Editing Nigel Planer (section)

===Theatre===
His first break in the theatre was understudying [[David Essex]] as [[Che Guevara]] in the original [[West End theatre|West End]] run of ''[[Evita (musical)|Evita]]''.

In 1990, he replaced [[Michael Gambon]] in [[Alan Ayckbourn]]'s ''[[Man of the Moment (play)|Man of the Moment]]'' in the [[West End theatre|West End]]. Leading roles followed in other productions at the [[Bush Theatre]], the [[Lyric Theatre, London|Lyric Theatre]], the [[Traverse Theatre|Traverse]], the [[Young Vic]], the [[West Yorkshire Playhouse]], [[Regent's Park]] Open-Air Theatre, [[Chichester Festival Theatre]], [[Drum Theatre (Plymouth)|Plymouth Drum]] and the [[Hampstead Theatre]].

Planer was in the original cast for the 1997 London revival of ''[[Chicago (musical)|Chicago]]'' as Amos Hart. He was a member of the original West End cast of his co-star [[Ben Elton]]'s [[Queen (band)|Queen]] musical, ''[[We Will Rock You (musical)|We Will Rock You]]'' as Pop.

In 2006, he played the part of the narrator in ''[[The Rocky Horror Show]].'' He then starred as [[Wizard (Oz)|The Wizard]] in the original West End production of ''[[Wicked (musical)|Wicked]]'' alongside [[Idina Menzel]]. The show opened at the [[Apollo Victoria Theatre]] on 27 September 2006. 

He took over the role of Wilbur, opposite Michael Ball, in the West End production of ''[[Hairspray (musical)|Hairspray]]'' on 2 February 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/125353.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122023425/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/125353.html|url-status=dead|title=Ball and Jones Extend Run in London Hairspray; Planer and Rushworth to Join Cast|archive-date=22 January 2009|access-date=31 July 2020}}</ref>

He featured in ''Doctor Who: Live'' touring the UK, as Vorgenson The Inter-Galactic Showman, before appearing in pantomime as [[Captain Hook]] at the [[Lyceum Theatre (Sheffield)|Lyceum Theatre]] in [[Sheffield]].

Planer went on to star as Grandpa Joe in the original production of ''[[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (musical)|Charlie and the Chocolate Factory]]'', which opened in London's [[West End theatre|West End]] in 2013<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.whatsonstage.com/news/theatre/london/E8831357897742/Nigel+Planer+joins+cast+of+Charlie+%26+The+Chocolate+Factory.html | title=Cast of Charlie & The Chocolate Factory | publisher=Whats on Stage | work=whatsonstage.com | date=11 January 2013 | access-date=11 January 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130118022427/http://www.whatsonstage.com/news/theatre/london/E8831357897742/Nigel+Planer+joins+cast+of+Charlie+%26+The+Chocolate+Factory.html | archive-date=18 January 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref> for which he was nominated for an [[Olivier Award]] for best supporting actor in a musical.

From September 2018 to November 2018, Planer toured with [[Ade Edmondson]] in a play that they wrote together called ''Vulcan 7''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.stagereview.co.uk/theatre-news/adrian-edmondson-nigel-planer-act-up-in-their-monster-sci-fi-comedy-vulcan-7/|title=Vulcan 7 &#124; 2018 UK Tour &#124; Dates|website=Stagereview.co.uk|date=10 June 2018|access-date=31 July 2020|archive-date=3 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191203161004/http://www.stagereview.co.uk/theatre-news/adrian-edmondson-nigel-planer-act-up-in-their-monster-sci-fi-comedy-vulcan-7/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2020 he took on the role of Grandpa in the arena tour of [[David Walliams]]' ''[[Grandpa's Great Escape]]''.