Chris Jury (born Christopher Byram Jury, 28 September 1956) is an English actor, writer, and director. He is best known for his role as Eric Catchpole in the BBC television series Lovejoy, which he played from 1986 to 1994 across 55 episodes.
Early Life and Education
Jury was born in Coventry, Warwickshire, England. He studied Drama and English at Hull University, graduating in 1979.
Acting Career
Jury began his acting career in theatre, working with directors such as Mike Bradwell, Danny Boyle, and Anthony Minghella, and with companies including Hull Truck, The Bush, and Stratford East. His early television appearances included roles in Grange Hill (as Mr. Knowles), Play for Today, Dramarama, and A Very Peculiar Practice.
His most prominent role was Eric Catchpole, the bumbling assistant to Ian McShane's character in the BBC series Lovejoy (1986–1994). He also appeared in Doctor Who (as Deadbeat in the 1988 serial The Greatest Show in the Galaxy), Casualty, Heartbeat, Stay Lucky, and Wycliffe. In 1987, he was a strong contender to play the Seventh Doctor in Doctor Who, a role that ultimately went to Sylvester McCoy.
Writing and Directing
After Lovejoy, Jury transitioned to writing and directing. Through his own company, Picture That, he produced and directed short films including To Baldly Go (1993), which was sold to Channel 4, and Puke Fiction (The Vomit Trilogy), which won the Electric Pavilion Award for Best Film.
His broadcast directing credits include over 40 episodes of EastEnders, as well as episodes of Coronation Street, Hollyoaks, Doctors, Crossroads, Family Affairs, The Royal Today, and Dream Team.
His writing credits include episodes of The Bill, Casualty, Holby City, and Doctors. He has also written for theatre, including the play The Liberty Tree and Nadya, a play about Stalin's second wife, Nadya Alliluyeva, which was presented at The Park Theatre in London. His television pilot script Rednecks, a historical drama set in the West Virginia coal mines of the 1920s, won the 2020 Inroads Screenwriting Fellowship.
Teaching and Other Work
Jury has lectured on scriptwriting and film and television production at the University of West London, Leeds Metropolitan University, Bath Spa University, Ruskin College Oxford, and the University of the Creative Arts. He is the founder of ScreenWrite, an online screenwriting school, and of Changing Stories CIC, a community interest company. He is also a co-founder of the Tolpuddle Radical Film Festival.
Personal Life
Jury is married to Stella, a head teacher. They have two children. He has been a trade unionist for over 40 years and is a member of Equity, Directors UK, the Writers' Guild of Great Britain (WGGB), and the University and College Union (UCU).
