James Gilbey is a former British actor. He is possibly best known for playing the character Jack Woodman in the BBC soap opera EastEnders during the early 1990s. Gilbey has since given up performing to work "behind the camera" and as of 2007 he is the creative director for Discovery Networks Europe.
Gilbey has a BA (Hons) in English and Art History from Loughborough University.[1] He began his career as an actor during the 1980s, appearing in Play for Today (1980), An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (1982) and Bad Boyes (1988).
In 1992 he was cast as Jack Woodman in BBC's EastEnders—a student who had a fling with the long running character, Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully), and then stalked her. Gilbey's character remained on-screen til April 1993. Following this, Gilbey was involved in the award winning consumer programme for children's BBC, called Short Change.[1] He worked on the series between 1994 and 1998.[2]
Gilbey went on to work for various international broadcasters including Walt Disney International and Nickelodeon "in a variety of creative production and on-air roles".[1] Gilbey has now given up performing, but he has remained in the television industry, working "behind the scenes".[1] As of 2007, Gilbey is the creative director for Discovery Networks Europe. His remit includes directing and overseeing promotion on Discovery’s European, Middle Eastern, and African (EMEA) networks.[1]