Born in London into a family of distinguished actors, Sam West studied English at Oxford and has since forged a career as an internationally acclaimed actor and director. Highly esteemed for the nuanced dramatic energy of his spoken-word recordings, he enjoys regular collaborations as a reader and narrator with musical ensembles the world over. On stage Sam has played Richard II for the Royal Shakespeare Company and won a Critics’ Circle award for his RSC performance of Hamlet. His extensive television credits include W1A, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, and Cambridge Spies (all for the BBC) and four series of Mr Selfridge (ITV). For the BBC he has also narrated several documentaries. Among his many films are Darkest Hour, On Chesil Beach, Suffragette and Notting Hill, and he voiced Pongo in Disney’s 101 Dalmatians II. His portrayal of Leonard Bast in Howards End won him a BAFTA nomination. Accompanying Walton’s music for Henry V at the Last Night of the Proms, Sam performed speeches from Shakespeare’s play. He has recorded over fifty audiobooks, receiving numerous awards for his work. A keen birdwatcher, Sam is an Associate Artist of the RSC and Chair of the National Campaign for the Arts.