He was awarded the 1981 London Critics' Circle Theatre Award (Drama Theatre Award) for Best Actor of 1980 for his performances in "Good", "Richard III" and "Forest". He was also awarded the 1981 "London Evening Standard" award for Best Actor in "Good".
He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1998 Queen's New Years Honors List for his services to drama.
Son of the actor Arthur Howard, great-nephew of the director Wilfred Noy, nephew of the casting director Irene Howard and the actor Leslie Howard and cousin of the actor Ronald Howard, the academic Professor Alan Stainer and Howard Stainer. His partner (since 1971) is the journalist and critic Sally Beauman, with whom he has one son.