The TV star is famed for his role in an award-winning comedy series which ran from 2004 until 2013 for 11 series and 139 episodes, but can you recognise who he is?
09:41, 31 Oct 2025
A Brit TV icon stepped out on the red carpet in London on Thursday night (October 30)(Image: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
An iconic British actor stepped out on a red carpet in London.
The award-winning star was the anti-hero lead of a legendary British TV comedy-drama series, which ran for nearly a decade with 11 series and 139 episodes. The show won Best Drama at the BAFTAs and Best TV Comedy Drama at the British Comedy Awards.
In fact, it was so successful that it spawned a US adaptation of the programme, which itself aired for 10 years. He stepped out at the premiere of his new TV show The Death of Bunny Munro in London on Thursday night (October 30).
However, fans of his most famous show would be forgiven for having to look twice to recognise the star on the red carpet. That’s because he looked worlds away from his famously boozy, cig-puffing character.
David Threlfall was at the premiere of his new TV show, The Death of Bunny Munro(Image: WireImage)
If you haven’t guessed it yet, we’re here to put you out of your misery. It’s actor and director David Threlfall, who played chaotic Frank Gallagher in Channel 4’s Shameless.
The acclaimed theatre actor, who won an Olivier, was sporting long hair and a bushy grey beard at London’s Royal Festival Hall this week. The 72-year-old actor rocked up to the premiere in a knitted blazer and grey trousers – keeping himself warm with a scarf.
He’s famed for playing Frank Gallagher in Channel 4’s Shameless(Image: Channel 4)
He’s set to play Bunny Munro Sr in the upcoming Sky Atlantic drama based on Nick Cave’s 2009 novel of the same name. He also posed with Matt Smith, who is playing Bunny Munro in the six-part series which premieres on November 20.
David has kept busy over the last few years, having appeared in several TV shows, including Passenger, Nightsleeper, and The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin. This year he starred alongside Anna Friel and Anna Maxwell Martin in the TV film Unforgivable.
In 2014, David starred with Jude Law in the thriller Black Sea. He also appeared in Hot Fuzz and the John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy, starring Aaron Taylor Johnson and Kristin Scott Thomas.
David posed with co-star Matt Smith on the carpet(Image: Mike Marsland/Getty Images for S)
Discussing Shamelss back in 2013, David said: “I do still think it’s a story about people trying to get by. You see the cracks in the wall but you see the paper over the cracks.
“They’re trying to paper it together through love and concern in their own misguided way at times, which is life really, isn’t it?”.
Discussing his iconic character of Frank, he added: “He’s a bit like the all-licensed fool in Shakespeare. They’re going to kill me for saying that.”
He also admitted he couldn’t possibly match his character’s booze intake. He said he loved playing the role “because I’m the complete opposite of that”, adding: “I can have a drink but I couldn’t handle his intake.”
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