Nick Berry
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| Nick Berry | |
| Born | 16 April 1963 Woodford, Essex, England |
| Notable roles | Simon Wicks in EastEnders, Sgt Nick Rowan in Heartbeat |
Nick Berry (born 16 April 1963 in Woodford, Essex) is a British television actor and musician
Contents |
[edit] Career
Berry started acting at the age of eight. After attending the Sylvia Young Theatre School in London, he played minor parts on television, film and stage before he got his big break playing Simon 'Wicksy' Wicks in the popular BBC soap opera, EastEnders (1985–90). Berry's character was thought up overnight, and was introduced to restore the cast-balance that had been distorted by the unexpected departure of the actor David Scarboro, who played the original Mark Fowler in the serial. Scarboro's departure meant that many of his functions — as the slightly eldest of the young characters — would need to be taken over by another character and thus Wicksy was invented and Berry was cast with minimal delay.[1] He was quickly hailed as EastEnders top pin-up and during this time he was besieged by fanmail from female admirers.[2]
Berry took a break from Eastenders to tour and make an album, from which the number one single "Every Loser Wins" came in 1986. The song was heavily featured within EastEnders in a plotline referred to as The Banned, in which the youths of Walford all formed a pop group and performed the songs on-screen.[1] It was the second biggest-selling single in the UK that year after "Don't Leave Me This Way" by The Communards, and remained at number one for three weeks. Its composer, Simon May, received an Ivor Novello Award.
Berry returned to Eastenders after his musical career stalled, but left again in an "open to return" storyline in 1990 for the role of ITV 1's Yorkshire policeman PC (later Sgt) Nick Rowan in Heartbeat (1992–98). Berry recorded the title "Heartbeat" in 1992 — a cover of the 1959 Buddy Holly hit — which reached number two in the UK singles chart and spawned a second album.[3] His son Louis and wife Rachel Robertson also appeared on the series. He returned for a one-off twin episode spin-off special in 2002. The episodes were based on his character's new career as a Royal Canadian Mounted Police Officer.
In 1999 Berry left Heartbeat for the BBC 1 self written, produced and directed series Harbour Lights. Less successful than his two previous character-based programmes, it ran for two series.
Berry's other credits include The Mystery of Men with Neil Pearson and Warren Clarke, Paparazzo, The Black Velvet Band with Todd Carty and playing the maverick cop Liam Ketman, alongside Stephen Tompkinson, in BBC crime drama In Deep.
Berry also runs his own production company called Valentine Productions.
[edit] Personal life
Berry had a terrible car crash when he was twenty-one: he fractured his skull when he was thrown through a windshield. Miraculously, he survived the experience unscarred.[2]
During his time in EastEnders Berry dated his co-star Gillian Taylforth, who played Kathy Beale.[4]
Berry married actress Rachel Robertson in 1994, and they have two boys, Louis and Finlay.
He supports West Ham United F.C.
[edit] Trivia
- He was mentioned in the song Random Celebrity Insult Generator by now-defunct Welsh punk band Mclusky, the principle line of which is "Nick Berry had talent in a previous life."
- Nick was actually born with only one fully formed ear and so wears a prosthetic one for filming purposes.[citation needed]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Smith, Julia; Holland, Tony (1987). EastEnders - The Inside Story. Book Club Associates. ISBN 0-563-20601-2.
- ^ a b {{cite book |last= Kingsley|first= Hilary|title= The EastEnders Handbook |year=1990|publisher=BBC books|id=ISBN 0-563-36292-8
- ^ "Nick Berry chart positions", everyhit.com. URL last accessed on 2006-12-15.
- ^ name="EEHandbook"
[edit] External links
- Nick Berry at the Internet Movie Database
- Nick Berry - BBC Drama
- Nick Berry as Nick Rowan - "Heartbeat"
- Nick Berry Gallery - photos from "Heartbeat"
