Peter Phelps

Peter Phelps (born 20 September 1960 in Sydney) is an Australian actor, singer and writer. He is notable for his role as Trevor Cole in Baywatch. Phelps is also known for his roles in the internationally successful Australian series Sons and Daughters and Stingers and has appeared in feature films including Blackwater Trail with Judd Nelson. He is the brother of Professor Kerryn Phelps.

Career Phelps began his acting career in the early 1980s with an ongoing role in the Network Ten teen soap opera The Restless Years produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation. After the series ended he had a starring role in new Grundy soap opera Sons and Daughters. It was Phelps who came up with the 'Pat the Rat' moniker in the series.

In 1988, he had a brief role in the miniseries The Dirtwater Dynasty. Peter featured as David Eastwick, the first-born son of the main character Richard Eastwick, played by Hugo Weaving (who is fewer than six months older than Phelps).

From 1989 to 1990, Phelps played one of the lifeguards (Trevor Cole) in the first season of Baywatch, and had a minor role as a surfer in the film Point Break. He also had roles in A Country Practice and The Flying Doctors. In 1993, Phelps won an Australian Film Institute Best Actor Award for his role in the G.P. episode, "Exposed".

From 1998 until 2004, he starred in Stingers – a role that won him the 2002 Logie Award for Most Popular Actor.

Phelps also played a recurring role as doctor Doug 'Spence' Spencer on the medical drama All Saints, starting 4 October 2005.

In 2009, Phelps appeared in two television dramas – Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities, playing Detective Inspector Joe Messina; and as Vince Marchello (Station Co-ordinator) in Rescue: Special Ops. The same year, he also had a role as a police officer in the film Stone Bros.

In 2009, he appeared in a new public awareness campaign by the NSW Rural Fire Service about the need to prepare for bushfires. The campaign included both television and radio advertisements and was subsequently adopted by the Tasmania Fire Service.

In 2021, Phelps appeared in Channel 7’s series Australia's Sexiest Tradie.

In 2023 Phelps appeared in Channel 7 soap Home and Away as Gary Morrow. Phelps also appeared in the theatre play La Cage aux Folles. Phelps in 2024 appeared in 7plus series Roast Night which was written by his co-star Rick Donald. Phelps was later announced to appear in ABC series Return to Paradise.

Personal life In 2015, Phelps was one of many victims who were scammed by financial advisor Brad Sherwin who stole more than $400,000 of Phelps' superannuation.

Acting credits

Television

Film

Stage YearTitleRoleNotes 1983–1985 The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby Master Percy Crummles / Alphonse / Westwood Theatre Royal Sydney, State Theatre, Melbourne, Festival Theatre, Adelaide with The Australian Opera, STC, MTC & J. C. Williamson's 1985 The Club Phillip Street Theatre, Sydney 1992 The Sum of Us Jeff Mitchell Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC 1995 Miranda by Stephen Sewell Frank Wharf Theatre, Sydney with East Coast Theatre Company 2004 Twelve Angry Men Juror 4 Playhouse, Brisbane, Sydney Theatre, Melbourne Athenaeum with Adrian Bohm Presents & Arts Projects Australia 2005 Love Letters Andrew Makepeace III NIDA Parade Theatre, Sydney 2011 Stainless Steel Rat Film Producer Seymour Centre, Sydney with Wayne Harrison's Cheep 2012 Let the Sunshine Ron NSW & SA regional tour with HIT Productions & Playing Australia2014 Cruise Control Darren Brodie Ensemble Theatre, Sydney A Conversation Uncle Bob The Concourse, Sydney 2023 La Cage aux Folles Edouard Dindon Playhouse, Melbourne with David M. Hawkins & Arts Centre Melbourne

Awards and nominations Year Category Award Series Result 1993 AFI Award Best Actor in a Leading Role in a TV Drama G.P. 2002 FCCA Award Best Male Supporting Actor Lantana 2002 Logie Awards Most Popular Actor Stingers 2014 Equity Ensemble Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Wonderland

Writings

Books Sex without Madonna: The True Confessions of a Hired Gun in Tinseltown (autobiography), Pan Macmillan Publishers Australia, 1994 The Bulldog Track: A grandson's story of an ordinary man's war and survival on the other Kokoda trail, Hachette Australia, 2018

Magazine contributor Harper's Bazaar