Meet Christopher Biggins’ private partner of over 30 years – following short-lived marriage to actress
Christopher Biggins is a beloved British actor, best known for his more than five-decade career and iconic roles in Porridge, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and I, Claudius, as well as being crowned King of the Jungle in the 2007 series of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!.
His most recent TV appearance is on BBC‘s The Festive Finish Line, hosted by Roman Kemp and Sarah Greene. The festive quiz show sees five celebrities race on moving podiums across a Christmas-themed studio.
Christopher appears alongside Rachel Riley, Danny O’Carroll, Joel Mawhinney and Emily Campbell as they compete to win £5,000 for their chosen charity.
But while you may know all about Christopher’s larger-than-life personality, how much do you know about the partner he has been with for over 30 years? Read on to get all the details…
Who is Christopher Biggins’ partner?
Christopher has been with his partner, former British Airways steward Neil Sinclair, for over 30 years. The pair first met in the 1980s and, after an on-off relationship, parted ways for a time before reconnecting through a mutual friend on a British Airways flight in 1992.
© Dave Benett/Getty ImagesNeil and Christopher have been together for over 20 years
After Christopher passed his number on to Neil via the mutual friend, the couple rekindled their romance and have been together ever since, eventually entering a civil partnership at Hackney Register Office in 2006 – just one year after same-sex civil partnerships became legal in the UK.
While Christopher and Neil tend to keep their private life out of the spotlight, they do occasionally share glimpses of their time together on Instagram. Earlier in December, Christopher posted a sweet snapshot of the pair attending Paddington: The Musical at the Savoy Theatre in London.
The caption read: “Paddington the Musical at The Savoy Theatre is absolutely sensational – we had the best time last night! In these gloomy times, it’s the must-see of the season. Do whatever it takes: beg, steal or borrow a ticket – you won’t regret it!”
Although Neil previously worked as a steward for British Airways, he has also made several TV appearances alongside Christopher over the years, including the food documentary Meades Eats (2003), reality series Married to a Celebrity: The Survival Guide (2017) and property show Celebrity Escape to the Country (2023).
How did Christopher Biggins meet Neil Sinclair?
In a 2017 interview on ITV daytime show Lorraine, with host Lorraine Kelly, Christopher spoke about meeting his “soulmate” Neil at Bennetts nightclub in Glasgow. “So we met 30 years ago and I was involved with someone else,” Christopher admitted. “I was being a bit naughty, and so it didn’t work out. So we sort of saw each other occasionally, and then we finished.
© Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty INeil is a former British Airways steward
“Then 10 years later, because Neil works for British Airways, I was on a flight coming back from Barbados, and this stewardess said, ‘Oh, Mr Biggins, we have a mutual friend.’ And I said, ‘Who’s that?’ She said, ‘Neil Sinclair.’ And I said, ‘How is he?’ And she said, ‘Very well.’
“And I said, ‘You wouldn’t give him my number,’ and she gave the number to him, and then we met on Valentine’s Day, 23 years ago. We’ve been together ever since. And he’s absolutely wonderful. He has to put up with a lot with me, but he does cope very well.”
Who was Christopher Biggins married to before?
At just 23 years old, Christopher married Australian actress Beatrice Norbury. However, the marriage quickly broke down and the couple divorced three years later.
Reflecting on his first marriage, Christopher told Lorraine: “I think it was because of my upbringing. I thought that was what you had to do, you know. And luckily, she became a very good friend, and now lives in Australia, and we still keep in contact. But it was, it was a very difficult thing, and then I suddenly realised too late. And of course, I think this happens a lot.”
© Getty ImagesThe pair got a civil partnership in 2006
He continued: “I think a lot of gay men and perhaps gay women marry because they think it’s right – it’s what’s expected – and I think that then causes lots and lots of problems, obviously, in the relationship. And then it’s very difficult to be honest. And what is good is now, more and more people can become honest.”
The Festive Finish Line airs on BBC One at 5.15pm on Monday 15 December and will also be available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
