Career
He is currently appearing in the British Broadcasting Corporation television soap opera EastEnders as Buster Briggs. Born in Woolwich, London, he is best known to television viewers for his work as Jacko in Esmonde and Larbey"s late-1980s British Broadcasting Corporation television sitcom Brush Strokes and as the title character in the series Mulberry (also by Esmonde and Larbey). However, Howman first worked with the two comedy scriptwriters on the final series of Thames television sitcom Get Some In! in 1978 replacing Robert Lindsay (who left after the fourth series to star in Citizen Smith at the British Broadcasting Corporation) in the role of Jakey Smith.
Howman co-starred with Lindsay in Claude Whatham"s That"ll Be the Day (1973), and also appeared in the sequel Stardust (1974).
Howman"s other films include Exposé (1976), a film described as a video nasty, South.O.S. Titanic (1979), The Long Good Friday (1980), Babylon (1981), Party Party (1983), The Truth About Love (2005), and in the Porridge feature film (1979). He also starred in the episode "Shadow" in the British Broadcasting Corporation series Blake"s 7, in the Minder episode "All About Scoring, Innit?" playing Danny Varrow, and in the episode "May" of The Sweeney playing Davey Holmes.
He replaced Peter Davison in the British Broadcasting Corporation Radio 4 school-based comedy drama series King Street Junior when Davison left after the first two series. Howman appeared in the 1980 Independent Television series Fox, the last two series of the Judi Dench/Michael Williams comedy A Fine Romance, and in Babes in the Wood with Denise Van Outen.
Howman has provided voice-over for United Kingdom digital television station Nuts television He played a role in the Independent Television drama The Bill for four episodes in 2001.
He is well known for his recurring role in the commercials for the Flash brand of cleaning products. He has played the character of Mr Paravavincini, a foreign visitor at a guest house in the first United Kingdom tour of Agatha Christie"s The Mousetrap. He also starred in the British Broadcasting Corporation Radio 7 audio show Coming Alive as Terry, an educated ex-convict who helps divorcee Sandra (Phyllis Logan) through many ups and downs with the Grove Hill Community Centre.
Three series of six episodes, originally broadcast 2008-2009.
On 25 September 2014 it was announced that Howman had been cast in long running British Broadcasting Corporation soap Eastenders. Howman appears as the character Buster Briggs.