Bernard Woolley

Sir Bernard Woolley GCB, MA (Oxon)
Derek Fowlds as Bernard Woolley in Yes, Prime Minister
First appearance	"Open Government"
Last appearance	"The Tangled Web"
Portrayed by	Derek Fowlds Chris Larkin (2013 revival)
Information
Occupation	Principal Private Secretary, Permanent Secretary

Sir Bernard Woolley, GCB, MA (Oxon) is one of the three main fictional characters of the 1980s British sitcom Yes Minister and its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister. He was portrayed originally by Derek Fowlds, with Chris Larkin taking on the part for the 2013 revival.

He is the Principal Private Secretary to the Minister for Administrative Affairs (fictional governmental dept.), then Prime Minister, James "Jim" Hacker. However, his loyalties are split between his Minister and his Civil Service boss, Sir Humphrey Appleby. Whilst he is theoretically accountable to Hacker personally, it is Sir Humphrey who writes his performance reviews and apparently wields influence over Bernard's future in the Service, leading to difficult situations for the young civil servant. When Hacker once asked his Private Secretary where his loyalty would lie when the chips were down, Woolley replied, "Minister, it's my job to see the chips stay up."

Woolley is always quick to point out the physical impossibilities of Sir Humphrey's or Hacker's mixed metaphors, with almost excessive pedantry. He can occasionally appear rather childlike, by making animal noises and gestures or by acting out how such an analogy cannot work. Even so, on many occasions Sir Humphrey describes Woolley as a "rising star" and "high flier" of the Civil Service, though it is not entirely clear how to interpret Sir Humphrey's remarks — that is, whether with sincere deference to Bernard's capabilities or with indignance to such a term being applied to a subordinate.

Woolley plays an important role in many episodes in helping Hacker. For example, in "Doing the Honours", it is his idea that leads to Hacker proposing a scheme that links national honours to departmental economies (and he is quick to remind the Minister that he didn't suggest it, if asked). He seems to have studied past civil service actions in depth, occasionally recommending historically proven responses (such as the "Rhodesia Solution" for a potential arms scandal in "The Whisky Priest").