Andrew Buchan has become a well-recognized presence on British television, with Andrew Buchan consistently delivering powerful performances that showcase his talent for portraying men in moments of intense personal crisis. Over the years, Andrew Buchan has built an impressive body of work, earning acclaim for roles in major series such as The Fixer (ITV1 2008–09), where he played John Mercer, a former soldier turned government assassin—a role that brought him widespread recognition. He further solidified his reputation with a deeply moving portrayal of Mark Latimer, a grieving father, in the award-winning crime drama Broadchurch (ITV1 2013–), and as Thomas Farriner, the baker at the center of London’s infamous 1666 fire, in The Great Fire (ITV1 2014).

Born in Stockport, England in 1979, Andrew Buchan initially pursued Modern Languages at Durham University before making a pivotal shift toward acting. Determined to hone his craft, he trained at London’s esteemed Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Like many aspiring actors, Andrew Buchan faced early challenges breaking into the industry. In the years following graduation, he took on various jobs—working as a tour guide at Granada Studios, serving drinks at Manchester Airport, and even laboring abroad in Italy—before landing his breakthrough stage role as Mercutio in the Royal Exchange Theatre’s 2005 production of Romeo & Juliet.

His screen career began with a role in the detective TV movie If I Had You (ITV1 2006). From there, Andrew Buchan steadily accumulated credits: playing St. John Rivers in the BBC’s Jane Eyre (2006), the cynical lobbyist Scott Foster in Party Animals (BBC2 2007), and teacher Sean Knowles in the fast-paced The Whistleblowers (ITV1 2007). Fans may also remember Andrew Buchan as Jem Hearne, the kind-hearted carpenter, in the cozy period drama Cranford (BBC1 2007–09). He made a brief appearance in the popular U.S. crime series Bones (Fox) as Dr. Ian Wexler, further expanding his international profile.

Beyond television, Andrew Buchan made strides in film, appearing as Fishwick in the John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy (2009) and later starring in the bittersweet romantic comedy Having You (2013), where he played a man coming to terms with fatherhood. That same year, Andrew Buchan co-produced and starred in 1946, a short film inspired by the life of Hollywood icon James Stewart. His versatility shone through in historical and legal dramas too—he portrayed pioneering barrister William Garrow in Garrow’s Law (BBC1 2009–11), journalist Billy Marshall in Abroad (2010), and Joseph in the biblical miniseries The Nativity (BBC1 2010). He also delivered a compelling performance as Junior Third Officer Thomas Mortimer in the WWII drama The Sinking of the Laconia (BBC2 2011).

In 2014, Andrew Buchan continued to demonstrate his range, sharing the screen with Maggie Gyllenhaal in the gripping spy thriller An Honourable Woman (BBC2). With a career marked by emotional depth and quiet intensity, Andrew Buchan remains one of Britain’s most compelling dramatic actors—someone who brings authenticity and gravitas to every role he takes on.