William Troughton: The Actor Behind Tom Archer

Introduction

William Troughton is a British actor whose career covers radio, theatre, television, and film. Most listeners know him as Tom Archer in The Archers, one of the longest-running radio dramas in the world.

He joined the BBC Radio 4 programme in 2014 and became an important part of the Archer family storyline. His role has an unusual real-life connection because his father, actor David Troughton, plays Tom Archer’s father, Tony Archer.

Acting also runs through several generations of his family. His grandfather was Patrick Troughton, remembered worldwide for playing the Second Doctor in Doctor Who. His brother Sam Troughton is an actor, while another brother, Jim Troughton, built a career in professional cricket.

Alongside radio work, William has appeared in major theatre productions including The Ladykillers, Photograph 51, Clybourne Park, and Young Marx. His screen credits also include British television dramas and films.

Readers interested in more British entertainment stories can also explore other actor and media profiles.

William Troughton Quick Facts

Quick Fact	Details
Full name	William Troughton
Profession	Actor
Nationality	British
Best known for	Playing Tom Archer in The Archers
Joined The Archers	2014
Radio network	BBC Radio 4
Character	Tom Archer
Father	David Troughton
Father’s Archers character	Tony Archer
Grandfather	Patrick Troughton
Famous grandfather role	The Second Doctor in Doctor Who
Brother	Sam Troughton
Sam Troughton’s profession	Actor
Brother	Jim Troughton
Jim Troughton’s profession	Former professional cricketer
Major theatre production	The Ladykillers
West End credit	The Woman in Black
Theatre production	Happy New
Theatre production	Private Peaceful
Theatre production	Photograph 51
Theatre production	Clybourne Park
Bridge Theatre production	Young Marx
Young Marx role	Constable Crimp
Film credit	Armistice
Later film credit	Sulphur and White

Who Is William Troughton?

William Troughton is an English actor with experience across several parts of the entertainment industry.

His most recognised work comes from radio. Since 2014, he has played Tom Archer in The Archers, the BBC Radio 4 drama centred on life in the fictional village of Ambridge.

The role has given him a long-running connection with audiences who follow the Archer family and their farming, business, and personal stories.

His career is not limited to radio. He has worked on the British stage, appeared in television dramas, and taken film roles.

This mix of theatre, broadcasting, and screen acting has helped him build a varied professional career rather than being associated with only one form of performance.

William Troughton and The Archers

For many people, William is most strongly connected with Tom Archer.

He took over the role in 2014. Tom is the son of Tony and Pat Archer and has been part of many storylines involving farming, family relationships, food production, and rural business.

There is also a special family connection behind the microphones.

William’s real father, David Troughton, plays Tony Archer, meaning the two actors portray father and son both in real life and in the programme.

This is one of the more interesting casting connections in the long history of the radio drama.

The father and son have spoken publicly about working together, explaining how appearing in the same programme has given them another way to spend time together professionally.

As of 2026, Tom Archer remains William Troughton’s clearest continuing and widely recognised role.

A Family Connected to Acting

The Troughton surname has a long history in British entertainment.

William’s father, David Troughton, has worked extensively in television, theatre, and radio.

His grandfather was Patrick Troughton, an actor who became famous as the Second Doctor in Doctor Who. Patrick played the Doctor during the 1960s and remains an important name in the history of the series.

William’s brother Sam Troughton also became an actor, continuing the family connection with stage and screen work.

Another brother, Jim Troughton, followed a different professional path and became a cricketer.

This means William grew up around both performance and professional sport, although acting became his own main career.

He has also spoken about watching his father perform on stage when he was younger, showing that theatre was already part of his surroundings before he established his own professional work.

Theatre Career

Theatre forms an important part of William Troughton’s career.

His credits include both West End work and regional productions.

The Woman in Black

One of his recognised stage credits is The Woman in Black, the long-running theatrical adaptation of Susan Hill’s ghost story.

The production became one of London’s best-known stage thrillers and was performed in the West End for many years.

The Ladykillers

William was also connected with the stage version of The Ladykillers.

He initially worked as an understudy in the original West End company before later playing Harry Robinson during the UK and Ireland tour.

The move from understudy work into a principal touring part was an important step in his theatre career.

Happy New

In 2013, he appeared in Happy New, a play by Brendan Cowell.

He played Danny in the Trafalgar Studios production alongside Lisa Dillon and Joel Samuels.

Private Peaceful

His stage work also includes Private Peaceful, based on Michael Morpurgo’s well-known novel.

The production added another major literary adaptation to his theatre experience.

Photograph 51

In 2015, William became part of the Michael Grandage Company production of Photograph 51.

The play focused on scientist Rosalind Franklin and her important contribution to understanding the structure of DNA.

Nicole Kidman starred as Franklin.

William worked as an understudy for several male roles in the production, including characters based on scientists Maurice Wilkins and Francis Crick.

