James Baxter (actor)
{{Short description|English actor (born 1990)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = James Baxter
| birth_name = James William Baxter
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|08|03|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England
| occupation = Actor
| television = Emmerdale (2007–2009)
Still Open All Hours (2013–2019)
Alma's Not Normal (2020–2021)
Waterloo Road (2023–present)
| years_active = 2007–present
| partner = Chelsea Halfpenny (2018–present)
| children = 1
}}
James William Baxter (born 3 August 1990) is an English actor known for his roles as Jake Doland in Emmerdale, Anthony in Alma's Not Normal, Leroy in Still Open All Hours and Jesus in Red Dwarf. Since 2023, he has portrayed deputy head teacher Joe Casey in Waterloo Road.
Early life
Baxter was born and brought up in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear and educated at Farringdon Community Sports College. He attended weekly classes at NADA (the Northern Academy Of Dramatic Arts) held at the city's Royalty Theatre. Whilst there, he appeared in various productions, including Some Like It Hot and the pantomime Aladdin (Christmas 2006).
Career
=Stage=
In the Fiona Evans stage play Scarborough at the 2007 Edinburgh Festival, his performance as a teenager embarking upon an illicit affair with his PE Teacher won him a best-actor nomination for a Festival Fringe Award,{{cite web|last=Smith|first= Alistair |url=http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2007/08/assembly-rooms-leads-nominations-for-stage-awards/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505061221/http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2007/08/assembly-rooms-leads-nominations-for-stage-awards/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 May 2013 |title=Assembly Rooms leads nominations for Stage Awards|work=The Stage News|date=17 August 2007|access-date =22 April 2013}} and favourable reviews.{{cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2007/aug/06/edinburghfestival2007.edinburghfestival6|title=Edinburgh theatre review: Scarborough / Assembly Rooms|date=6 August 2007|website=The Guardian}}
He has played in the North East musical Fine Fine Fine based on a story by Denise Robertson.
Baxter created the role of Bruce Blakemore in Silk Road by Alex Oates at Assembly Studios as part of the Edinburgh Festival 2014.
=Television=
In 2007, Baxter landed the role of Jake Doland, in the long running ITV soap opera Emmerdale. Baxter left the soap in 2009, together with his on-screen family, at the conclusion of their storyline. In 2012, Baxter played Jesus (of Caesarea) in the episode "Lemons" of the sci-fi sitcom Red Dwarf. He also had a bit part in the BBC's The Revenge Files of Alistair Fury, filmed on Tyneside, and played Alan Maddison in the ITV World War II drama Joe Maddison's War. In November 2013, he joined the cast of Hebburn as a guest in series two.
Since 2013, Baxter has played the role of Leroy in the BBC1 series Still Open All Hours, the revival series of Open All Hours.{{cite web|url=https://www.whatsontv.co.uk/news/still-open-all-hours-james-baxter-i-m-worried-the-arkwright-till-has-more-screen-time-than-me-190431/|title=Still Open All Hours' James Baxter: 'I'm worried the Arkwright till has more screen time than me!' | News | Christmas|first=Victoria|last=Wilson|date=26 December 2015|website=What's on TV}}{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/still_open_all_hours/|title=Still Open All Hours – BBC1 Sitcom|first=British Comedy|last=Guide|website=British Comedy Guide}} In 2021, Baxter played the role of Anthony in Alma's Not Normal on BBC2.{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/almas_not_normal/cast_crew/|first=British Comedy|last=Guide|website=British Comedy Guide|title=Alma's Not Normal}}
In 2022, Baxter was cast as Joe Casey in the new series of Waterloo Road.{{cite web|title=Kym Marsh confirmed to join BBC One's Waterloo Road as cast is revealed|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/waterloo-road-kym-marsh-further-casting/|date=10 February 2022|access-date=10 February 2022|website=BBC Media Centre}}
=Radio=
Imaginary Boys:{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03brwr1 | title=BBC Radio 4 – Afternoon Drama, Imaginary Boys}}{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2013/40/r4-afternoon-drama-imaginary.html | title=BBC – Afternoon Drama: Imaginary Boys – Media Centre | access-date=21 December 2019 | archive-date=16 August 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816082110/https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2013/40/r4-afternoon-drama-imaginary.html | url-status=dead }} As part of BBC Radio 4's Afternoon Play strand, Baxter played 17-year-old schoolboy David in a Paul Magrs play. David is followed by, and falls in love with, an alien called Lawrence. Lawrence is a noveliser from Verbatim 6, a species that is also featured in Magrs' Big Finish audio book Find and Replace and Ringpullworld.
