Howitt's first notable TV role was in the 1984–85 series of
Yorkshire Television's long-running programme for schools
How We Used To Live, where he starred alongside
Brookside actress
Sue Jenkins. He is best known for playing Joey Boswell in the first four series of
BBC TV series
Bread. In 1998, he wrote and directed his first film,
Sliding Doors (1998). Since then, he has directed several films, including
Antitrust (2001),
Johnny English (2003),
Laws of Attraction (2004), and
Dangerous Parking (2008). He adapted the latter film from the novel by Stuart Browne, as well as produced and directed it, and played the lead role. ==Personal life==