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Alex Walkinshaw

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Alex Walkinshaw
Born
Alex Newcombe Walkinshaw

(1974-10-05) 5 October 1974 (age 50)
Barking, London, England
OccupationActor
TelevisionThe Bill (1999–2001) and (2003–2010)
Waterloo Road (2011–2012)
Casualty (2012–2014, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022)
Holby City (2014–22)
Spouse
Sarah Trusler
​
(m. 2009)​
Children2
RelativesJodie Marsh (first cousin)

Alex Newcombe Walkinshaw (born 5 October 1974) is a British actor. He has played the long-running roles of Dale "Smithy" Smith in the ITV police procedural series The Bill and Adrian "Fletch" Fletcher in BBC medical dramas Casualty and Holby City. He also played PE teacher Jez Diamond in BBC school-based drama series Waterloo Road.

Career

Walkinshaw's first television appearance was at the age of 12 as an extra in Grange Hill, where he stayed for a year.[1] From 1992 to 1993 he appeared in the sitcom Side by Side.

He first appeared in The Bill in three episodes as a guest star in 1992, 1993 and 1995,[2] before joining as a regular cast member in 1999. It was whilst he was acting at the Royal Court Theatre that he was spotted by one of the producers of The Bill and was encouraged to audition for the programme. He joined The Bill as PC Dale Smith, better known as "Smithy" and then left in 2001.[3] In 2003, he returned when his character was promoted to Sergeant. When The Bill was axed in Scotland in 2009 by STV, Walkinshaw was the last person to appear on Scottish screens alongside Sam Callis as Sgt Callum Stone.

After The Bill was axed in 2010 by ITV, Walkinshaw admitted that "It was emotional shooting the final scenes" and that he found it "tough" to leave behind some of his co-stars.[4]

He has previously admitted that he would be keen to appear in the soap, EastEnders.[5]

In 2011, Walkinshaw was cast in Waterloo Road as PE teacher, Jeremy 'Jez' Diamond, replacing Paul Nicholls.[6] Following his departure from the show, he joined the cast of Casualty as nurse, Adrian 'Fletch' Fletcher.[7] In 2014, the character made a permanent switch from Casualty to its sister show Holby City.

Awards

In 2008, he was nominated for Outstanding Drama Performance at the National Television Awards.[8] The award was won by David Tennant.[9]

Early and personal life

Walkinshaw was born on 5 October 1974 in Barking, Essex. In between acting jobs in the 1990s, he also worked as a labourer, office fitter and at a snooker hall in Barking.[10]

During his time on The Bill, Walkinshaw met his wife Sarah, who worked as a make-up artist on the show. They married on 20 June 2009 at the Queen's House in Greenwich, London and live in Kent with their two children.[11]

He is very close friends with his former co-stars Roberta Taylor and René Zagger. Taylor is like a second mother to him and is even grandmother by proxy to his children. Zagger is his best friend and they have known each other since they were 15 and 16; they also shared a flat when they were both on The Bill. Zagger and Scott Maslen were his best men at his wedding. His cousin is the glamour model and TV personality Jodie Marsh.[12]

He is a West Ham United supporter and enjoys programmes such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Doctor Who.[1]

He undertakes local charity work and is the patron for the St Thomas' Lupus Trust.[1] On 24 March 2007, he took part in The Weakest Link and won £9,450, which he donated to Essex-based charity "Kids in Need", which grants wishes for underprivileged, sick and terminally ill children. On 2 May 2007, he opened a new community police office in Chislehurst, for the Safer Neighbourhood teams from Chislehurst and Mottingham.[13]

Filmography

Film

Television

Year Programme Role Notes
2014−2022 Holby City Adrian "Fletch" Fletcher Regular role
2012–2014, 2016, 2019–2020, 2022 Casualty Regular role (2012–14); Guest (2016, 2019, 2020, 2022)
2011–2012 Waterloo Road Jez Diamond Regular role - 18 episodes (series 7)
2002 Stan the Man Tommy
2001 Holby City Mickey
2001 Urban Gothic Stevo
1999–2001, 2003-2010 The Bill PC/Sgt/Insp. Dale Smith Regular role
National Television Awards 2008 – Outstanding Drama Performance – Nominated
1995–98 McCallum DS Small Regular role
1995 Crown Prosecutor Troy Daly
1995 The Bill Andy Franklin Episode: 'Flora and Fauna'
1995 A Touch of Frost Pearce
1995 London's Burning Truck Driver
1994 Anna Lee Kevin
1994 Harry Enfield & Chums Unwanted party guest
1993 To Play the King Boy Mugger
1993 The Bill Lee Tarrant Episode: 'Deadly Weapon'
1993 A Question of Guilt Ed Darvas
1992 Casualty Alan Series 7: Episode 10 ’Money Talks’
1992 The Bill Steven Murray Episode: 'Fair Play'
1992–93 Side by Side Terry Shane
1990 Death in Venice Older Boy

References

  1. ^ a b c "About Us". United Kingdom: St Thomas' Lupus Trust. Archived from the original on 19 October 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  2. ^ Pratt, Steve (1 July 2009). "Beat goes on". United Kingdom: The Northern Echo. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  3. ^ "Bill cast clear-out". United Kingdom: BBC. 30 May 2006. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  4. ^ Millar, Paul (22 June 2010). "Soaps – News – Walkinshaw: 'The Bill end was emotional' – Digital Spy". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 24 June 2010. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
  5. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (21 July 2008). "'The Bill' actor hopes for Walford role". United Kingdom: Digital Spy. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  6. ^ "BBC – Press Office – Jaye Jacobs and Alex Walkinshaw join Waterloo Road". BBC Online. BBC. 30 May 2011. Archived from the original on 2 June 2011. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
  7. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (13 March 2012). "'Casualty' casts 'Waterloo Road' star Alex Walkinshaw as new nurse". United Kingdom: Digital Spy. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
  8. ^ Gardham, Duncan (21 October 2008). "Seven Dr Whos set for reunion". United Kingdom: Telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  9. ^ Hemley, Matthew (30 October 2008). "Double drama win for Doctor Who at National Television Awards". United Kingdom: The Stage. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  10. ^ "Alex fits The Bill". United Kingdom: Ilford Recorder. 30 July 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  11. ^ Married Holby City star Alex Walkinshaw 'exchanged raunchy texts with model behind wife's back' - Mirror Online
  12. ^ "Jodie Marsh shocks fans as she reveals surprising family connection to Holby City's Alex Walkinshaw". 2016.
  13. ^ "New police office opened by TV actor". www.newsshopper.co.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
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