Filmography
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2007–2009
| 91 episodes |
| 2008
| The Revenge Files of Alistair Fury | Andy | 1 episode |
| 2008
| Simon Watts | 1 episode |
| 2008
| The Harvest | Ryan | Short Film |
| 2010
| Alan Maddison | TV Film |
| 2011
| Doctors | David Culmel | 1 episode |
| 2011
| Darlo Til I Die | Ian Carter | Short Film |
| 2012
| PC Paul/Paul | 2 episodes |
| 2012
| Jesus | 1 episode |
| 2013
| Music Land World | Sam | Short Film |
| 2013
| Doctors | Noah Drummond | 1 episode |
| 2013
| Hebburn | Ralph | 1 episode |
| 2013
| Imaginary Boys | David Taylor | Film |
| 2013–2019
| Leroy | Main Cast (41 episodes) |
| 2014
| Walter | 1 episode |
| 2014
| Harriet's Army | Stephen Croft | Mini-series |
| 2015
| The National Phobia Association's Annual Day Out | Dan | Short Film |
| 2016
| Wrong Way Forward | Callum | Short Film |
| 2016
| Gary | 3 episodes |
| 2019
| The Beach House | James | Short Film |
| 2021
| Wolfe | David | 1 episode |
| 2021
| Anthony | 6 episodes |
| 2021
| Young Vesemir | 1 episode |
| 2023–present
| Joe Casey | Main Cast (38 episodes) |
Personal life
In 2018, he began dating actress Chelsea Halfpenny,{{cite news |title=Emmerdale stars Chelsea Halfpenny and James Baxter reveal they're dating in real life years after leaving soap |url=https://www.heart.co.uk/showbiz/tv-movies/emmerdale/chelsea-halfpenny-james-baxter-dating-in-real-life/ |access-date=13 June 2021 |work=Heart |date=7 October 2019}} and they announced their engagement on 13 June 2021.{{cite news |last1=Anderton |first1=Joe |title=Former Emmerdale and Casualty star Chelsea Halfpenny announces engagement to boyfriend James Baxter |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/emmerdale/a36707804/emmerdale-casualty-chelsea-halfpenny-james-baxter-engaged/ |access-date=13 June 2021 |work=Digital Spy |publisher=Hearst Magazines UK |date=13 June 2021}} In April 2023, Baxter and Halfpenny announced that they were expecting their first child together.{{cite news |title=Former Emmerdale star Chelsea Halfpenny pregnant with her first child |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/emmerdale/a43607077/emmerdale-chelsea-halfpenny-pregnant-first-child/ |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Digital Spy |date=15 April 2023}} In June 2023, Halfpenny announced the birth of her and Baxter's daughter.{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/news/former-casualty-and-emmerdale-star-chelsea-halfpenny-welcomes-new-baby/ar-AA1dfVe7|title=Former Casualty and Emmerdale star Chelsea Halfpenny welcomes new baby|work=Digital Spy|last=Seddon|first=Dan|date=30 June 2023|access-date=30 June 2023}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=2905731|name=James Baxter}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baxter, James}}
Category:Male actors from Sunderland
Category:21st-century English male actors
Category:English male radio actors