John Altman says playing Nick Cotton on BBC One's EastEnders brought steady pay and public notoriety — including paid appearances in clubs where he adopted the role to taunt audiences — but it also boxed him into a narrow identity.
Altman, 73, told reporters he was once paid £1,000 to insult crowds in northern clubs while performing as the soap’s long-running villain, known to viewers as "Nasty" Nick Cotton. The part made him a familiar face from EastEnders’ first episode in 1985 through the character’s on-screen death in 2015, and provided financial reward and opportunities outside the soap.
Altman has pushed back against being labelled simply a "soap star," saying he has long pursued work beyond the programme. His career includes stage work, a tour in the musical Chicago and performances with the rock band Heavy Metal Kids. He is also a singer and songwriter.
Born into a family with theatrical connections, Altman said his father worked as a first-class clerk at the Bank of England and his mother was a housewife. He grew up in a middle-class household in Hurst, Berkshire, and later Herne Bay, Kent. Altman has cited his maternal grandfather, actor Johnnie Schofield Jr., as an influence that helped steer him toward the profession.
He said his parents encouraged prudent financial habits; he recalled being advised to put money into a Post Office savings account. Altman has described an uneven career path common to many performers, with periods of steady work interspersed with other projects outside television.
Altman lives in Richmond upon Thames in south-west London. He is divorced and has one child.
EastEnders, created by Julia Smith and Tony Holland, debuted in 1985 and became one of the BBC’s flagship soap operas. Nick Cotton, written as an antagonist in the show’s early episodes, returned repeatedly over three decades, becoming one of the series’ most notorious characters. Altman’s repeated returns to the role underscored both the character’s durability and the commercial value attached to long-running soap-personae in live appearances and promotional events.
While the part delivered name recognition and additional income, Altman’s comments reflect a broader tension faced by actors who become closely associated with single roles. He has sought to diversify his work into theatre and music, emphasizing a broader professional identity beyond his EastEnders persona.
Altman’s account offers a glimpse into the financial and reputational trade-offs that can accompany high-profile television roles. For many performers, long-running characters provide a reliable source of income and public visibility, but they can also complicate efforts to secure a wide range of future parts. Altman’s continuing work in stage productions and music underlines his efforts to maintain a varied career more than three decades after his television debut.