Shazad Latif

Shazad Latif (born July 1988) is a British actor, who starred in the BBC TV series Spooks as the highly skilled technician and data analyst Tariq Masood in series 8–10.

Early life

Born in London of mixed Pakistani, English and Scottish descent, Latif grew up in Tufnell Park, North London. He studied at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and performed in many stage productions including King Lear, playing Cornwall, and Richard Sheridan's comedy, School for Scandal, as Joseph Surface. He left the school a year early to take up his role in Spooks.

Career

Latif's professional theatre credits include playing Ricky Roma in Glengarry Glen Ross at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Mumbai Tales at the Blue Elephant Theatre in London.

Spooks was his first major role on TV. He has starred in all 3 series of Toast of London as the absurdly amusing Clem Fandango, one of the characters recording Steven Toast (Matt Berry) doing often ridiculous voiceovers.

Personal life

While his character on the show Spooks is a technological expert, in real life Latif is a self-proclaimed technophobe. He currently lives in Camden, London.