The 118 118 advert guy is now in one of 2025’s biggest movies

Actor Colin Carmichael (L) has had an impressive career since his 118 118 days, including a major role in a massive film this year (Picture: Rex/Shutterstock)

A noughties advertising legend has claimed a role in one of the highest-profile cinema releases of 2025 so far.

In 2003, a US-owned directory enquiry service with the number 118 118 launched its wildly popular advertising campaign in the UK featuring two male runners clad in red and white running gear with matching moustaches and shaggy 70s hairstyles.

They would race around and over things, announcing ‘got your number!’ to passers-by, in a series of adverts that have been truly hard to forget even decades later, finishing in 2010.

Now one of those famous runners, Colin Carmichael, has appeared in Disney’s $250million (£194m) live-action remake of Snow White – if you managed to spot him without that iconic facial hair.

Carmichael appears in the role of bandit Farno, one of the seven gang members that live in the forest with Jonathan (Andrew Burnap) as supporters of Snow White’s father, the King.

It was these actors who were spotted filming on set in the UK and erroneously reported as being the ‘magical creatures’ replacing the seven dwarfs in this version of the 1937 classic Disney animated feature.

Carmichael appears in Snow White in the role of bandit Farno (Picture: Click News and Media)

They are, in fact, a different group of characters altogether, who Snow White (Rachel Zegler) and the CGI-rendered dwarfs end up encountering further into the story as she flees her villainous step-mother, the Evil Queen (Gal Gadot).

It’s not the only major release Carmichael has been in recently either, as the actor also appeared as Doctor Nidik, the human professor who replaces goat teacher Doctor Dillamond at Shiz, in the massively popular movie adaptation of smash-hit musical Wicked.

 Since getting his first big break as an actor thanks to the 188 188 commercials, reportedly at the age of 26 according to Isle of Wight County Press, Carmichael has enjoyed a varied career.

As well as appearing in other adverts for brands like Carling, Belvita, Go Compare and Captain Morgan, he has also popped up in episodes of Coupling, The Bill, Outlander and Black Mirror.

Carmichael plays bandit Farno in Snow White, but has also appeared in Wicked and Hot Fuzz

He’s acted in Worzel Gummidge, Detectorists and Secret Diary of a Call Girl, as well as films St Trinian’s 2: The Legend of Fritton’s Gold and Hot Fuzz.

Snow White was the number one film globally after hitting cinemas on Friday and claiming $87.3m (£67.7m) over its opening weekend.

However, it has fallen short of hopes and estimates that were planning for $100m (£77.6m) after a series of controversies around the much-delayed film kept its title in the headlines for years ahead of release thanks to sustained backlash.

While reviews were mixed to negative, Snow White has attracted some praise – especially for leading lady Zegler – and has manged a healthy 74% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from fan scores compared to a more dubious 42% from 210 critics’ reactions.

Farno is one of Jonathan’s (L) gang, played by Andrew Burnap in the Disney live-action remake (Picture: Disney via AP)

Disney’s Lion King live-action prequel, Mufasa, also managed to pull in a respectable $717m (£556m) worldwide after flopping during its first weekend with just $37.6m (£29.1m).

However on IMDb, Snow White is currently sitting on just 1.7/10 from over 145,000 ratings in the five days since it came out.

Snow White is in cinemas now.

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