Alex Avery

{{Infobox person

| name = Alex Avery

| birth_name = Alexander Richard Avery

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|08|06|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bristol, England

| occupation = Actor

| years_active = 1999–present

| website = {{URL|https://alexavery.london/}}

}}

Alexander Richard Avery (born 6 August 1971) is an English actor. Beginning his career in 1999, he has appeared in numerous television series, films and stage productions. Alongside appearing in productions for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Avery has had notable stints in Holby City, The Bill and EastEnders, as well as portraying villain Graham Elton in the BBC soap opera Doctors.

Life and career

Alexander Richard Avery was born on 6 August 1971 in Bristol.{{cite web|url=http://www.holby.tv/alex-avery/|title=Alex Avery|date=13 January 2010 |publisher=Holby.tv|access-date=12 January 2025}} Avery's family has been involved in wine trade for over 200 years.{{cite web |title=thatwineblokeuk |url=https://www.instagram.com/thatwineblokeuk/?hl=en |publisher=Instagram |access-date=19 May 2025}} In 1999, Avery made his television debut in the first series of the BBC medical drama series Holby City. He portrayed the recurring role of Carl until the second series.{{cite news |title='Sorrow and joy' as BBC soap Doctors says goodbye after more than two decades |url=https://www.expressandstar.com/showbiz/2024/11/14/sorrow-and-joy-as-bbc-soap-doctors-says-goodbye-after-more-than-two-decades/ |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=Express & Star}} A year later, he made his film debut in Quills, as well as beginning his stage career, appearing in Another Country.{{cite news |title=Another Country - Oxford Playhouse, Arts Theatre, London, GBR |url=https://www.stage-door.com/Theatre/Elsewhere/Entries/2000/12/31_London,_GBR__Another_Country.html |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=Stage Door}} He also appeared in A Tender Prayer at the Bristol Old Vic later in 2000.{{cite news |title=Production of A Tender Prayer |url=https://theatricalia.com/play/6dv/a-tender-prayer/production/e0j |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=Theatricalia}} In 2001, he appeared in four episodes of The Bill as Special Constable Knowles. His character died at the end of Avery's stint.{{cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/episode/04SUtSWm7zCyXCiJnOgaOR?si=dTW1wH7cREGTVI-h9gwEUA&t=432|title=Chicken Soap for the Soul With Guest Alex Avery (Dr. Graham Elton)|website=Spotify|access-date=8 January 2025|publisher=Chicken Soap for the Soul}} Then in 2004, he was cast in the BBC project Dunkirk.{{cite news |title=Dunkirk - Cast and production credits |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2004/02_february/03/dunkirk_credits.shtml |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=BBC News}} In December 2006, Avery made his first appearance in the BBC daytime soap opera Doctors. This marked the first of numerous of Avery's appearances in the soap.{{cite web |title=Cat and Mouse |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007cjcv |publisher=BBC |access-date=12 January 2025}}

Avery appeared in two Royal Shakespeare Company productions in 2004: The Two Gentlemen of Verona and Julius Caesar.{{cite web |title=RSC Performances: TWO200411 - The Two Gentlemen of Verona |url=https://collections.shakespeare.org.uk/search/rsc-performances/two200411 |publisher=Shakespeare Birthplace Trust |access-date=12 January 2025}}{{cite news |title=The Two Gentlemen of Verona |url=https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/2gentlemen-rev |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=British Theatre Guide}}{{cite news |title=Production of Julius Caesar |url=https://theatricalia.com/play/1g/julius-caesar/production/3hr |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=Theatricalia}} Then in 2007, he starred in a West End theatre production Kean as the Prince of Wales.{{cite web |title=Kean |url=https://officiallondontheatre.com/news/kean-71950/ |publisher=Official London Theatre |access-date=12 January 2025}} The production later toured the UK.{{cite news |title=Kean steps out of the Apollo early |url=https://officiallondontheatre.com/news/kean-steps-out-of-the-apollo-early-72024/ |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=Official London Theatre}} A year later, Avery was cast in the recurring role of Simon Ackroyd on the BBC soap opera EastEnders. His character was introduced as Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald) and Ben Mitchell's (Charlie Jones) teacher. He appeared again in 2014 and 2016.{{cite web |title=Broadcast - BBC Programme Index |date=16 December 2016 |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/p04j5gl6 |publisher=BBC |access-date=12 January 2025}} Throughout the early 2010s, Avery made various film appearances, including: The Grind (2012), What You Will (2012), National Theatre Live: War Horse (2014) and The Ones Below (2015).{{cite web |title=alex avery |url=https://alexavery.london/ |publisher=Alex Avery |access-date=12 January 2025}} In 2019, Avery portrayed the titular role in Rose Theatre Kingston's production of Macbeth.{{cite news |title=All hail Macbeth! What to expect at the new Rose Theatre, Blenheim Palace |url=https://oxinabox.co.uk/macbeth-in-the-round-what-to-expect-at-the-new-rose-theatre-at-blenheim-palace/ |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=Ox in a Box}}{{cite news |title=Macbeth at Shakespeare's Rose Theatre at Blenheim Palace |url=https://www.londontheatre1.com/reviews/play/macbeth-at-shakespeares-rose-theatre-at-blenheim-palace/ |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=LondonTheatre1}} In 2024, Avery returned to the BBC soap Doctors, but this time was cast in the recurring role of Graham Elton.{{cite news |title=Doctors stars react to the show's final ever episode |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/doctors/a62921119/doctors-final-episode-cast-reaction/ |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=Digital Spy}}{{cite news |last1=Timblick |first1=Simon |title=Doctors spoilers: Dr Graham Elton joins The Mill! |url=https://www.whattowatch.com/spoilers/doctors-spoilers-dr-graham-elton-joins-the-mill |access-date=24 August 2024 |work=What to Watch}} At the time of his casting, Avery was unaware that he had been cast as a villain.

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes
2000 \| Quills \| Abbe du Maupas \|
2001 \| Bridget Jones's Diary \| Best Man \| Uncredited role
2008 \| Last Chance Harvey \| Andrew \|
2010 \| Maria \| James \| Short film
2012 \| The Grind \| Detective Inspector Greaves \|
2012 \| What You Will \| Tony \|
2014 \| National Theatre Live: War Horse \| Captain Nicholls \|
2015 \| The Ones Below \| Estate Agent \|
2017 \| Rangoon \| Major Williams \|
2022 \| The Dunns of Brixton \| Frank Dunn

class="wikitable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

2000

| Quills

| Abbe du Maupas

2001

| Bridget Jones's Diary

| Best Man

| Uncredited role