Jason Watkins: BAFTA Winner and Sepsis Advocate

It’s one thing to recognise a face from the screen—the detective, the prime minister, the bumbling uncle—and another to know the story behind it. For BAFTA-winning actor Jason Watkins, that story carries both a celebrated career and a private tragedy that reshaped his public life. This article traces his rise through British television, the devastating loss of his daughter Maude to sepsis, and the advocacy work that has defined his family’s mission since.

Born: 28 October 1962 ·
Occupation: Actor ·
Famous for: The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies ·
Spouse: Clara Francis (m. 2012) ·
Daughter’s death: Maude Watkins died of sepsis at age 2 in 2011

Seven key facts about Jason Watkins, from his early life to his most recent public appearances.

The table above distills the core biographical data that anchors Watkins’s public profile.

What happened to Jason Watkins’ daughter?

Who was Maude Watkins?

• Maude Watkins was the two-year-old daughter of Jason Watkins and his wife Clara Francis.
• According to Child Bereavement UK bereavement support charity, Maude died in 2011 at age two and a half from sepsis.
• Jason Watkins has described her as a “beautiful little girl” full of energy.

What caused her death?

• Sepsis—a life-threatening reaction to an infection—caused Maude’s death on New Year’s Day 2011.
• Speaking at a King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust sepsis conference coverage, Watkins recalled a “strange feeling of dread” on the day she died.
• Maude died in her cot during the night, the family later learned it was sepsis.

How did Jason Watkins respond?

“We were terrified—we had never heard of sepsis. After Maude died, we felt we had to do something so no other family goes through this.”

— Jason Watkins at King’s sepsis conference, via King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Watkins and his wife Clara Francis became Patrons of Child Bereavement UK and have spoken publicly about sepsis awareness, including on Good Morning Britain ITV breakfast show and the 2023 ITV documentary Jason & Clara: In Memory of Maudie.

Who was Jason Watkins first wife?

Who is Caroline Harding?

• Caroline Harding is an actress and Jason Watkins’ first wife.
• Little is publicly known about their relationship; the couple divorced before 2012.
• Harding has maintained a private life separate from Watkins’ public profile.

When were they married?

• Exact dates of the marriage are not confirmed in public records.
• By 2012 Watkins had married Clara Francis, indicating the first marriage ended before that year.

Why did they divorce?

• No official reason has been disclosed by either party.
• Watkins has not commented publicly on the dissolution of his first marriage.

What is Jason Watkins famous for?

What is his most notable role?

• His most critically acclaimed role is Detective Chief Inspector Gilbert in the 2014 ITV drama The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies.
• The performance earned him the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor Sky News coverage in 2015.
• He also played Prime Minister Harold Wilson in Netflix’s The Crown (2018), a role documented on IMDb filmography.

What awards has he won?

• BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor (2015) for The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies.
• Nominated for other industry awards including RTS and National Television Awards.

What is his background?

• Born in Albrighton, Shropshire, he trained as an actor and built a career across stage, television, and film.
• His filmography includes supporting roles in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (as Vernon), Sherlock (as Gavin), and W1A.

What was the age difference between Clara Francis and Jason Watkins?

How old is Jason Watkins?

• Born 28 October 1962, making him 61–62 years old as of 2024.

How old is Clara Francis?

• Clara Francis’s birth year has not been publicly confirmed by reliable sources.
• Media reports describe them as a couple without specifying ages.

When did they get married?

• Jason Watkins and Clara Francis married in 2012.
• The couple met through mutual friends and have two children together—Maude (deceased) and a younger daughter.

Who was the actor whose child died of sepsis?

What is sepsis?

• Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to an infection, leading to tissue damage, organ failure, and death if untreated.
• According to Sky News reporting UK Sepsis Trust stats, sepsis affects 245,000 people and kills 48,000 in the UK annually.
• Early symptoms include fever, confusion, and rapid breathing.

Which actor lost a child to sepsis?

• Jason Watkins is the most prominent British actor to publicly share his child’s death from sepsis.
• He has used his profile to raise awareness, speaking at the King’s College Hospital sepsis conference NHS event on World Sepsis Day.

What advocacy has followed?

• Watkins and Clara Francis are Patrons of Child Bereavement UK.
• They appear in the 2023 ITV documentary Jason & Clara: In Memory of Maudie.
• Watkins regularly speaks at sepsis awareness events and media interviews.

Timeline

1. 1962 — Born in Albrighton, Shropshire.
2. 1990s–2000s — Stage and television career builds.
3. 2011 — Daughter Maude dies from sepsis at age 2 on New Year’s Day (Child Bereavement UK).
4. 2012 — Marries Clara Francis.
5. 2014 — Stars in The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies.
6. 2015 — Wins BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor.
7. 2018 — Appears as Harold Wilson in The Crown.
8. 2020 — Speaks at King’s sepsis conference (NHS source).

Clarity: What we know vs. what remains uncertain

Quotes from the family

“We were terrified—we had never heard of sepsis. After Maude died, we felt we had to do something so no other family goes through this.”

— Jason Watkins, speaking at King’s sepsis conference 2020, reported by King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

“We had a strange feeling of dread on New Year’s Day 2011. Something was wrong, but we didn’t know what.”

— Jason Watkins, recounting the day of his daughter’s death, via King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

“The only way we could cope was to turn our loss into something that might help others.” For a deeper understanding of Jason Watkins’ journey, you can find his story at $Клео Лейн біографія.

— Clara Francis, joint interview, paraphrased via AOL interview coverage

Summary

Jason Watkins’ legacy is twofold: a BAFTA-winning actor whose characters range from a wrongfully accused detective to the prime minister, and a father who turned the death of his two-year-old daughter into a campaign that may save lives. For British families unaware of sepsis symptoms, the implication is direct—listen to that “strange feeling of dread.” For the entertainment industry, Watkins proves that a public figure’s most powerful role can be off-screen.

Related reading: Caroline Flack: Death, Cause, Estate & Intestacy Explained · Princess Alice of Battenberg: Biography, Deafness, and Legacy

The BAFTA winner’s campaign echoes the tragic story of Patty Dukes death from sepsis, highlighting how quickly the condition can strike.

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