Alex Walkinshaw

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Alex Walkinshaw
Born
Alex Newcombe Walkinshaw

(1974-10-05) 5 October 1974 (age 51)
Barking, London, England
OccupationActor
Television
Spouse
Sarah Trusler
​
​
(m. 2009; div. 2019)​
Children2
RelativesJodie Marsh (cousin)

Alex Newcombe Walkinshaw (born 5 October 1974) is an English actor. After making his professional acting debut in 1990, he has since played roles including Dale "Smithy" Smith in the ITV police procedural series The Bill, Adrian "Fletch" Fletcher in BBC medical dramas Casualty and Holby City, Jez Diamond in the BBC school-based drama series Waterloo Road and Ross Marshall in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.

Early and personal life

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Walkinshaw was born on 5 October 1974 in Barking, London. In between acting jobs in the 1990s, he also worked as a labourer, office fitter and at a snooker hall in Barking.[1] He is the cousin of television personality and model Jodie Marsh.[2]

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 lived in Kent with their two children.[3] They split in 2019.[4]

Walkinshaw undertakes local charity work and is the patron for the St Thomas' Lupus Trust.[5] 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.[6]

Career

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Walkinshaw's first television appearance was at the age of 12 as an extra in Grange Hill, where he stayed for a year.[5] From 1992 to 1993, he appeared in the sitcom Side by Side.[7] He first appeared in The Bill in three episodes as a guest star in 1992, 1993 and 1995,[8] 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". He departed from the series in 2001,[9] but eventually returned. In 2008, he was nominated for Outstanding Drama Performance at the National Television Awards.[10] The award was won by David Tennant.[11] 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.[12]

In 2011, Walkinshaw was cast in Waterloo Road as PE teacher Jeremy 'Jez' Diamond.[13] Following his departure from the show, he joined the cast of Casualty as nurse Adrian "Fletch" Fletcher.[14] In 2014, the character made a permanent switch from Casualty to its sister show Holby City. He appeared in Holby City until its final episode.[15]

In 2025, it was announced that Walkinshaw had been cast in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Ross Marshall, the partner of established character Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig).[16] Walkinshaw had previously stated in 2008 that he would like to appear in the soap one day.[17]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1990 Death in Venice Older Boy Television film
1992–1993 Side by Side Terry Shane Main role
1992 The Bill Steven Murray Episode: "Fair Play"
1992 Casualty Alan Episode: "Money Talks"
1993 A Question of Guilt Ed Darvas Television film
1993 Scene Danny Episode: "Pig Boy"
1993 The Bill Lee Tarrant Episode: "Deadly Weapon"
1993 To Play the King Boy Mugger Episode: "Chapter Five"
1994 Harry Enfield & Chums Unwanted party guest 1 episode
1994 Screen Two Cockney Episode: "O Mary This London"
1994 Nelson's Column Colin Episode: "Back to Basics"
1994 Anna Lee Kevin Episode: "Requiem"
1995 Crown Prosecutor Troy Daly 1 episode
1995 The Bill Andy Franklin Episode: "Flora and Fauna"
1995 A Touch of Frost Pearce Episode: "Appropriate Adults"
1995 London's Burning Mark 1 episode
1995–1998 McCallum DS Small Regular role
1999–2001, 2003-2010 The Bill Dale Smith Regular role
2001 Holby City Mickey Episode: "Starting Over"
2001 Urban Gothic Stevo Episode: "Sandman"
2002 Stan the Man Tommy 1 episode
2011–2012 Waterloo Road Jez Diamond Main role
2012–2014, 2016, 2019–2020, 2022 Casualty Adrian "Fletch" Fletcher Main role
2014−2022 Holby City Main role
2022 Midsomer Murders Sam Engells Episode: "The Debt of Lies"
2025–present EastEnders Ross Marshall Regular role

Awards and nominations

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Year Ceremony Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2008 14th National Television Awards Outstanding Drama Performance The Bill Nominated [18]
2020 Inside Soap Awards Best Drama Star Holby City Nominated [19]
2022 Inside Soap Awards Best Drama Star Holby City Nominated [20]

References

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  1. ^ "Alex fits The Bill". United Kingdom: Ilford Recorder. 30 July 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  2. ^ "Jodie Marsh shocks fans as she reveals surprising family connection to Holby City's Alex Walkinshaw". 2016.
  3. ^ "Married Holby City star Alex Walkinshaw 'exchanged raunchy texts with model behind wife's back'". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  4. ^ "BBC Holby City: Alex Walkinshaw's ex-wife he met on The Bill and EastEnders star best man at their wedding". MyLondon. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  5. ^ a b "About Us". United Kingdom: St Thomas' Lupus Trust. Archived from the original on 19 October 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  6. ^ "New police office opened by TV actor". www.newsshopper.co.uk. 2 May 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  7. ^ "Alex Walkinshaw — everything you need to know about the actor". What to Watch. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  8. ^ Pratt, Steve (1 July 2009). "Beat goes on". United Kingdom: The Northern Echo. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  9. ^ "Bill cast clear-out". United Kingdom: BBC. 30 May 2006. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (13 March 2012). "'Casualty' casts 'Waterloo Road' star Alex Walkinshaw as new nurse". United Kingdom: Digital Spy. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
  15. ^ "Who is Alex Walkinshaw? The Bill and Holby City actor joining EastEnders as Ross". Radio Times. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  16. ^ "EastEnders' Vicki Fowler returns to Walford with a new family". BBC. Retrieved 23 February 2025.
  17. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (21 July 2008). "'The Bill' actor hopes for Walford role". United Kingdom: Digital Spy. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  18. ^ "Who stars to compete for NTA prize". Digital Spy. 13 October 2008. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
  19. ^ Anderton, Joe (16 November 2020). "Inside Soap Awards announce full shortlist for 2020 event". Digital Spy. Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on 2 April 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  20. ^ Harp, Justin (10 October 2022). "Inside Soap Awards announce final shortlist for 2022 ceremony". Digital Spy. (Hearst Communications). Retrieved 10 October 2022.
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