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Jack Ashton

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jack Ashton
Born
Jack Lewis
OccupationActor
Years active2005–present
TelevisionCall the Midwife
PartnerHelen George (2016–2023)
Children2

Jack Ashton is a British actor, best known for playing the Reverend Tom Hereward in the BBC television series, Call the Midwife. He also appears as Lenny Sampson in Waterloo Road. On stage, he has performed in A Streetcar Named Desire at the Donmar Warehouse, and as Guy Haines in Strangers on a Train (UK tour). He starred in the 2017 film Instrument of War, based on the true story of Clair Cline, an American prisoner of war.

Early life and education

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He was born Jack Lewis in Clifton, Bristol. His father was a sculptor and artist, while his mother worked in education.[1][2] His family, including two sisters, lived briefly in Burnham-on-Sea, but settled in Bedminster, Bristol.[2][1]

He left Bedminster Down School at 16, and studied for a BTEC in performing arts at Filton College.[2] He then attended the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts in London.[2]

A long-time fan of Bristol City football club, he chose his stage name as a tribute to Ashton Gate stadium.[2]

Career

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Television

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Ashton starred in Call the Midwife from 2014 to 2018.[3] He joined the hit BBC period drama during its third series, playing Reverend Tom Hereward, a Curate in Poplar who works alongside the nuns and nurses of Nonnatus House.[4]

In 2023, Ashton appeared in the BBC series Waterloo Road as ex-convict Lenny Sampson who is brought in to help fight knife crime among at-risk youth.[4]

Other popular television programmes he has appeared in include Sister Boniface Mysteries, Casualty, Endeavour, McDonald & Dodds, and Broadchurch.[4]

Radio

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Ashton joined the cast of The Archers in 2023, playing Harry Chilcott.[5]

Theatre

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In 2009, Ashton performed in a Donmar Warehouse production of A Streetcar Named Desire as the dead husband of Blanche Dubois, played by Rachel Weisz.[1][6]

In 2018, he starred in a UK tour of Strangers on a Train, an adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel.[1][7] He played the lead role of Guy Haines, described by The Times as "the classic American good guy, the passionate architect, full of ideals", opposite "spoilt rich boy" Charles Bruno played by Christopher Harper.[7]

Film

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Ashton played the lead role Instrument of War, a 2017 BYUtv film based on the true story of Clair Cline, an American soldier captured by the Nazis who plays a handmade violin he makes out of scrap material he finds in the prisoner-of-war camp.[2] Following a screening at the Heartland Film Festival, Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "one must give the strongest kudos to Jack Ashton for a performance that captures both the harrowing nature of his surroundings and the seemingly undefeatable human spirit that Cline must've possessed."[8]

Personal life

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From 2016 to 2023, Ashton was in a relationship with his on-screen co-star Helen George. In September 2017, their daughter Wren Ivy was born.[9][10][11] The couple's second daughter Lark, was born in November 2021. They split up in 2023.[3]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2009 Colin Brumby Colin Brumby Short film [12]
2011 Of Mary Bryan Short film [13]
2014 8 Minutes Idle Ian [14]
2016 Donkeys T Short film [15]
2017 Instrument of War Clair Cline [16]
2018 Welcome to Curiosity Sean [17]
2025 Bad Apples Eddy's Dad [18]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2005 Holby City Chris Philips Episode: "More Equal Than Others" [19]
2007 Silent Witness James Fetherton Episode: "Hippocratic Oath, Part 1" [20]
2008 Four Seasons Martin Miniseries; 2 episodes [21]
2009 Mistresses Young Man Episode: "Series 2, Episode 1" [22]
2010 Dappers Ryan Episode: "Proper Job" [23]
Holby City Neil Gilligan Episode: "Man with No Name" [24]
2012 Endeavour DC Ian McLeash Episode: "Pilot" [25]
2013 Broadchurch Kevin Green Episode: "Series 1, Episode 2" [26]
2014–2018 Call the Midwife Reverend Tom Hereward Series regular; 35 episodes [27]
2015 Vicious Theo Episode: "Gym" [28]
2016 No Man Left Behind Chris Ryan Episode: "No Man Left Behind" [29]
2020 McDonald & Dodds Jack Valentine Episode: "The Fall of the House of Crockett" [30]
2022 U-Boat Wargamers Karl Dönitz Series regular; 6 episodes [31]
2022–2023 Casualty Angus Knockton Recurring role; 2 episodes [32]
2023 Sister Boniface Mysteries Lewis Garner Episode: "Stage Fright" [33]
Waterloo Road Lenny Sampson Recurring role; 2 episodes
The Chelsea Detective Toby Hansard Episode: "The Blue Room" [34]
2024 Professor T. Adam Bernard Recurring role; 2 episodes [35]
2025 Lockerbie: A Search for Truth Jonathan Dobson Episode: "Episode 1" [36]

