Nabil Shaban

Biography

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).

Known For

Doctor Who

Children of Men

South of the Border

Tales of the Tardis

City of Joy

Wittgenstein

Born of Fire

A Different Hand

All Movies (25)

• Sil and the Devil Seeds of Arodor2019 · as Sil
• The Doctors: More Monsters!2019
• Morticia2009 · as Dr. Moores
• Trouble Sleeping2008 · as Lawyer
• Children of Men2006 · as Bexhill Market Hustler
• The Story of Doctor Who2003
• The Strangest Viking2003
• Sorry About Last Night1995 · as Lawyer
• Slave of Dreams1995 · as Soothsayer
• Skallagrigg1994 · as Alan
• Wittgenstein1993 · as Martian
• City of Joy1992 · as Anouar
• A Different Hand1992 · as The Best Friend
• Deptford Graffiti1991 · as George
• The Fifth Gospel1990 · as The Laternist
• Iranian Nights1989 · as Caliph
• Billy's Christmas Angels1988 · as Charlie
• Born of Fire1987 · as The Silent One
• Doctor Who: Mindwarp1986 · as Sil
• Raspberry Ripple1986 · as Bill
• Doctor Who: Vengeance on Varos1985 · as Sil
• The Skin Horse1983 · as Narrator
• Walter1982 · as Ben Gunn
• Getting Away From Sidney1981
• Vote Sil— · as Sil

All TV Shows (4)

• Tales of the Tardis2023 · as Sil
• Sil and the Devil Seeds of Arodor2019 · as Sil
• South of the Border1988 · as Prosecuting Counsel
• Doctor Who1963 · as Sil