--- name: "Neil Fitzmaurice" canonical: "https://film.one/person/neil-fitzmaurice" fi1m_id: "neil-fitzmaurice" imdb_id: "nm0030969" tmdb_id: 110367 wikidata_id: "Q15504127" roles: ["Actor","Writer"] born: "20 August 1969" reviewed_on_fi1m: 5 average_fi1m_score: 80 average_as: "actor" average_over: 4 updated: "2026-10-07T20:07:46.728523+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Neil Fitzmaurice ## Identity Neil Fitzmaurice - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/neil-fitzmaurice - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** neil-fitzmaurice - **IMDb ID:** nm0030969 - **TMDB ID:** 110367 - **Wikidata ID:** Q15504127 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Fitzmaurice, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q15504127, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0030969/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/110367 Actor and writer. Born 20 August 1969 in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK. ## Details - **Work:** Actor, Writer - **Born:** 20 August 1969, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK - **Active:** 2001–2019 - **Also known as:** Neil Anthony - **Titles on Fi1m:** 5: 4 acting, 1 writing - **Average Fi1m score:** 80, as actor, over 4 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 73 (4), 2010s 76 (1) - **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Comedy 3, Drama 2, Crime 1, History 1 - **Screen time:** 2 hours of reviewed films - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Fitzmaurice, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q15504127, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0030969/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/110367 ## Streaming the US now - **BritBox:** [*Peep Show*](https://film.one/tv/peep-show.md) (88) - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Benidorm*](https://film.one/tv/benidorm.md) (50) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Neil Fitzmaurice > Neil Fitzmaurice is good at making an ordinary, confident man aggravating company. Jeff in *Peep Show* is the clearest example, though his work as a writer makes it worth looking beyond the familiar supporting roles. Jeff Heaney is Mark's office rival in *Peep Show* (2003), and Fitzmaurice makes his confidence an irritation we recognise. He gives the comedy an antagonist who does not need to be especially imposing to make matters uncomfortable. We found Jeff maddening, because Fitzmaurice makes his unpleasantness seem so easy and untroubled. Against the private cowardice played by David Mitchell and Robert Webb, that assurance is useful: the excuses have someone difficult to contend with. His writing complicates the picture of an actor brought in whenever a sitcom needs a troublesome northerner. Before Jeff came *Going Off Big Time* (2000), which he wrote and in which he played Mark Clayton. In *Phoenix Nights* (2001), he played resident DJ Ray Von and co-wrote both series. His collaborators include Peter Kay and Dave Spikey, fellow writers and performers. Those credits are worth remembering when a familiar supporting face makes it easy to overlook the work done on the page. *Peep Show* brought wider recognition, but Fitzmaurice continued writing, including for *Benidorm*, while taking comedy and drama roles. Playing Mr Bishop in *Brassic* (2019) fits the continuing emphasis on ensemble work. There is a risk in his frequent casting as confident northern characters: a part can ask for the familiar nuisance and little else. We would welcome more parts that make us reconsider what we expect of him, rather than simply call upon that dependable assurance. What makes Jeff worth returning to is the fit between Fitzmaurice's confidence and a programme so alert to private cowardice. We rate *Peep Show* highly because the writing and performances sustain that painful comedy, not because embarrassment is automatically funny. It can become tiring, and Fitzmaurice's skill at being aggravating is hardly going to provide relief. Start there, then try *Phoenix Nights* to see what he contributes when he also has a writing credit. ## Biography Neil Fitzmaurice is an English actor, comedian and writer. Born in Liverpool on 20 August 1969, he is also credited as Neil Anthony. He is best known for playing Jeff Heaney in the Channel 4 sitcom *Peep Show* (2003–2015). He appeared as Alex in the first series of *The Office* (2001) and as Ray Von in *Phoenix Nights* (2001–2002), for which he also wrote. Other television credits include *Brassic* (2019) as Mr Bishop, *The Responder* (2022) as DI Kennedy, *Foyle's War* (2002) and *Benidorm* (2007). Fitzmaurice wrote and starred in the film *Going Off Big Time* (2000). He has also written episodes of *That Peter Kay Thing* and *Benidorm*. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (5) ### Performed in (4) — the average rests on these - *Brassic* (2019), Fi1m 76, as Mr Bishop — [page](https://film.one/tv/brassic.md) - *Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman* (2005), Fi1m 66, as Cliff the Scouser — [page](https://film.one/film/pierrepoint-the-last-hangman.md) - *Peep Show* (2003), Fi1m 88, as Jeff Heaney — [page](https://film.one/tv/peep-show.md) - *The Office* (2001), Fi1m 89, as Alex — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-office.md) ### Wrote (1) - *Benidorm* (2007), Fi1m 50, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/benidorm.md) ## Complete filmography (38) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *The Responder* (2022), series, as DI Kennedy — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-responder.md) - *Semi-Detached* (2020), series, as Charlie - *This Is the Winter* (2019), as Steve - *Brassic* (2019), series, as Mr Bishop — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/brassic.md) - *Walk Like a Panther* (2018), as Cliff ‘Edge’ Morris - *Little Boy Blue* (2017), series, as Neil Jones - *Hank Zipzer's Christmas Catastrophe* (2016), as Stan - *The Aliens* (2016), series, as Niall - *Saturday* (2015), as Carl - *Still Open All Hours* (2014), series, as Mr. Jackson - *The Last Game* (2014), as Wayne Rooney (voice) - *Hank Zipzer* (2014), series, as Stanley "Stan" Zipzer - *Truckers* (2013), series, as Vince - *Mount Pleasant* (2011), series, Actor - *Nativity!* (2009), as Oakmoor Parent - *Fifteen Minutes That Shook the World* (2009), as Rafa Benitez - *Moving On* (2009), series, as Les, Terry - *Scallywagga* (2008), series, Actor - *Never Better* (2008), series, Actor - *Mobile* (2007), series, as Eddie Doig - *Benidorm* (2007), series, Writer — Fi1m 50, [page](https://film.one/tv/benidorm.md) - *Waterloo Road* (2006), series, as Neil Guthrie, Dave Dowling - *Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman* (2005), as Cliff the Scouser — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/pierrepoint-the-last-hangman.md) - *Festival* (2005), as Howard Wingham - *I'm a Juvenile Delinquent, Jail Me!* (2004), as Dean - *Celebrity Mastermind* (2003), series, as Contestant - *Peep Show* (2003), series, as Jeff Heaney — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/peep-show.md) - *Eyes Down* (2003), series, as Bobby Rutt · Writer, Additional Writing - *Blue Murder* (2003), series, as Mark Turton - *Buried* (2003), series, as Chris Russo - *Foyle's War* (2002), series, as Horace Chorley — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/foyles-war.md) - *The Office* (2001), series, as Alex — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-office.md) - *Waking the Dead* (2001), series, as Paul Salter - *Phoenix Nights* (2001), series, as Ray Von · Writer - *Going Off Big Time* (2000), as Mark Clayton · Writer - *That Peter Kay Thing* (2000), series, Actor - *The Bill* (1984), series, Actor - *Hillsborough Remembered*, Actor --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/neil-fitzmaurice