Ian was born and raised on a farm in North Wales, where he initially followed in his family's footsteps. However, inspired by a drama teacher at his secondary school, Ian joined the school drama club and later became a founding member of the Flintshire Youth Theatre. At 19, he left for London to study acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. To make ends meet while at college, Ian performed a comedy show in London's Covent Garden.
After graduating, Ian spent much of the 80's working in repertory theatres throughout the country. During this time, he honed his comedy skills on the streets of London and became involved in the alternative comedy circuit in London. He played most of the clubs, including the famous Comedy Store, with his own unique brand of kooky, visual, and spoken bizarre comedy.
Despite his comedic successes, Ian is best known for his roles as a villain, hard-man, or serial killer. His parents often request he play a nice person. His most recent bad guys include the serial killer in Netflix's Marcella and the chilling Frank in Sky Atlantic's high-profile drama Tin Star, filmed in Canada alongside Hollywood luminaries Tim Roth and Christina Hendricks. Tin Star confirmed Ian's professional standing in Canada and the USA.
Ian's current role is also a trans-Atlantic production. He plays Mr. Pennyworth Snr in the new Warner Horizon television series Pennyworth, set in 1960s London and filming at the Warner Bros studios in Leavesden. The series explores the early life of Batman's loyal butler, Alfred Pennyworth.
In addition to his acting work, Ian has been delighted to support children's charities with his jovial King Thistle character from the animated series Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom. He has also been frequently asked to front campaigns and participate in many charity events. Ian is a Patron of the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital and The Hospice of the Good Shepherd.
Ian has struggled with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and has used his experiences to become Patron of OCD-UK. He has spoken at length about his OCD at conferences and to the media. In 2017, he presented and narrated a 30-minute documentary about OCD for BBC Wales called OCD - An Actor's Tale.
Ian has used his downtime to establish himself as a writer. In 2005, he co-wrote the drama Dirty, Filthy, Love with prolific dramatist Jeff Pope. The film was recognized with several awards, including a Royal Television Society Award and a Broadcast Award for Best Single Drama. Ian has also turned his talents to directing, recently directing his first television drama, Time Out.
Ian and his partner Sue have lived in Chester for several years, where Ian's work was recognized with an honorary doctorate for services to Mental Health and the Arts by the University of Chester. In 2018, Ian was invited to become a Patron and Ambassador at the Square Chapel Arts Centre in Halifax.
