Broadbent trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, graduating in 1972. His rich theatrical background includes performances in THE RECRUITING OFFICER and OUR COUNTRY'S GOOD, for Max Stafford Clark, KAFKA'S DICK by Alan Bennett and THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR, (Royal National Theatre) both for Richard Eyre, GOOSEPIMPLES and ECSTASY for Mike Leigh and ILLUMINATUS for the Science Fiction Theatre of Liverpool and the Royal National Theatre and Peter Flannery's OUR FRIENDS IN THE NORTH (Royal Shakespeare Company).
He was also part of the two man theatre company, The National Theatre of Brent, in their epic productions of THE GREATEST STORY EVERY TOLD, THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SEX, THE MESSIAH and REVOLUTION, playing such diverse roles as God, Mrs. Simpson, Robespierre, John the Baptist, Lord Reith and Marie Antoinette.
Broadbent's recent feature film credits include ROUGH MAGIC with Bridget Fonda, PRINCESS CARABOO, John Irvin's WIDOW'S PEAK, Neil Jordan's THE CRYING GAME, Mike Newell's ENCHANTED APRIL, and Mike Leigh's LIFE IS SWEET. He also appeared in THE GOOD FATHER, SUPERMAN IV, BREAKING GLASS, BRAZIL and TIME BANDITS. He made his movie debut in Jerzy Skolimowski's THE SHOUT.
Broadbent's distinguished and wide ranging work for television includes Richard Loncraine's WIDE-EYED & LEGLESS, the award winning A SENSE OF HISTORY, which he wrote as well as starred in, directed by Mike Leigh, an episode of INSPECTOR MORSE directed by Antonia Bird, LONG DISTANCE INFORMATION, THE LAST COMPANY CAR and WALTER -- with Ian McKellen -- all directed by Stephen Frears, BIRTH OF A NATION: TALES OUT OF SCHOOL, written by David Leland and directed by Mike Newell and three dramas by Alan Bennett: INTENSIVE CARE, OUR WINNIE and THE INSURANCE MAN.
He recently starred in THE PETER PRINCIPLE, a sitcom pilot for Hat Trick, the British company specializing in TV comedy, which will go to series in 1997. He starred as Colonel Wintle in THE LAST ENGLISHMAN, a film in the HEROES & VILLAINS series for the BBC and in the six part comedy dramas for ITV: GONE TO THE DOGS, and GONE TO SEED. Broadbent has also appeared in numerous British television comedy classics such as NOT THE NINE O'CLOCK NEWS, ONLY FOOLS & HORSES, the first series of BLACK ADDER -- as the interpreter to the Spanish Infanta -- and THE VICTORIA WOOD SHOW.