Simon Shepherd

Summary

Simon Stephen Shepherd (born 20 August 1956) is an English actor best known to TV audiences from many appearances, including as Dr Will Preston in eight series of ITV's Peak Practice and Doctor Jonathan Barling in Casualty.

Simon Shepherd
Born
Simon Stephen Shepherd

(1956-08-20) 20 August 1956 (age 67)
NationalityBritish
OccupationActor
Years active1972–present
Known forDr Will Preston in Peak Practice
Spouse
(m. 1980)
Children4

Shepherd was born in Bristol. He went to school at Clifton College in Bristol and was a contemporary of the director Roger Michell in Brown's House. He subsequently attended Manchester Metropolitan University and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and was a member of the National Youth Theatre.

As well as his television appearances, such as playing Patrick Simmons in the 1985 Miss Marple adaptation 'A Murder is Announced', he has had many notable stage and film roles since 1980, including as Lord Ashbrook in the 2011 Bristol Old Vic production of Helen Edmundson's Coram Boy.[1]

In popular culture edit

Simon Shepherd was regularly mentioned in the BBC comedy Gimme Gimme Gimme as Tom's crush and appeared as himself in an episode of each series.[2][3]

He played Patrick Simmons in the 1984 Miss Marple TV-adaptation of A Murder is Announced.[4] In 1989 he appeared in Henry V and in 1990 in Chancer.[5][6] He played Edgar Linton in the 1992 Wuthering Heights.[7] In 1993 he appeared in Poirot “Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan” as Andrew Hall and in Peak Practice. In 1999 he appeared in Catherine Cookson’s “Tilly Trotter” and Rogue Trader.[5] In 2008 he appeared in Agatha Christie’s Poirot “Mrs McGinty’s Dead” as Dr. Rendell.[5] He appeared in the 2022 Midsomer Murders “The Scarecrow Murders”.[8] He played Chief Inspector Dermott Craddock in the 2019 “The Mirror Crack’d” (stage play).[9]

On 16 February 2011 Simon Shepherd guest-starred in the 2000th episode of the BBC TV Drama Doctors.[10]

He played the role of Sir Norman Cavendish in the play The Duck House by Dan Patterson and Colin Swash,[11] starring alongside Ben Miller and Diana Vickers.[12] The show is a political farce based on the UK parliamentary expenses scandal of 2009 and played a five-week tour in October 2013 before transferring to London's Vaudeville Theatre through spring 2014.[11]

In 2017 he appeared in the BBC series Father Brown as Edward Reese in episode 5.11 "The Sins of Others".[13]

On 25 March 2017 he starred in BBC1's Casualty as Dr. Jonathan Barling in the episode 'Five Days.'[14] He reprised the role on 4 August 2018.[15]

Personal life edit

He married the costume designer Alexandra Byrne in 1980 and they have four children. Shepherd supports several charities, especially those involving the well-being of children (Barnardo's, Tearfund BOPS and Save the Children).

Filmography edit

Film edit

Year Film Role Notes
1983 The Lords of Discipline Senior
1985 The Doctor and the Devils Harding
1989 Murder on Line One Marty Jones
Henry V Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester
1990 Fire, Ice & Dynamite Alexander
1992 Wuthering Heights Edgar Linton
1997 Spice World Doctor
1999 Rogue Trader Peter Norris
2001 Two Days, Nine Lives Rupert
2003 Carmen Magistrado
2012 Frail Newton
2019 Bait Tim Leigh
2021 Mothering Sunday Giles Hobday

