# William Ash (actor)

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British actor

For other people with the same name, see [William Ash (disambiguation)](/source/William_Ash_(disambiguation)).

Not to be confused with [William Rush (actor)](/source/William_Rush_(actor)).

William Ash Ash in 2025 Born (1977-01-13) 13 January 1977 (age 49) Chadderton, Oldham, England Occupation Actor Years active 1987–present

**William Ash** (born 13 January 1977) is an English actor. He is known for roles in the television dramas *[Soldier Soldier](/source/Soldier_Soldier)* (1993–1994), *[Where the Heart Is](/source/Where_the_Heart_Is_(British_TV_series))* (1997–1998), *[Clocking Off](/source/Clocking_Off)* (2001–2002), *[Waterloo Road](/source/Waterloo_Road_(TV_series))* (2009–2011), *[The Tunnel](/source/The_Tunnel_(TV_series))* (2016–2017) and *[Emmerdale](/source/Emmerdale)* (2022–present). His film appearances include *[Mad About Mambo](/source/Mad_About_Mambo)* (2000) and *[Hush](/source/Hush_(2008_film))* (2008).

## Career

Born in [Chadderton](/source/Chadderton), [Oldham](/source/Oldham), Ash's first TV appearance was as Spike in *[Coronation Street](/source/Coronation_Street)* aged 10. He then had a regular role as Nicky in *[Making Out](/source/Making_Out_(TV_series))* (1989–1991), followed by a regular role in the ITV series *[Where the Heart Is](/source/Where_the_Heart_Is_(British_TV_series))*. He has since appeared in *[Mad About Mambo](/source/Mad_About_Mambo)*, *[Clocking Off](/source/Clocking_Off)*, *[Children's Ward](/source/Children's_Ward)*, *[Lilies](/source/Lilies_(TV_series))*, *[Born to Run](/source/Born_to_Run_(TV_series))*, *[Burn It](/source/Burn_It_(TV_series))*, *[All the King's Men](/source/All_the_King's_Men_(1999_film))*, *[ShakespeaRe-Told (A Midsummer Night's Dream)](/source/ShakespeaRe-Told)*, *[Doctor Who](/source/42_(Doctor_Who))*, the miniseries *Conviction*, *[Hush](/source/Hush_(2009_film))*, *[Waterloo Road](/source/Waterloo_Road_(TV_series))* and *[Shameless](/source/Shameless_(British_TV_series))*. In 2006, he portrayed the [Manchester United](/source/Manchester_United_F.C.) footballer [Albert Scanlon](/source/Albert_Scanlon) in an edition of the BBC series *Surviving Disasters* about the [Munich air disaster](/source/Munich_air_disaster) of 1958, of which Scanlon was a survivor.[1]

Ash's stage credits include the premiere productions of *[Presence](/source/Presence_(play))* at the [Royal Court Theatre](/source/Royal_Court_Theatre) in 2001[2] and of *How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found* at [Sheffield Theatres](/source/Sheffield_Theatres) as well as *[Of Mice and Men](/source/Of_Mice_and_Men_(play))* at the [Royal Lyceum Theatre](/source/Royal_Lyceum_Theatre) in [Edinburgh](/source/Edinburgh).

In December 2011, Ash had a starring role in a BBC comedy drama, *[Lapland](/source/Being_Eileen)*, as Ray, a role he is reprising for a new series, *[Being Eileen](/source/Being_Eileen)*.[3][4] In 2013 he starred in the ITV comedy drama series *[Great Night Out](/source/Great_Night_Out)* as Beggsy. In 2015, Ash appeared as Frank Mellor in the BBC TV series *[Death in Paradise](/source/Death_in_Paradise)* episode 4.4. In February 2016, he appeared in BBC drama series *[Moving On](/source/Moving_On_(TV_series))*. In 2016, he appeared in the [ITV](/source/ITV_(TV_channel))/[Netflix](/source/Netflix) series *[Paranoid](/source/Paranoid_(TV_series))*. He also appeared as the character BB in the second and third series of [Sky Atlantic](/source/Sky_Atlantic)'s [*The Tunnel*](/source/The_Tunnel_(TV_series)). In 2017, Ash played Leighton Thomas in ITV's serial killer drama *[The Loch](/source/The_Loch_(TV_series))*. In 2018, he played the role of Marvin in a British TV drama series, *[Wanderlust](/source/Wanderlust_(British_TV_series))*.[5]

Ash played a central character in the 2020 film *[Perfect 10](/source/Perfect_10_(film))*.[6]

## Filmography

### Film

Year Film Role Notes 1987 The Sign of Four Jack Smith Television film 1993 Raining Stones Joe 1996 The Bare Necessities Tony Television film 1998 Anorak of Fire Tim Bixton 1999 Fanny and Elvis Rick All the King's Men Sergeant Ted Grimes Television film 2000 Mad About Mambo Danny Mitchell 2002 Daddy's Girl DC Neil Hallam Television film Nicholas Nickleby Frank Cheeryble 2003 Standing Room Only Simon Short 2006 Magnolia Ed Television film 2007 Until Death Serge 2008 Hush Zakes Abbot 2011 Lapland Ray Cooper Television film 2013 The Last Witch Howard Greenwood The Flea Brooke/Essex Man in the Moon Joe 2017 Habit Ian Sophie's Lights Alan Short 2018 Playing Dead Liam 2019 Perfect 10 Rob The Invisible Cal