Being part of a major West End production involving such a high-profile cast added another significant theatre credit to his professional record.

Clybourne Park

William appeared in Clybourne Park, Bruce Norris’s award-winning play dealing with neighbourhood change, race, property, and social attitudes.

He had the interesting task of playing two different characters.

In one part of the story, he appeared as Jim. In another period of the play, he played Tom.

Performing two roles allowed him to show different sides of his acting within the same production.

Young Marx

Another notable stage credit came with Young Marx at London’s Bridge Theatre.

William played Constable Crimp.

The production was especially important because Young Marx became the first show staged at the newly opened Bridge Theatre.

The play starred Rory Kinnear as Karl Marx and Oliver Chris as Friedrich Engels.

Taking part in the opening production of a major new London theatre gave William another distinctive entry in his stage career.

Television Work

Although radio and theatre are major parts of his professional story, William has also appeared on British television.

His confirmed television credits include programmes such as:

• Inspector George Gently
• Doctors
• Silk
• The Crimson Field
• Tina & Bobby

These roles gave him experience across crime drama, medical television, legal storytelling, historical drama, and biographical television.

Rather than becoming known mainly as a television celebrity, he has continued to work across different types of acting.

Film Work

William Troughton has also appeared in films.

One of his earlier film credits is Armistice, a psychological and supernatural thriller.

He later appeared in Sulphur and White, a drama directed by Julian Jarrold.

His film career is smaller than his radio and theatre record, but these appearances show another part of his wider acting experience.

William Troughton and David Troughton

The relationship between William and his father is one of the most interesting parts of his public story.

David Troughton was already an established actor long before William entered the profession.

Their connection became even more unusual after both joined The Archers.

David plays Tony Archer, while William voices Tony’s son Tom.

They therefore perform the same family relationship in the studio that they have away from work.

William has discussed enjoying the opportunity to work with his father and spend time together through the programme.

For fans of British radio drama, this real-family casting has become a memorable part of the show.

Is William Troughton Related to Patrick Troughton?

Yes.

William Troughton is the grandson of Patrick Troughton.

Patrick is famous for playing the Second Doctor in the BBC science-fiction series Doctor Who.

This family connection often leads people searching for William to wonder whether he belongs to the same acting family.

The answer is clearly yes.

Patrick Troughton was William’s grandfather, David Troughton is his father, and Sam Troughton is his brother.

Is William Troughton Related to Sam Troughton?

Yes.

Sam Troughton and William are brothers.

Sam is also an actor and has worked in theatre, television, and film.

Their careers are separate, but both followed the acting tradition already established within their family.

What Is William Troughton Best Known For?

The simplest answer is Tom Archer in The Archers.

He has many professional credits, especially in theatre, but the BBC Radio 4 role is his longest-running and most recognisable work.

He has played the character since 2014 and continues to be strongly linked with the programme.

His family connection also makes his casting unusual because David Troughton plays Tom’s father Tony.

Is William Troughton Still in The Archers?

As of 2026, William Troughton continues to be associated with his role as Tom Archer.

Recent programme records continue to credit him with the character.

This makes The Archers his main current verified professional role and the strongest answer for readers wondering what he is doing now.

Why Is William Troughton Well Known?

His public recognition comes from several connected areas.

First, he has played a major character in one of Britain’s most famous radio dramas for more than a decade.

Second, his theatre career includes important London and touring productions.

Third, he belongs to a family with a long history in British acting.

However, his own professional record is separate from his family background. Roles in The Ladykillers, Photograph 51, Clybourne Park, Young Marx, television dramas, films, and The Archers show a career built through regular acting work across different formats.

Interesting Facts About William Troughton

• He plays Tom Archer in The Archers.
• He joined the radio drama in 2014.
• His real father also plays his fictional father in the programme.
• David Troughton plays Tony Archer.
• His grandfather Patrick Troughton played the Second Doctor in Doctor Who.
• His brother Sam Troughton is also an actor.
• His brother Jim Troughton became a professional cricketer.
• He moved from understudy work to playing Harry Robinson on The Ladykillers tour.
• He played two different characters in Clybourne Park.
• He appeared in Young Marx, the opening production of the Bridge Theatre.

Final Thoughts

William Troughton has developed a career that connects British radio, theatre, television, and film.

For most audiences, he is the voice of Tom Archer in The Archers. The role has become even more notable because his real-life father, David Troughton, plays Tony Archer.

His family history includes several recognised performers, especially his grandfather Patrick Troughton, but William has also created his own professional record through years of stage and broadcasting work.

From West End productions to BBC radio drama, his career shows a steady involvement in British acting rather than a short period of public attention.

For anyone asking who William Troughton is, the clearest answer is that he is the British actor behind Tom Archer, a theatre performer with substantial stage experience, and a member of one of Britain’s established acting families.