Actor David Suchet, known to millions for his legendary performance as Hercule Poirot, has been knighted. He received the accolade for services to entertainment and charity in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Born David Courtney Suchet in London in 1946, he started his career with the National Youth Theatre at the age of sixteen and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1973 by which time he had already performed several TV roles. His most famous theatre roles include a long run on Broadway as Salieri in Amadeus for which he received Tony and Olivier Award nominations.
He was cast as Hercule Poirot in ITV’s long running adaptations of Agatha Christie’s books in 1989 and portrayed the fictional detective in dozens of productions over almost a quarter of a century. When the final Poirot story, Curtain, was filmed in 2013, Sir David said it was ‘’like losing the dearest of friends’’. The following year he was presented with the Royal Television Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his portrayal.
Sir David’s charity work includes long time support for the Variety Club which supports ill and disadvantaged children across the UK. He is also Vice-President of the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust.
On becoming a Knight of the Realm, Sir David said: “I feel so very honoured, privileged and full of gratitude to the Queen, my country and my profession.”
