Tommy Bastow

Thomas Derek Bastow, born on 26 August 1991, is an English actor and musician hailing from Epsom, Surrey. He gained widespread recognition for portraying the character Dave the Laugh in the feature film Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. His screen career also includes roles in the Disney FX production Shōgun and the NHK morning drama series The Ghost Writer's Wife. Alongside his acting pursuits, he serves as the lead vocalist for the musical group FranKo.

Bastow spent his early years in Surrey and initially attended the independent City of London Freemen's School. He subsequently moved to Croydon to study at the BRIT School, an institution specializing in the performing arts. To further advance his training, he enrolled at Drama Centre London, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Acting as part of the 2015/2016 class.

His television and film career began in 2008 when he appeared as Lewis Chuckworth across two episodes of the CBBC show M.I.High and featured in the short film Londongrad. That same year in July, Bastow secured his first major film role as Dave the Laugh in Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. Toward the end of 2008, he filmed a guest role portraying a young Sir Guy of Gisborne for an episode of Robin Hood, which broadcast on BBC One in June 2009.

Continuing his screen work, Bastow took part in the 2009 feature film The Boys Are Back starring Clive Owen and appeared in the 2010 Spanish-American horror production Exorcismus, produced by Filmax. On television, he secured a recurring role as Greg Cranborne in the BBC Switch teen drama The Cut, followed by a 2011 appearance as Seb Parker in the British soap opera EastEnders.

In late November 2024, Bastow was selected for a prominent role in the NHK morning drama series The Ghost Writer's Wife. He was chosen from a pool of 1,767 candidates globally, which included applicants from Japan, the United States, England, Australia, and New Zealand. In the series, he plays Haven, a character inspired by Lafcadio Hearn, who is the husband of the lead protagonist portrayed by Akari Takaishi.

In addition to acting, Bastow began his music career as the lead singer of Blackspray in 2005 before forming FranKo in October 2007 with musicians from the band Hawkwood. FranKo began performing live across the UK in 2008 and recorded their debut EP with producer Jim Lowe. That year, the group toured Thailand, appearing on MTV Thailand, and shared stages with acts such as Elliot Minor and Me vs Hero.

FranKo released the single "Night Time" in September 2009, followed by their ten-track debut album Vote FranKo in March 2010. They issued a self-titled second album in July 2011 and toured in support of artists Room 94 and Dave Giles later that year. The group reunited in 2021 to work on a new studio album, with plans for a concert tour in Japan set for December 2026.