Background
Coyle was born in Corby, Northamptonshire, to an Irish father and Scottish mother.
Coyle was born in Corby, Northamptonshire, to an Irish father and Scottish mother.
He studied drama in Dublin in 1981 and received a scholarship to Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in the United Kingdom in 1983.
He also played Nicholas Higgins in the miniseries North & South, Robert Timmins in the first three series of Lark Rise to Candleford, and more recently Mr Bates, the valet, in Downton Abbey. The last role earned him a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and a British Academy of Film and Television Arts nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Due to his English birth and Irish parentage, he holds dual British and Irish citizenship.
He is a great-nephew of football manager Sir Matt Busby.
In 2001, Coyle appeared in the film Conspiracy as Gestapo Chief Heinrich Müller. He played Kaz Sweeney in the British drama, True Dare Kiss, and Nicholas Higgins in North & South for the British Broadcasting Corporation. Since 2008, he has played Robert Timmins in three British Broadcasting Corporation series based on the Lark Rise to Candleford novels, written by Flora Thompson.
In 2010, he began playing John Bates, valet and former British Army batman to the Earl of Grantham in Julian Fellowes"s period drama series, Downton Abbey. Coyle also played the character of Terry Starling in the short-lived Sky comedy series Starlings.
Coyle divides his time between London and Norfolk.
He is an avid supporter of Manchester United. In July 2014, Brendan Coyle and Joy Harrison formed Limited. with the mission to "find talented young filmmakers and then helps fund their short films." On 14 September 2014, Coyle announced via Twitter his involvement with Council Child Production"s short film, Starcross.
He won the Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role for The Weir in 1999. Brendan Coyle received a Laurence Olivier Award in 1999 for his performance in Conor McPherson"s The Weir and won a New York Critics Theater World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut for the same play in its New York production. Fellowes wrote the part for Coyle, and it won him nominations for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts and IFTA, as well as a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Awards as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2012.
