Grace: John Simm stars in trailer for BritBox original drama
Fans of ITV's popular crime drama, Grace, were left reeling as actor Craig Parkinson, known for his role as DS Norman Potting since the show's inception in 2021, announced his departure in a touching statement.
The fourth series of Grace is eagerly awaited and set to premiere on ITV soon, with rumours suggesting another series will follow in 2025.
Amidst the excitement surrounding the show, let's delve into the life of John Simm, who portrays the lead character DS Roy Grace, away from the spotlight.
John, an icon of the '90s, has delivered memorable performances in British TV shows such as Life on Mars and Doctor Who, as well as films like Human Traffic and 24 Hour Party People, demonstrating his diverse talents in acting, directing, and music.
90s icon
In 1999, he took on the role of Jip in the cult clubbing film Human Traffic, which follows a group of five young friends on a hedonistic weekend in Cardiff.
Three years later, he portrayed New Order frontman Bernard Sumner in Michael Winterbottom's 24 Hour Party People, a tongue-in-cheek film about Manchester's Factory Records and its impresario Tony Wilson, reports the Mirror.
The actor, who has been nominated twice for BAFTA's Best Actor award and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor, is best known for his roles in the 1990s and 2000s. He was also a guitarist and songwriter for rock band Magic Alex.
The band, named after 'Magic Alex' Mardas - an electronics engineer and close friend of The Beatles - supported Echo and the Bunnymen on two British tours.
Stunning Eastenders wife
John has been happily married to actress Kate Magowan since 2004. Magowan is recognised by many for her role as Sadie Young in EastEnders from 2013 to 2014, where she appeared in 41 episodes of the popular BBC soap.
The couple have shared screen time in several films and TV series, including 24 Hour Party People and Is Harry On The Boat?
They exchanged vows in a beautiful ceremony in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, in April 2004.
Their love appears to be as strong as ever, with Kate posting a cosy Valentine's Day selfie of the two of them. "22 Years My Valentine," she captioned the photo, adding a heart emoji for good measure.
Massive life move
In a significant life change, John moved from London to Brighton with his wife Kate and their children, Ryan and Molly, during the lockdown.
The Doctor Who star revealed in an interview with The Times that the move was part of a long-term plan and not related to Grace, but admitted it was "serendipitous".
He also expressed his fondness for the sea air and freedom, revealing that "so many friends have done the same thing" in a chat with the publication last year.
Kate announced the exciting relocation to her 10,100 Instagram followers, posting: "Goodbye London, it's been memorable. Hello BRIGHTON".
Emotional TV appearance
John became quite stirred recalling his appearance on This Morning back in 2018, where he divulged details of playing Dan Bowker in ITV's gripping series Trauma.
Engaging former hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, John remarked: "He's a blue collar worker who rushes to hospital and Adrian's character is the trauma surgeon.
"The boy is still alive when he gets there. I'm assured he's going to be fine, and he's not. He dies."
It was evident to Eamonn that John was choked up as he recounted his role, saying, "You're getting emotional even talking about that now."
John then shared a personal connection with his character, citing that his own son was 15 years old during the filming of Trauma, asserting, "To be an actor to convey truthful emotions, you have to go to a dark place sometimes."
Grace is on ITV1 on Sunday, September 1 at 9pm