Theatre credits

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Year Title Role Venue Notes Ref.
2009 The Homecoming Joey York Theatre Royal, York [37]
Twelfth Night Sebastian York Theatre Royal, York [38]
A Streetcar Named Desire Young Collector Donmar Warehouse, London [39]
Christmas Reloaded Jase Old Red Lion Theatre, London with Papatango Theatre Company [40]
2010 Leopoldville Jonah Devlin Tristan Bates Theatre, London with Papatango Theatre Company [41]
2012 The Guinea Pig Club Hugh Lockhart York Theatre Royal, York [42]
2018 Strangers on a Train Guy Haines Theatre Royal, Brighton & UK tour with Ambassador Theatre Group [43]
2024 Little Women Professor Friedrich Bhaer / John Brooke York Theatre Royal, York [44]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Armstrong, Stephen (4 February 2019). "Call the Midwife star Jack Ashton on how the show transformed his life". Radio Times. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Pickstock, Heather (9 April 2018). "Call the Midwife star Jack Ashton on how stage name has special link to Bristol City". Bristol Post. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  3. ^ a b Muir, Ellie (16 July 2023). "Call the Midwife's Helen George and Jack Ashton announce split after seven years". The Independent. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  4. ^ a b c Quinn, Angie (23 May 2023). "Call the Midwife's Jack Ashton is worlds away from Reverend Tom Hereward in new Waterloo Road". MyLondon. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  5. ^ The Archers (Podcast Series 2007) - IMDb, retrieved 5 February 2024
  6. ^ Coveney, Michael (29 July 2009). "First Night: A Streetcar Named Desire, Donmar Warehouse, London". The Independent. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  7. ^ a b Treneman, Ann (12 January 2018). "Theatre review: Strangers on a Train at the Theatre Royal, Brighton". The Times. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  8. ^ Propes, Richard. ""Instrument of War" a Narrative Feature Finalist at Heartland Film Fest". The Independent Critic. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  9. ^ "Call The Midwife's Helen George And Jack Ashton Welcome Their Baby Early!". heart.co.uk. Archived from the original on 14 March 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  10. ^ "'Call The Midwife' Star Helen George Has Given Birth To First Child". huffingtonpost.co.uk. 3 September 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  11. ^ "Helen George praises partner Jack Ashton for being a 'hands-on' dad". HOLA. 5 January 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
  12. ^ "Jack Ashton". Waring McKenna Ltd. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  13. ^ Mesure, Susie (2 January 2011). "Adrian Lester: The king of the cons who also does a mean Henry V". The Independent. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  14. ^ Adams, Mark (10 January 2014). "8 Minutes Idle". Screen Daily. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  15. ^ "Watch Donkeys". Prime Video. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  16. ^ "Instrument of War". BYUtv. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  17. ^ "Welcome to Curiosity". Longdog Productions. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  18. ^ Lawson, Richard (8 September 2025). "Bad Apples review – Saoirse Ronan's dark, school-set satire doesn't go far enough". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  19. ^ Green, Kris (28 October 2005). "'More Equal Than Others'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  20. ^ "Hippocratic Oath, Part 1 - Silent Witness - Series 11 - Episode 5 of 10". BBC. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  21. ^ "Four Seasons". Prime Video. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  22. ^ "Episode 1 - Mistresses - Series 2 - Episode 1 of 6". BBC. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  23. ^ "Dappers". BBC. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  24. ^ "Man With No Name - Holby City - Series 12 - Episode 45 of 55". BBC. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  25. ^ Hale, Mike (29 June 2012). "No Zombies, Just a Pint and an Aria". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  26. ^ "Broadchurch - Series 1 - Episode 2". ITVx. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  27. ^ Frost, Caroline (13 December 2015). "'Call The Midwife' Star Jack Ashton Reveals Vicar Tom Hereward's Future Undecided In New Series". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  28. ^ "Vicious: Series 2, Episode 2 - Gym". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  29. ^ O'Donovan, Gerard (15 August 2016). "Chris Ryan's 'No Man Left Behind' was an engrossing tale made for action films". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  30. ^ Griffiths, Eleanor Bley (8 March 2020). "When is ITV crime drama McDonald and Dodds on TV?". Radio Times. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  31. ^ "U-Boat Wargamers". Sky History. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  32. ^ "Close Encounters - Casualty (Archive) - Series 36". BBC. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  33. ^ "Stage Fright - Sister Boniface Mysteries - Series 2 - Episode 9 of 10". BBC. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  34. ^ Keller, Joel (28 August 2023). "Stream It Or Skip It: 'The Chelsea Detective' Season 2 On Acorn TV, Where A Quirky Detective Solves More Murders In London's Swankiest Neighborhood". Decider. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  35. ^ Cooper, Brenna (27 March 2024). "Professor T's return features Call the Midwife star in important role". Digital Spy. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  36. ^ Weiss, Josh (2 January 2025). "Cast & Characters of Lockerbie: A Search for Truth Explained". NBC-TV. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  37. ^ Pratt, Steve (8 June 2009). "The Homecoming,York Theatre Royal". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  38. ^ Hutchinson, Charles (1 May 2009). "Preview: Twelfth Night, York Theatre Royal, until May 16". The Press. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  39. ^ Dickson-Purdy, Jen (29 July 2009). "A Streetcar Named Desire". OfficialLondonTheatre.com. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  40. ^ "Londonist at Christmas Reloaded, The Old Red Lion". Londonist. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  41. ^ "Leopoldville". Playography Ireland. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  42. ^ Love-Smith, Mark (27 October 2012). "The Guinea Pig Club" (PDF). British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  43. ^ Hewis, Ben (22 September 2017). "Casting announced for Strangers on a Train". WhatsOnStage.com. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  44. ^ Pratt, Steve (23 August 2024). "Call the Midwife Star Jack Ashton in Little Women". York Theatre Royal. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
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