Simon Shepherd

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 Dr Jonathan Barling in Casualty.

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 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 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. He played Chief Inspector Dermott Craddock in the 2019 The Mirror Crack'd, a stage play.

On 16 February 2011, 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, starring alongside Ben Miller and Diana Vickers. 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.

On 25 March 2017, Shepherd starred in BBC One'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 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 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 episodesUncredited 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 The Rev Oscar Hayden Episode: "Scarecrow Murders"

Short films 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