{{Short description|British TV actor}} {{use British English|date=October 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}} {{Infobox actor | name = Leon Harrop | birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date |24|2016|11|15}} | education = {{flatlist| * New Bridge School * Oldham College}} | occupation = Actor | years_active = 2009–present | known_for = {{flatlist| * ''The A Word'' * ''Ralph & Katie''}} }}
'''Leon Harrop''' (born {{birth based on age as of date|24|2016|11|15|noage=1}})<ref name=thestage>{{cite web|url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/advice/my-first-audition-leon-harrop|work=The Stage|title=My First Audition: Leon Harrop|first=John|last=Byrne|date=15 November 2016|access-date=13 October 2022}}</ref> is a British TV actor with Down's Syndrome, known for playing characters with the condition, most notably playing Ralph Wilson in ''The A Word'' (2016–2020),<ref name=hitc>{{cite web|url=https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/06/03/the-a-word-who-plays-ralph-wilson-leon-harrop-actor/|work=HITC|title=Who plays Ralph in The A Word? Fans are full of praise for the 'brilliant' Leon Harrop|first=Paul|last=Fogarty|date=3 June 2020|access-date=13 October 2022}}</ref> and its spin off series ''Ralph & Katie'' (2022).<ref name=radiotimes>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/ralph-and-katie-release-date-confirmed-newsupdate/|work=Radio Times|title=The A Word spin-off Ralph & Katie gets confirmed October air date|first=Lidia|last=Molina-Whyte|date=21 September 2020|access-date=13 October 2022}}</ref><ref name="bbcmedia">{{cite press release |url=https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2022/ralph-and-katie-production-commences |work=BBC Media Centre |title=Ralph & Katie commences filming in Manchester and The Lake District |first=Iain |last=McCallum |date=22 February 2022 |access-date=13 October 2022}}</ref>
== Career == Harrop is from the town of Royton in Greater Manchester, and his first TV acting role was in a 2009 episode of the BBC drama ''The Street'' set in an unnamed street in Manchester. He starred alongside his onscreen mother Maxine Peake and onscreen dad Stephan Graham. Harrop got the part after the casting company rang his school, New Bridge School, and Harrop's teacher suggested him. After Harrop's teacher asked his mother what she thought, she read the script to see if the role was a good fit for Harrop. Harrop says that reading the script made his mother cry.<ref name=thestage/> After filming the episode, the series' creator and writer Jimmy McGovern said Harrop was a "natural talent".<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/leons-a-natural-says-top-tv-926293|work=Manchester Evening News|title=Leon's a natural says top TV writer|first=Jessica|last=Beckett|date=5 August 2009|access-date=13 October 2022}}</ref>
Harrop then went on to perform in another BBC drama set in Manchester, portraying Lee in the mini series ''From Here to There'' (2014) about the 1996 Manchester bombing by the IRA.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/here-leon-harrop-royton-oldham-7225000|work=Manchester Evening News|title=Leon's dream of Corrie role after starring in Manchester bomb drama|first=Emily|last=Heward|date=5 June 2014|access-date=13 October 2022}}</ref> He also appeared in a 2015 episode of the Channel 4 police procedural drama ''No Offence'' also set in Manchester, and a 2016 episode of the BBC anthology drama series, ''Moving On'' created by Jimmy McGovern, with whom Harrop had previously worked on ''The Street''.<ref name="thestage" /><ref name=":0" />
Harrop played series regular Ralph Wilson in ''The A Word'' between 2016 and 2020 in for all three series of the show, with the news and entertainment website ''HITC'' noting in September 2020 that his performance was being praised by fans of the show.<ref name=hitc/>
Between 2019 and 2021 Harrop had guest appearances in three episodes of the Sky One comedy drama ''Brassic.''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Brassic (2019– ) Full Cast & Crew |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9174582/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm |access-date=14 December 2022 |website=IMDb}}</ref> Also in 2021 he guest starred in the BBC medical drama ''Casualty'' as Jordan "Jordy" Holt in the 11th episode of the 35th series.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Leon Harrop: Jordan 'Jordy' Holt |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14170522/characters/nm3565832?ref_=tt_cl_c_15 |access-date=14 December 2022 |website=IMDb}}</ref>
In 2022, Harrop reprised his role of Ralph Wilson in ''The A Word''<nowiki/>'s spin off show ''Ralph and Katie'' starring alongside Sarah Gordy who plays the eponymous character of Katie Thorne.<ref name=radiotimes/><ref name=bbcmedia/>
== Filmography ==
{| class="wikitable" !TV Show !Role !Year !Episode(s) !Channel !Genre |- |''The Street'' |Otto |2009 |1 episode ("Past Life") |BBC One |Drama |- |''From Here to There'' |Lee |2014 |3 episodes |BBC One |Mini series |- |''No Offence'' |Adam |2015 |1 episode |Channel 4 |Police procedural |- |''Moving On'' |George |2016 |1 episode ("Eighteen") |BBC One |Drama anthology |- |''The A Word'' |Ralph Wilson |2016–2020 |17 episodes |BBC One |Drama |- |''Brassic'' |Albie |2019–2021 |3 episodes |Sky One |Sitcom |- |''Casualty'' |Jordan "Jordy" Holt |2021 |1 episode |BBC One |Drama |- |''Ralph & Katie'' |Ralph Wilson |2022 |6 episodes |BBC One |Drama |- |''Waterloo Road'' |Simon Crossman |2025 |1 episode |BBC One |Drama |- |''Emmerdale'' |Mick |2025 |1 episode |ITV |Soap Opera |} References: Harrop's agency: Conway Van Gelder Grant,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/leon-harrop/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221013182310/https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/leon-harrop/|work=Conway Van Gelder Grant|title=Leon Harrop|archive-date=13 October 2022|access-date=13 October 2022}}</ref> and IMDb<ref>{{Cite web |title=Leon Harrop |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3565832/?ref_=tt_cl_t_15 |access-date=14 December 2022 |website=IMDb}}</ref>
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name|3565832}} * [https://www.conwayvangeldergrant.com/actors/leon-harrop/ Lean Harrop] at his agency: Conway Van Gelder Grant
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harrop, Leon}} Category:1992 births Category:Living people Category:British male television actors Category:Actors with Down syndrome Category:Male actors from Oldham Category:British actors with disabilities Category:People from Royton Category:21st-century British male actors