Justin Matthew Edwards (born 21 July 1972) is an English actor, comedian and writer. His roles include Ben Swain in the BBC political comedy The Thick of It and the lead role in the short-lived Channel 5 sitcom Respectable. His television work includes roles in Black Books, Endeavour, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, The Old Guys, Skins, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Fast and Loose, The Trip, Veep, Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle, and Black Mirror amongst many others. He won an RTS Award in 2014 for Best Male Actor for his performance in Father Brown ("The Daughters of Jerusalem"). He has played Jeremy Clarkson three times for television, twice for Harry & Paul, and once for Murder in Successville. In 2016 he played Mr Rumbold in the BBC remake of Are You Being Served? His film work includes the role of Charles Vernon in Whit Stillman's Love & Friendship, Spartak Sokolov in The Death of Stalin, John Forster in The Man Who Invented Christmas, Inept Policemen in both Paddington and Thor 2, a fop in The Duchess, Leo in Yesterday, and as Giant Haystacks and Gan in Tim Plester's short films World of Wrestling and Blakes Junction Seven Born in Southampton, Hampshire, Edwards studied Drama at the University of Manchester before training at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. He is married to Lucy Porter and they have two children.