinking, “This isn’t for ever”. I knew at some point I would be in charge of myself, by hook or by crook. It made me a more tolerant person, I guess.

There was a stigma attached to being a care -home child – I didn’t have the nicest clothes, I couldn’t have a haircut, I didn’t get pocket money –but it didn’t seem to affect my happiness. I had a great time at school.

From the age of 11 I got stuck into school plays and local drama. There was always a part to play, or I’d be going to the theatre to paint scenery. I remember the drama teacher saying to other children, “Watch Neil, he’s good at this”. Getting praise all of a sudden, as opposed to being accused of being naughty, felt amazing. And then getting applause or a laugh on stage made me feel like I’d found something in my life. It wasn’t until 16 that drama seemed like something I could do for a living. The careers officer had said “that’s no profession”, so, because I was doing all my sciences, I started saying I wanted to be a doctor. And that was acceptable. But I ended up going to Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and that was fantastic fun. Some of my best mates in the world are people I met there.

After drama school I was fully prepared to end up living in a council flat, doing street theatre and getting the odd job when it turned up. So I wouldn’t have believed the career I’ve had. My younger self would probably be most excited about Men Behaving Badly, because of the childish nature of the characters. But the teenage me could never have foreseen that at 20 I’d be flown to Egypt to shoot The Bounty with Anthony Hopkins and Mel Gibson.

I’ve always had a strong work ethic; once I say yes, you get 100 per cent. I’ve always learnt the words, not bumped into the furniture, and been congenial on set.

Growing up as I did, I didn’t understand the pull of family until later in life. Now I’m in a long and happy relationship with Emma [Killick, a lawyer] and I’m close to her family. I’ve got a wonderful son who is 28 and a beautiful man. Amanda, his mother, and I are still good friends.

There was a rocky road for a while in terms of relationships. Freud would have a lot to say about it. Being taken into care did have an effect on me psychologically. But still,

I’m godfather to a few children and I’ve said – should anything happen to their parents – I’ll have them.

Source: telegraph.co.uk