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''.
Shepherd was born in
Bristol
Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
. 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
The National Youth Theatre of Great Britain (NYT) is a youth theatre and charity in London, created with the aim of developing young people's artistic skills via theatrical productions and other creative endeavours. Founded in 1956 as the world ...
.
As well as his television appearances 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''.
In popular culture
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.
He played Patrick Simmons in the 1984 ''
Miss Marple'' TV-adaptation of ''
A Murder is Announced''. In 1989 he appeared in ''
Henry V'' and in 1990 in ''
Chancer''.
He played Edgar Linton in the 1992 ''
Wuthering Heights''. 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''.
[ In 2008 he appeared in ''Agatha Christie’s Poirot'' (“Mrs McGinty’s Dead”) as Dr. Rendell.][ He appeared in the 2022 '' Midsomer Murders'' “The Scarecrow Murders”. He played Chief Inspector Dermott Craddock in the 2019 “The Mirror Crack’d” (stage play).
On 16 February 2011 Simon Shepherd guest-starred in the 2000th episode of the BBC TV Drama '' Doctors''.
He played the role of Sir Norman Cavendish in the play '' The Duck House'' by Dan Patterson and Colin Swash,]farce
Farce is a comedy that seeks to entertain an audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, ridiculous, absurd, and improbable. Farce is also characterized by heavy use of physical comedy, physical humor; the use of delibe ...
based on the UK parliamentary expenses scandal of 2009 and played a five-week tour in October 2013 before transferring to London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
's Vaudeville Theatre through spring 2014.BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
series '' Father Brown'' as Edward Reese in episode 5.11 "The Sins of Others".
On 25 March 2017 he starred in BBC1's '' Casualty'' as Dr. Jonathan Barling in the episode 'Five Days.' He reprised the role on 4 August 2018.
Personal life
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
Film
Television
Short films
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shepherd, Simon
Living people
1956 births
Male actors from Bristol
People educated at Clifton College
Alumni of Manchester Metropolitan University
English male television actors
English male musical theatre actors
English male Shakespearean actors
English male stage actors
National Youth Theatre members