### Television

Year Title Role Notes 1987 How We Used to Live Peter Hodgkins Episode: "1957: Commercial Breaks" Coronation Street Spike 1 episode 1988 Screen Two Marlene's Kid Episode: "Love Birds" 1989–1991 Children's Ward Darren Walsh Series regular 1989–1991 Making Out Nicky 1992 Heartbeat Paul Allenby Episode: "Nowt But a Prank" 1993–1994 Soldier Soldier Jack Stubbs 7 episodes 1995 Heartbeat Joe Norton 2 episodes 1996 Beck Ralph Series regular 1997 Born to Run Sammy Fitch 1 episode 1997–1998 Where the Heart Is Stephen Snow Recurring role 2001 Dark Realm Eric Phillips Episode: "Organizer 2000" 2001–2002 Clocking Off Nick Anderson Series regular 2002 Coronation Street Johnny James 1 episode Having It Off David Series regular 2003 Burn It Jon Moore 2004 Conviction Chrissie Fairburn 2005 Jericho Johnny Swan Episode: "The Killing of Johnny Swan" ShakespeaRe-Told James Episode: "A Midsummer's Night Dream" 2006 Surviving Disaster Albert Scanlon Episode: "Munich Air crash" 2007 Lilies Nazzer Episode: "The Sea" Doctor Who Riley Vashtee Episode: "42" Sold Gavin 1 episode 2009–2011 Waterloo Road Christopher Mead Series regular (2009–2011) 2011 Shameless Jesus O'Toole Episode: "Comebacks" Legacy: High Green Walls Dan Casualty Harry Reynolds Episode: "System Error" 2012 Life Stories Davey Episode: "Toby's Dad" 2013 Great Night Out Matthew "Beggsy" Begg Series regular Being Eileen Ray Cooper Scott & Bailey Craig 1 episode 2014 Inspector George Gently Mark Tanner Episode: "Gently with Honour" Vera Linus Campion Episode: "The Deer Hunters" 2015 Father Brown RSM Reginald Davis Episode: "The Sign of the Broken Sword" Death in Paradise Frank Mellor Episode: "Until Death Do You Part" The Embrace Charlie 2016 Moving On John Episode: "Scratch" Paranoid Henry Appley Series regular 2016–2018 The Tunnel Boleslaw 'BB' Borowski 2017 The Loch Leighton Thomas 2018 Wanderlust Marvin Walters Recurring role 2020 Silent Witness Major Mark Sealy 2 episodes The Accidental Medium Frank Series regular 2021 Casualty Kevin Eccles 1 episode War of the Worlds Mark Wolfe Jeff 2 episodes 2022 The Rising Michael Wyatt Series regular; 8 episodes The Window John Maslin Recurring role; 4 episodes 2022–present Emmerdale Caleb Miligan Series regular 2023 Significant Other Paul Episode: "Episode 6"

### Stage

Year Title Role Venue Notes 1999 Juno and the Paycock Johnny Boyle Donmar Warehouse, Covent Garden, London 2001 Presence Paul Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, London 2002 Port Danny Miller Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester 2003 The Sugar Syndrome Lewis Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, London 2005 Electra Restes Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester 2007 Mary Barton Jem Wilson How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found Charlie/Adam Crucible Theatre, Sheffield 2008–2009 You Can See the Hills Adam Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, London & Young Vic, The Cut, London 2011 The Globe Mysteries Jesus Shakespeare's Globe, Southwark, London 2012 Of Mice and Men George Milton Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["'Munich Air Crash' (episode, 2006) *Surviving Disaster*"](https://imdb.com/title/tt0782589/fullcredits#cast). *[IMDb](/source/IMDb)*. Retrieved 27 March 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** *Presence* by [David Harrower](/source/David_Harrower), London, [Faber & Faber](/source/Faber_%26_Faber), 2001, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780571210596](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780571210596)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-second_3-0)** ["BBC One commissions new six-part comedy series, *Lapland*"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2012/lapland-series.html). *[BBC Online](/source/BBC_Online)*. 4 October 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-be_4-0)** ["Being Eileen"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2013/06/being-eileen.html). [BBC](/source/BBC). Retrieved 29 January 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Griffiths Bley, Eleanor (25 September 2018). ["Meet the cast of Wanderlust"](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/wanderlust-cast-actors-bbc-toni-collette-steven-macintosh-drama/). *Radio Times*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Perfect 10"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000pb58). *BBC*. Retrieved 26 February 2021.

## External links

- [William Ash](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0038673/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

- [BBC Interview on Little Malcolm](https://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/arts/2004/01/29/little_malcolm_interview.shtml)

- [Digital Spy Interview on Hush](http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/interviews/a148815/william-ash-hush.html)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF WorldCat National United States France BnF data Poland

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [William Ash (actor)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Ash_(actor)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Ash_(actor)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.