Known for

Acting

Born

Feb 12, 1953

Died

Oct 18, 2025 (aged 72)

Place of birth

Amman, Jordan

Nabil Shaban

Nabil Shaban (1953-2025) was born in Amman, Jordan and arrived in England when he was three for treatment for his osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle-bone disease). He spent the next six years in hospital and seven in a children's home. In 1980, he and Richard Tomlinson founded Graeae (pronounced Grey Eye), a professional theatre company of disabled performers. A writer and performer with many film and television credits, he was probably best known to television viewers for his role as ruthless businessman Sil in the Doctor Who stories 'Vengeance on Varos' and 'The Trial of a Time Lord' (BBC, 1985 + 1986).

Titles

Doctor Who

Series • 1963

Children of Men

Movie • 2006

South of the Border

Series • 1988

Tales of the Tardis

Series • 2023

Sil and the Devil Seeds of Arodor

Series • 2019

City of Joy

Movie • 1992

Wittgenstein

Movie • 1993

Doctor Who: Mindwarp

Movie • 1986

Doctor Who: Vengeance on Varos

Movie • 1985

The Story of Doctor Who

Movie • 2003

Walter

Movie • 1982

Born of Fire

Movie • 1987

Deptford Graffiti

Movie • 1991

The Skin Horse

Movie • 1983