Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Coffee and vampires for Anthony Head

The ad campaign saw Anthony Head briefly typecast It was a series of television commercials that were to prove the making of the actor Anthony Head, whilst not an inexperienced actor, he probably wasn’t instantly recognisable to most people. Then the Gold Blend coffee campaign came along in the 1980s.

Suddenly, Anthony Head’s face was plunged into sitting rooms the length and breadth of the UK.

Such was the success of the campaign, that Head’s career became temporarily stuck in a rut with him typecast.

In the commercials he plays the romantic leading man who engages in a series of scenarios with his female neighbour.

Anthony Head was live on Breakfast to tell us what life would be after "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

Born in Camden, London in 1954, Head’s mother was an actress and his father a documentary maker.

His mother Helen Shingler, who is best known for her role as Madame Maigret in the BBC television series "Maigret".

Towards the end of the 1970s, Head began to establish a career as an actor, early TV credits included Secret Army, Enemy at the Door and Lillie.

Experience at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts began to pay off, and shaking off his Gold Blend character, led to a string of high profile work.

Recent work

Head’s busy schedule kept him busy on a number of productions including Jonathan Creek, Highlander and Love in a Cold Climate.

But in the past few years his profile has been raised further by numerous projects that have proved extremely popular with viewers, including Manchild for the BBC and Buffy the Vampire Slayer in which he played the role of Rupert Giles for seven years.

A the moment he’s also in the new comedy series Little Britain in which he plays the prime minister.

The comedy started life on BBC Three, but has recently moved to BBC Two.

But from Christmas until March, it’s a slight change of gear as Head takes on two roles on the stage.

He’s all set to play Captain Hook in Peter Pan, and in the Pirates of Penzance takes the leading role as the Pirate King at the Savoy theatre.

Anthony Head’s fans are able to see him on television in Buffy the Vampire Slayer as the last series goes out on BBC Two.

But there’s no sign of the work drying up for Head.

Radio Times readers voted him their favourite choice to be the new Dr Who, but he says: "I’ve played one cult hero in Giles for seven years", referring to Buffy.

So it looks like Head’s fans will have to wait until his spell treading the boards is over before they find out what’s next for him.