Stephen Beckett

Stephen Beckett
Born (1967-05-24) 24 May 1967 (age 57)
London, England
OccupationActor
Years active1992–present

Stephen Beckett (born 24 May 1967) is an English actor, known for portraying Dr Matt Ramsden in Coronation Street and Mike Jarvis in The Bill.

Background

Born in London,[1] Beckett was brought up in Brixton and Croydon,[2] and attended Wilson's School in Wallington.[3] He has three sisters.[2] Beckett left school at the age of sixteen to become an actor, and began his career in street theatre in Covent Garden.[2] He later trained at RADA, graduating at the age of twenty three.

Career

Beckett won his first professional roles a week after graduating from drama school, appearing in Richard II and Callas at the Oldham Coliseum.[1] He went on to work in regional theatre throughout the UK, and with the National Theatre.[1]

Beckett played the role of PC Mike Jarvis in The Bill for five years. He later played Dr Matt Ramsden in Coronation Street from 2000 to 2002, reprising the role in 2006.[4] Discussing the character and the possibility of a return, Beckett said: "People were really protective of Ashley, and very anti the child-stealing doctor. I don't know about returning to Corrie again, but as long as Ashley is in the show there is a potential kidnap plot."[4] But as the character of Ashley has now been written out with the rest of his on-screen family to follow shortly the return of Dr. Ramsden seems unlikely.

His other television credits include Robin Hood, Doctors and Casualty.[4] In 2006, he guest starred as Richard III in the Doctor Who audio drama The Kingmaker.

Beckett's theatre work includes the original productions of the Alan Ayckbourn plays Drowning on Dry Land and Private Fears in Public Places, Around the World in Eighty Days,[1] The Ghost Train,[5] Murder with Love,[6] Walk Hard, The Business of Murder, The Late Edwina Black and Absurd Person Singular.[7] He has also appeared in pantomime.[5]

Beckett played Prospero in The Tempest for the 2017 open air Stafford Festival Shakespeare 22 June – 8 July 2017.

Television

Year Show Role Notes
1993–1998 The Bill Mike Jarvis Police drama
2000–2002, 2006 Coronation Street Dr Matt Ramsden Soap opera
2005 Doctors Mike Richmond
- Freefall 		Soap opera
2006 Dalziel and Pascoe Martin Bendelow
- Glory Days: Part 1
- Glory Days: Part 2 		Police drama
Casualty Mark Steed
- Walk Before You Can Run 		Medical drama
2007 Doctors Damon Ashwood
- Innocence Lost 		Soap opera
Robin Hood Legrand
- Treasure of the Nation 		TV series
2009 Holby City Gary Daley
- Breathe Deeply 		Medical drama
Heartbeat Alan Page
- Return Crossing 		TV series
2011 House of Anubis Rory Campbell TV series

Film

Year Show Role Notes
1992 Enchanted April Jonathan Feature film
2002 The Day That Shook the World Narrator Television film

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2013 Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Additional voices Voice role
2014 Assassin's Creed Unity Charles Dorian
Assassin's Creed Rogue
2015 The Order: 1886 Walla Crowd
2016 Battlefleet Gothic: Armada Commodore Vandez
Total War: Warhammer
2017 Star Wars Battlefront II

References

  1. ^ a b c d Key, Philip. "A Street star's main desire..." Daily Post. Archived from the original on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2009.
  2. ^ a b c Smith, Steven. "Stephen Beckett - My Favourite Things", The People, 2001-09-16.
  3. ^ Croydon Life: Profiles: Stephen Beckett Archived 18 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2009-08-04.
  4. ^ a b c Sole, Kate (30 May 2008). "Stephen Beckett stars in new thriller". Bucks Free Press. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  5. ^ a b Lewis, Katy (30 August 2006). "The doctor's in the house!". BBC Beds Herts and Bucks. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  6. ^ Wilkins, Amanda (16 October 2008). "Review: Murder with Love". Mid Sussex Times. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  7. ^ Whats On Stage.com - Details for Stephen Beckett Retrieved on 2009-08-04.