In 1962, Holder arrived in
London and worked with
Pearl Connor's
Negro Theatre Workshop initially as a
musician, and later as an actor.
John Boorman then cast him as the black preacher in the comedy film
Leo the Last (1970), also about race relations, which was set in a
Notting Hill slum in West London. Holder also sang the songs in the film. He again played a preacher in the
Horace Ové-directed film
Pressure (1975), made a cameo performance in
My Beautiful Laundrette (1985) as a poet, and appeared in
Sankofa Film and Video's debut feature
The Passion of Remembrance (1986). His other film roles included appearances in
Britannia Hospital (1982),
Half Moon Street (1986),
Playing Away (1987),
Virtual Sexuality (1999),
Lucky Break (2001) and as a Jamaican barber in
The Calcium Kid (2004). Holder played the role of Augustus "Porkpie" Grant in the
situation comedy ''
Desmond's, which was written by Trix Worrell, and broadcast on Channel 4 from 1989 until 1994. He later had his own short-lived spin-off series Porkpie. Porkpie was considered one of the most popular characters in Desmond's'', and although the spinoff series was short-lived, it was credited with extending the black British presence in the comedy genre. Holder joined the cast of
EastEnders in late September 2006, playing
Cedric Lucas. His last stage performance to date was as Slow Drag in the 2006 revival of
August Wilson's ''
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester. In 2017, he appeared in an episode of Death in Paradise'' as Nelson Myers, the estranged father of main character
PC Dwayne Myers (played by
Danny John-Jules). Holder reprised his role for three episodes the following year, as well as in the Christmas Special in December 2024. He has also appeared as
'Flying' Freddie Mercer in episodes of the
BBC Television children's programme
The Story of Tracy Beaker. In May 2008 he appeared in an episode of the BBC drama
The Invisibles. He is seen in an ensemble part in
Song for Marion, a feature film from
Paul Andrew Williams, the director of
London to Brighton, starring
Vanessa Redgrave and
Terence Stamp. Holder appeared in the 2022 film,
Your Christmas or Mine? and its sequel,
Your Christmas or Mine 2 in 2023. In November 2023, Holder joined the cast of
Coronation Street, playing
Ernest ‘Sarge’ Bailey until his departure in January 2024. ==Music career==