Skip to main contentSkip to footer

Paul Nicholls - Biography

Actor Paul Nicholls shot to fame on British soap EastEnders

British actor Paul Nicholls smiling
Phoebe Tatham
Content Writer
Share this:

Who is Paul Nicholls?

Bolton-born Paul got his first taste of acting in a school production of Aladdin, and before the year was out had won a three-line part on TV show Children's Ward. Seven GCSEs later, including an A in drama, he left school to hone his craft, shooting to fame as stage school student Tim in children's show The Biz

He graduated to mainstream TV in 1996 and gained a teen fan base for his role as troubled Joe Wickes in EastEnders. Departing Albert Square in 1997, he went on to star in crime drama City Central and landed a handful of other TV roles before progressing to the big screen, where his most noteworthy appearance was in blockbuster chick flick Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason

He's also starred on stage in the West End, including a four-month stint in Long Day's Journey Into Night, returning to TV in 2008 in an episode of Fairy Tales.

His Personal Life

In 2017, Paul spent time in hospital after a freak Thai waterfall accident left him trapped for three days with a broken leg. The former EastEnders actor was trapped in a rock pool without food after he plunged down a waterfall. After searching for hours, rescuers eventually found the actor, who was at the foot of Khun Si falls.

At the time, Paul was semi-conscious and had hypothermia from his prolonged time in the water. He hadn't eaten for three days, and had also contracted a bug during his ordeal. "I am lucky to be alive," the TV star told the Sun. "I had a phone with me but I fell from such a height into the water it was unretrievable. It took such a long time to find me. It's an understatement to say it wasn't a great situation. It wasn't that I was lost. The problem was I couldn't move to get out of there."

He added: "I've got a broken leg and I'm missing a kneecap. It needs complete reconstruction."  

More Profiles

See more