TV star James Norton is back on our screens in the new psychological thriller Playing Nice.
He stars alongside The Virtues actress Niamh Algar, playing a Happy Valley villain who discovers his three-year-old son was swapped at birth with another couple's child due to a hospital mix-up in Cornwall.
The two couples strike a deal but how long will it be before this intricate arrangement unravels?
It's the latest TV drama from the 39-year-old actor known for his roles in Grantchester, War and Peace, and McMafia.
His chilling portrayal of villain Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley earned him a nomination for the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2015, reports Cornwall Live.
Away from the screen, James Norton leads a content life despite facing some personal challenges.
Early life and notable roles of James Norton
Born in Lambeth and brought up in Malton in North Yorkshire, James Norton is the son of two teachers.
James Norton studied theology at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, in the 2000s and performed in various productions before enrolling at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London for three years.
James Norton has made numerous appearances in dramas and films including Journey's End, Belle, Rush, Doctor Who and Death Comes to Pemberley.
Happy Valley was arguably Norton's breakout role as Tommy Joyce, the man who raped Catherine Cawood's daughter and is the father of her child. He was a dark presence throughout the series which ended with a showdown with Sarah Lancashire's character.
Norton's career has seen him star in a variety of roles beyond the gritty drama, including appearances in Grantchester, War and Peace, McMafia, and on the big screen in Little Women, Joy, and Bob Marley: One Love.
The talented actor will appear Harold Godwinson in the upcoming historical BBC drama King and Conqueror later this year.
James Norton's health admission with diabetes
At 39 years old, James Norton faces the daily challenge of managing type 1 diabetes, which sometimes requires him to inject insulin up to 15 times a day. He has previously described the condition as a "complete b***h" and shared with fans that his diagnosis was particularly "traumatic" as he considers himself "a terrible hypochondriac anyway".
Type 1 diabetes runs in Norton's family, with both his little sister and mother also living with the autoimmune disease; his father is the only one without it. In the UK, around 400,000 people are affected by type 1 diabetes.
Norton was about 22 when he first began noticing symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue. It wasn't until a blood test was conducted that he received confirmation of his condition as a type 1 diabetic.
James Norton has candidly shared his struggles with hypochondria and how his sister, training to be a doctor, became his pillar of support. "It was traumatic, because I'm a terrible hypochondriac anyway," James once recalled. "But it was also manageable because I had the best role model in my sister, who was training to be a doctor.
"I called her so many times, worrying about things, which was strange, because I'd always been the protective older brother, keeping an eye on Jessie at parties."
"Having type 1 was particularly hard for her through her teenage years when she had so many other things to contend with. But then, when it was my turn, she got me through it, too," James added when talking to Good Health at a major conference for families affected by type 1 in 2019.
Speaking the following year, James discussed how type 1 diabetes affects him on a daily basis, emphasising that "being diabetic does not hold you back".
James Norton's new partner after engagement split
James Norton is currently dating 25-year-old model Charlotte Rose Smith. She previously modelled for Prada, Bulgari and Coach and is also a budding artist.
The actor previously dated actress Imogen Poots and they were engaged in 2022 before their relationship ended in late 2023.
Addressing the difficulties of dating while a busy actor, James told The Sunday Times: "If the work starts to compromise one's relationships, it can become unhealthy. Suddenly you realise you haven’t left any space for other people and so I was p***ed off with that... Some of the choices recently weren't mine, yet I don’t feel begrudging."
He added: "I just mean that you have a certain amount of control over your life and choices you make, and at other times you don't."
Going on to confess he is glad to have waited to start a family as his busy acting career could have kept him away from a baby, he said: "Getting older is a struggle if you are freaking out about the choices you’ve made, but I don’t carry regret.
"And, you know, some of the choices recently weren’t mine, yet I don’t feel begrudging. Maybe next year I’ll have a family and a relationship."
