Michael Whitehall


Michael John Whitehall is an English television producer, talent agent, television personality and author. He is a former theatrical agent who went on to form two production companies, Havahall Pictures in 1988, and Whitehall Films in 1998. He has represented Colin Firth and Dame Judi Dench. He is the father of comedian Jack Whitehall.

Early life and education

Whitehall was educated at Ampleforth College, a Catholic boarding school in Yorkshire, run by Benedictine monks. After his education, Whitehall worked as a film reporter for The Universe, a weekly Catholic newspaper.
Both his father and grandfather were commercial travellers. His education was paid for by his grandfather, who had inherited significant wealth from his cousin, a woollen merchant.

Career

Whitehall has produced TV programmes such as Bertie and Elizabeth, Noah's Ark, Element of Doubt, The Good Guys and A Perfect Hero. He represented Judi Dench, Colin Firth, Richard E Grant, and Leslie Grantham.
He has made guest appearances on various television shows including Countdown, John Bishop's Britain, The Million Pound Drop Live, Alexander Armstrong's Big Ask and '. In 2013, it was announced that he would present a TV chat show for the BBC with his son Jack Whitehall. The first series of Backchat began airing on BBC Three, starting on 20 November 2013 but has since moved to BBC Two. In 2017, he co-presented ', a travel documentary/road trip through Southeast Asia with his son Jack on Netflix. In 2018, Travels had a second season where they visited several countries in Eastern Europe. In 2019, Travels had a third, two-episode season where they visited, California, Arizona, and Nevada in the USA. In 2019, Michael appeared in the programme Who Do You Think You Are? along with his son Jack Whitehall to discover his heritage.
Whitehall's first book was Shark Infested Waters: Tales of an Actors' Agent, and his son Jack illustrated it. The Times Literary Supplement called the book "a most entertaining memoir" that was "wittily illustrated". In October 2013, he released his second book Him & Me, which was co-written with his son. Written in two distinctive styles, it reflects the different personalities of its authors.

Personal life

Whitehall married Jane McIntosh in 1969. After their 1973 divorce, McIntosh married lyricist Tim Rice. Whitehall married television actress Hilary Gish.
As of 2013, Whitehall and Hilary were living in Putney in the London Borough of Wandsworth. They have three children together: Jack Peter Benedict, Molly Louisa, Barnaby William.
Whitehall is a supporter of the Conservative Party.

Books

Television