Monarch of the Glen cast – where are they now?

Photo credit: BBC
Photo credit: BBC

From Digital Spy

Monarch of the Glen was one of those Sunday night shows in the early 2000s that spelled out "Eugh, it's school tomorrow", but was also a laidback treat to enjoy with your roast.

Loosely based on Sir Compton Mackenzie's Highland Novels, the first five series focused on young restaurateur Archie MacDonald as he tried to restore his childhood home in the Scottish Highlands. The final two series then switched focus to new laird Paul Bowman, as he attempted to modernise the estate. Chances are you forgot about that, but we're including it.

The BBC One drama ran from 2000 to 2005, but what are the main cast members up to now?

1. Alastair MacKenzie (Archie)

Photo credit: BBC / Rex Shutterstock
Photo credit: BBC / Rex Shutterstock

Alastair is probably best known for playing lead character Archie in Monarch of the Glen, but he's kept himself very busy since it ended in 2005.

On TV, he has had roles in Lewis, Black Mirror, Skins, Borgen and recurring roles in Wolf Hall and ITV's The Loch earlier this year.

He's also had a few movie roles, including The Edge of Love and Perfect Sense, and will have a supporting part in Chris Pine's Outlaw King next year.

His brother is Oscar-nominated Hell or High Water movie director David Mackenzie (who just so happens to be directing Outlaw King).

2. Richard Briers (Hector)

Photo credit: BBC / Getty Images
Photo credit: BBC / Getty Images

Richard was already a British TV acting legend by the time he joined Monarch of the Glen as Archie's eccentric father Hector, thanks to famous roles in The Good Life, Ever Decreasing Circles and several Kenneth Branagh movies.

He had a handful of roles since leaving the drama after three series, with one of his last credits voicing a SatNav in a 2013 episode of Top Gear.

Sadly, he passed away on February 17, 2013, at the age 79, after a heart attack.

3. Susan Hampshire (Molly)

Photo credit: BBC / Getty Images
Photo credit: BBC / Getty Images

Susan was also a familiar face before playing Archie's mum Molly in the BBC drama, having appeared in various TV shows and movies including The Forsyte Saga, David Copperfield, Vanity Fair and The First Churchills.

She has only had a handful of roles since the show ended, including an appearance in Midsomer Murders earlier this year.

Now aged 80, Susan largely stepped back from acting in 2009 in order to care for her husband Sir Eddie Kulukundis, who has dementia and short-term memory loss.

4. Lorraine Pilkington (Katrina)

Photo credit: BBC / Getty Images
Photo credit: BBC / Getty Images

Lorraine played Archie's love interest and Glenbogle resident Katrina, before leaving after series three.

Since then, she has had roles in TV shows Britannia High, Robotboy and Outnumbered. After several years without many on-screen credits, she returned last year in an episode of Casualty and in the Irish drama Striking Out.

In 2001, she married Simon Massey, who directed a few episodes of Monarch of the Glen, as well as many other TV dramas including Casualty, Holby City and The Bill.

5. Alexander Morton (Golly)

Photo credit: BBC / Rex Shutterstock
Photo credit: BBC / Rex Shutterstock

Alexander appeared in all seven series as Glenbogle staff member Golly, who didn't make life easy for Archie at the beginning.

The Scottish actor has continued to act since the show ended in 2005, and has had TV appearances in Casualty, Taggart, Luther, and Shetland among others.

He has also moved into video game voice roles, including Fable II, LittleBigPlanet and The Witcher.

6. Dawn Steele (Lexie)

Photo credit: BBC / Rex Shutterstock
Photo credit: BBC / Rex Shutterstock

Dawn appeared in the first six series as Archie's sister Lexie. Since the show ended, Dawn's biggest role was in ITV's Wild At Heart, after joining the show in its fourth series.

Since then, her most profile project has been a regular part in Scottish soap River City, after joining earlier this year. She has also starred in various stage productions over the past five years.

7. Hamish Clark (Duncan)

Photo credit: BBC / Getty Images
Photo credit: BBC / Getty Images

Hamish appeared in all seven series as relatively hapless Duncan, which is probably what he's still best known for since the show ended.

He's had roles in The Decoy Bride, Rab C Nesbitt, and quite amazingly, an episode of US comedy Arrested Development as a band leader in 2013.

8. Julian Fellowes (Lord Kilwillie)

Photo credit: BBC / Getty Images
Photo credit: BBC / Getty Images

Julian appeared throughout the show's run as the head of the nearby Kilwillie House (tee hee). Already a renowned actor, writer and director, he had easily his biggest success in the years after MOTG.

In 2009, he launched his new ITV drama Downton Abbey, which went on to become an international success story, and winner of awards all over the place.

He has continued to write for stage and screen, including Gypsy, School of Rock, Doctor Thorne and The Wind in the Willows.

In 2011, he was elevated to the peerage, being created Baron Fellowes of West Stafford, of West Stafford in the County of Dorset, and on the same day was introduced in the House of Lords, where he sits on the Conservative Benches.

9. Lloyd Owen (Paul)

Photo credit: BBC / Getty Images
Photo credit: BBC / Getty Images

Lloyd joined the cast in series 4 as Archie's forgotten half-brother, as Hector had a naughty affair back in the day. After Archie left in series 5, Paul was elevated as the new laird and lead character.

Since the show ended, Lloyd has had parts in Miss Potter, The Originals, Death in Paradise and Midsomer Murders among others. He has also continued to act on stage, including productions of The Bodyguard and The End of Longing.

10. Martin Compston (Ewan)

Photo credit: BBC / Getty Images
Photo credit: BBC / Getty Images

Martin joined the cast of the drama in series 5 as new Glenbogle staffer Ewan in one of his first TV roles, and stayed until the end.

Since then, you'll know him best for playing Detective Sergeant Steve Arnott in Line of Duty since 2012.

He has also had roles in The Damned United, Filth, The Great Train Robbery, Silent Witness and In Plain Sight. He will soon star opposite Saoirse Ronan, Margot Robbie and David Tennant in the movie Mary Queen of Scots.

11. Tom Baker (Donald)

Photo credit: BBC / Rex Shutterstock
Photo credit: BBC / Rex Shutterstock

You may have forgotten that Doctor Who legend Tom joined MOTG in series 6 as Hector's brother, the brilliantly-named Donald McDonald.

He has continued to perform since the show ended, and even returned to Doctor Who for its 50th anniversary special in 2013 as the so-called 'National Gallery Curator'. He has also starred in a number of official Doctor Who audio plays. More recently, he voiced The Bendu in Star Wars Rebels.

12. Kirsty Mitchell (Iona)

Photo credit: BBC / Getty Images
Photo credit: BBC / Getty Images

Kirsty only appeared in the final series as Glenbogle resident Iona, but she has become one of the show's biggest exports in recent years.

After roles in shows like Casualty, Silent Witness and Hollyoaks, she has since started appearing in US productions, including a supporting role in Ryan Reynolds comedy The Hitman's Bodyguard.

13. Rory McCann (Roger)

Photo credit: BBC / Getty Images
Photo credit: BBC / Getty Images

OK, Rory was only in one episode of the show, but we loved his appearance so much we had to include him. Nice kilt!

After his early role in 2000, he later had a breakout role in the cult comedy The Book Group, played Michael 'Lurch' Armstrong in Hot Fuzz ("Yarp"), had parts in the movies Clash of the Titans and xXx 3 and of course, he currently plays Sandor 'The Hound' Clegane in Game of Thrones. From Glenbogle to Westeros.


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