An amateur golfer since his teenage years, Nesbitt joined the European team for Sky One's "All*Star Cup" in 2005 and 2006. He signed up to a series of high-profile television advertisements for the Yell Group in 2003, playing a hapless character called James for the company's Yellow Pages campaign until 2006. "Times" writer Andrew Billen noted that the adverts "cost him some credibility" but Nesbitt was pleased with the money he made from them. In 2004, he joined the supergroup Twisted X to produce "Born in England", an unofficial anthem for the England national football team's entry in the UEFA Euro 2004 tournament. His vocals have also appeared in "Lucky Break" and an episode of "Cold Feet". The song he performed in the latter—"(Love Is) The Tender Trap"—was released on one of the series' soundtrack albums. He also contributed vocals to the "Waking Ned" soundtrack. A fan of Northern Irish band Ash, he made a cameo in their unreleased film "Slashed". In 2009, he starred in the music video for "The Day I Died", a single by English dance-pop artist Just Jack. Nesbitt was recommended to Just Jack by Elton John. Nesbitt hosted the 2013 British Independent Film Awards in London on 8 December 2013.