# Michael Starke > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Michael_Starke > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Michael_Starke.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Starke > Source revision: 1325143558 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) British actor (born 1957) For those of a similar name, see [Michael Stark (disambiguation)](/source/Michael_Stark_(disambiguation)). This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous. Find sources: "Michael Starke" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Michael Starke Born (1957-11-13) 13 November 1957 (age 68) Liverpool, England, United Kingdom Occupation Actor Years active 1982–present Known for Brookside The Royal Coronation Street Spouse Lynn Francis Children 2 daughters **Michael Starke** (Michael Clarke) (born 13 November 1957) is a British actor and singer from [Liverpool](/source/Liverpool), England. He played [Thomas 'Sinbad' Sweeney](/source/Thomas_'Sinbad'_Sweeney) in *[Brookside](/source/Brookside_(TV_series))*, the [Channel 4](/source/Channel_4) [soap opera](/source/Soap_opera), for sixteen years. He then appeared in a Christmas 2000 episode of the [BBC](/source/BBC) drama *[Casualty](/source/Casualty_(TV_series))*. In the episode, ["A Turn of the Scrooge"](/source/Casualty_(series_15)), broadcast on 16 December 2000, he played the part of Barry Dawson, a loner who is befriended by a widower neighbour (played by [Kenneth Colley](/source/Kenneth_Colley)), following a rooftop accident with Christmas decorations. Starke later appeared in the [ITV](/source/ITV_(TV_channel)) drama *[The Royal](/source/The_Royal)* as Kenneth Hopkirk, as policeman Arthur in the film *[The 51st State](/source/The_51st_State)* and as himself on *[Lily Savage's Blankety Blank](/source/Lily_Savage's_Blankety_Blank)*.[1] He is a patron of [Zoe's Place Baby Hospice](/source/Zoe's_Place_Baby_Hospice), a charity for sick babies and young children. He appeared in the [pantomime](/source/Pantomime) *[Cinderella](/source/Cinderella)* in [Southport](/source/Southport) over Christmas 2005 and in a pantomime of *[Aladdin](/source/Aladdin)* during Christmas 2006 in [York](/source/York). He also appeared in the play *No Holds Bard*. In March 2007, he joined the cast of *[Coronation Street](/source/Coronation_Street)* as the patriarch of a new family, the Mortons, playing [Jerry Morton](/source/Jerry_Morton), a single father who opens a kebab shop. He, along with the majority of the Morton family, left the show in September 2008. His daughter, Hayley Hampson, appeared on the ITV show *[Grease Is the Word](/source/Grease_Is_the_Word)* finishing in sixth place. His other daughter, Jamie, is an actress and appeared in an episode of *[The Royal](/source/The_Royal)*.[2] In later years, he has starred in touring productions of musicals, including as Edna Turnblad in the first UK tour of *[Hairspray](/source/Hairspray_(musical))* and originating the role of Monsignor Howard in the first UK tour of *[Sister Act the musical](/source/Sister_Act_(musical))*.[3] He also made appearances in *[Anything Goes](/source/Anything_Goes)* and *[Our Day Out](/source/Our_Day_Out_(musical))*.[4] Starke appeared in the 2014 [Kenneth Branagh](/source/Kenneth_Branagh) directed action thriller film *"[Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit](/source/Jack_Ryan%3A_Shadow_Recruit)"*. Later he played a guest role in the soap opera *[Doctors](/source/Doctors_(2000_TV_series))*.[5] In 2017 he appeared at the [Liverpool Playhouse](/source/Liverpool_Playhouse) in the musical "The Star". The next year Starke appeared in *[Benidorm](/source/Benidorm_(British_TV_series))* and in the TV drama "Virtues". He also appeared in the Christmas 2018 episode of *[Casualty](/source/Casualty_(TV_series))* in the guest role of Joe Blake. Between 2021 and 2023, he appeared as a taxi driver in the [Channel 4](/source/Channel_4) soap opera *[Hollyoaks](/source/Hollyoaks)*. In 2025 he reprised his Hollyoaks role in a special crossover episode with Brookside, where it turned out that this and his Brookside characters were actually the same person.[6] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-blanketyblank_1-0)** *Lily Savage's Blankety Blank*. 17 June 2001. [ITV](/source/ITV_(TV_network)). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["The British Theatre Guide: Interview with Michael Starke"](https://web.archive.org/web/20111108230617/http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/otherresources/interviews/MichaelStarke.htm). *www.britishtheatreguide.info*. Archived from [the original](http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/otherresources/interviews/MichaelStarke.htm) on 8 November 2011. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Cast"](http://hairspraythetour.com//cast-member.php?id=39). Retrieved 4 June 2011. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Michael Starke - Actor Interview - Intertainment Hub"](http://www.skelat.com/interviews/michael-starke-actor-interview). Retrieved 25 September 2014.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service)) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Kilkelly, Daniel (12 March 2014). ["Doctors casts former Brookside actors in guest roles"](http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s16/doctors/news/a557168/doctors-casts-former-brookside-actors-in-guest-roles.html). *[Digital Spy](/source/Digital_Spy)*. ([Hearst Magazines UK](/source/Hearst_Magazines_UK)). Retrieved 12 March 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Crutchley, Joe (21 October 2025). ["Brookside icon 'told off' while filming Hollyoaks crossover as he returns after 25 years"](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/tv/brookside-icon-told-off-filming-32720578). *[Manchester Evening News](/source/Manchester_Evening_News)*. Retrieved 1 December 2025. ## External links - [Michael Starke](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0823297/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF WorldCat National United States --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Michael Starke](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Starke) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Starke?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.