Television edit

Year Film Role Notes
1973 Jackanory Playhouse Prince Fortunatus Episode: "The Magician's Heart
1978 Lillie Lord Alfred Douglas 2 episodes
1979 The House on Garibaldi Street Nickalous Television film
1979–1982 BBC2 Playhouse John Gray / Rupert Brooke 2 episodes
1980 Company and Co Otto Bokova Episode: "In Concert"
1981 My Father's House Jake Staveley 3 episodes
1982 Stalky and Co. Cradall Episode: "A Little Prep"
1983 The Blue Dress Adam Television film
Jackanory Prince Zorn 3 episodes
1984 The Jewel in the Crown Second Lieutenant Episode: "The Towers of Silence"
Sorrell and Son Duncan Scott Episode: "Episode #1.2"
1984–1985 Robin of Sherwood Alan-a-Dale / Robert of Huntington (voices) 2 episodes
Uncredited
1985 Miss Marple: A Murder is Announced Patrick Simmons 3 episodes
Time and the Conways Robin Conway Television film
Time for Murder Lawrence Penwarden Episode: "This Lightning Always Strikes Twice
1986 May We Borrow Your Husband? Peter Travis Television film
Lytton's Diary TV Interviewer Episode: "National Hero"
1989 The Dark Angel Captain Oakley 2 episodes
1989–2000 The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Stephen Devenish / Ivor Fairfax Swan 4 episodes
1990 Sunday Pursuit Mr. Gerald Television film
1990–1991 Chancer Piers Garfield-Ward 20 episodes
1991–2018 Casualty John Ferris / Dr. Jonathan Barling 4 episodes
1992 Cluedo Clive Moxton Episode: "Deadly Dowry"
1993 It's Your Choice: Selection Skills for Managers Interviewee #3 Video
1993–2002 Peak Practice Dr. Will Preston 81 episodes
1993–2008 Poirot Dr. Rendell / Andrew Hall 2 episodes
1994 Pie in the Sky Chris Bentley Episode: "A Shot in the Dark"
1995 Bliss Sam Bliss Television film
Beyond Reason Duncan McAllister Television film
1996 Tales of Erotica Narrator Segment: "The Insatiable Mrs Kirsch"
1998 A Life for a Life Taylor Television film
1999 Tilly Trotter Mark Sopwith 4 episodes
Warriors Major 'Brick' Stone TV series
1999−2001 Gimme Gimme Gimme Himself 3 episodes
2006 Tripping Over Simon 2 episodes
2008 The Invisibles Peter Rackham Episode: "Episode #1.3"
Heartbeat Edward Wilson Episode: "Danse Macabre"
2010 A Touch of Frost Tom Viner 2 episodes
2011 Doctors George Liston Episode: "Quarantine"
Holby City Tony Valentine Episode: "In Between Days"
2014 Death in Paradise Jacob Doran Episode: "Political Suicide"
2017 Father Brown Edward Reese Episode: "The Sins of Others"
Riviera Alan Morgan Episode: "Faussaires / Counterfeiters"
2019 Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators Frederick Greenwood Episode: "The Envious Court"
2020–2021 Alex Rider Sir David Friend 3 episodes
2021 Midsomer Murders Reverend Oscar Hayden Episode: "Scarecrow Murders"

Short films edit

Year Film Role Notes
1995 Trip - A Mythology Jack Kerouac Character
2002 Pas de Trois Toby
2009 Luke & the Void George
2011 David Rose Doctor
2020 Returning Ed
2021 On Island West Hector

References edit

  1. ^ "Bristol Old Vic Theatre". 4 October 2019.
  2. ^ "Gimme Gimme Gimme Season 3".
  3. ^ "Simon Shepherd". British Comedy Guide.
  4. ^ "Miss Marple: A Murder is Announced (TV Series)".
  5. ^ a b c "Simon Shepherd". Archived from the original on 24 October 2020.
  6. ^ "Simon Shepherd".
  7. ^ "Wuthering Heights (1992) - Peter Kosminsky, Andrea Arnold | Cast and Crew | AllMovie".
  8. ^ "Meet the cast of Midsomer Murders".
  9. ^ "THE MIRROR CRAck'd | Cambridge Arts Theatre".
  10. ^ "BBC - Press Office - Ian Lavender and Simon Shepherd join BBC One's Doctors 2000th episode".
  11. ^ a b "The Duck House: MPs' expenses satire heads for West End". bbc.co.uk/news. BBC News. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  12. ^ "Political Comedy The Duck House Will Play London's Vaudeville; Cast Announced". playbill.com. Playbill. 16 September 2013. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  13. ^ "BBC One - Father Brown, Series 5, the Sins of Others".
  14. ^ "BBC One - Casualty, Series 31, Five Days".
  15. ^ "BBC One - Casualty, Series 32, Episode 44".

External links edit

  • Simon Shepherd at IMDb