I wanted to be a journalist, I thought it was glamorous and that I'd meet beautiful women in the rain.

In 1999 he gained further prominence in the UK with the starring role in "The Photographer" an episode of the award-winning BBC-TV mockumentary comedy series People Like Us playing Will Rushmore a middle aged man who has abandoned his career and family in the deluded belief that he can achieve success as a commercial photographer. In early 2004 The Sunday Times reported that Nighy was on the shortlist for role of the Ninth Doctor in the 2005 revival of the BBC television series Doctor Who. He is a supporter of Crystal Palace and is the Patron of the CPFRIS (Crystal Palace F.

He became known around the world in 2003 for his critically acclaimed performance in Love Actually. William Francis "Bill" Nighy (pronounced NYE pron.