Inside Peter Capaldi's very famous family: from actress wife to popstar cousin

Peter Capaldi is back on our screens in the highly-anticipated second season of Prime Video's The Devil's Hour, in which he stars as terrifying criminal Gideon Shepherd opposite Jessica Raine, who plays social worker Lucy.

The Scottish actor is a familiar face on our screens thanks to his illustrious TV and film career, with acclaimed performances as Malcolm Tucker in The Thick of It, and 'The Doctor' in the BBC's Doctor Who. But how much do you know about his life away from the cameras? Find out all you need to know here…

Peter's famous wife

Since 1991, Peter has been married to Scottish actress and producer, Elaine Collins.

While the 66-year-old has appeared in various TV and films, including The Wyvern Mystery and City Lights, she's made her name as a successful producer, helping to create ITV's hit detective series Vera, as well as bring the BBC's crime drama Shetland to our screens.

She was also a co-producer on Apple TV+'s thriller series Criminal Record, in which Peter starred opposite Cush Jumbo as two detectives at loggerheads over a historic murder investigation.

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Peter and Elaine first met as actors in a touring theatre production. Back in 2021, the Doctor Who star said his first kiss with Elaine on "September 12th 1985, under a street lamp in Glasgow" was the best of his life.

The pair have collaborated together on various projects, including the 1992 rom-com Soft Top Hard Shoulder and the 1995 Oscar-winning short film, Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life, which Peter wrote and directed. In his acceptance speech at the Academy Awards, The Thick of It actor praised his wife for her influence on the film. "Elaine Collins was the real creative dynamo behind all this," he told the audience.

Then in 2022, while accepting his Outstanding Contribution award from BAFTA Scotland, he gushed over his "darling wife", crediting her "strength, kindness, wisdom and love" for enabling his career. "You've always been there through all the ups and downs, and that you chose to share your life with me is the greatest luck of all," he added.

Elaine is equally as impressed with Peter's work. Speaking about his performance in Criminal Record, Elaine shared an insight into their loving relationship. "He was fantastic," she told the Radio Times earlier this year. "We genuinely had a great time and it was amazing to have that support system at work and at home. Of course, you bring it home – you're living and breathing a show while you're making it – but that was genuinely great. He's always a support system for me. Hand on heart, we're best friends."

Peter and Elaine share one daughter, Cecily.

Peter's popstar distant cousin

Peter is the second cousin once removed of the singer Lewis Capaldi, who is known for his chart-topping hits, 'Someone You Loved', 'Before You Go' and 'Forget Me'.

Lewis opened up about his relationship with Peter during a chat with the Daily Record in 2018, after the actor showed up at his London concert.

"My dad and my aunties told me we were related to Peter a while ago, I think he’s my dad’s second cousin," said the 28-year-old singer. "Whenever he came on the TV they'd always say 'You're related to Malcolm Tucker' or 'You're related to Doctor Who.'"

He added: "He's a really cool guy. It's a big inspiration to have someone who's so successful in the family."

Peter went on to star in Lewis's 2019 music video for 'Someone You Loved', which was created in partnership with organ donation charity, Live Life Give Life.