Tom Hughes

Hughes was born and brought up in Upton-by-Chester, Cheshire, the younger of two boys. He attended the Liverpool Everyman Youth Theatre group. He was a member of the Cheshire Youth Theatre and the Jigsaw Music Theatre Company. He graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in Acting. Hughes is the former guitarist of indie band Quaintways.

Hughes began his career in 2009 as Dr Harry Ingrams in the BBC spin-off series Casualty 1909 and Jonty Millingden in the ITV drama Trinity. He made his feature film debut the following year as Chaz Jankel in the Ian Dury biopic Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll and Bruce Pearson in the comedy-drama Cemetery Junction, the latter of which earned him a BIFA nomination for Most Promising Newcomer. He also appeared in the Young Vic production of David Harrower's Sweet Nothings directed by Luc Bondy.

In 2011, Hughes was named one of BAFTA's 42 Brits to Watch. He played pupil barrister Nick Slade in series 1 of the BBC One legal drama Silk, and appeared in the BBC television film Page Eight alongside Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz. Hughes then appeared in the Richard II instalment of the television anthology The Hollow Crown as Aumerle.

In 2013, he starred in the BFI/BBC film, based on the award-winning novel, 8 Minutes Idle as the lead role Dan Thomas. He made a guest appearance as Michael Rogers in an episode of Agatha Christie's Marple. In 2014, he had a lead role in BBC Cold War spy thriller The Game. From 2016 to 2019, Hughes starred as Prince Albert opposite Jenna Coleman as the titular character of the ITV period drama Victoria. He starred in the 2019 film Red Joan alongside Judi Dench. In 2019, it was announced Hughes would play the recurring role of Christopher Marlowe in the second series of A Discovery of Witches.