Steve John Shepherd

Shepherd was born in London in 1973, and grew up first in the East End of London, and then Essex. His mother is of English and Burmese ancestry, and his father is of English and Chinese ancestry.{{cite web | last=Fanshawe | first=Simon | title=There's more to me than Martine | website=Evening Standard | date=10 April 2012 | url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/theatre/theres-more-to-me-than-martine-7434488.html | access-date=14 January 2024}}

He attended St Bonaventure's Catholic School, where he first discovered an interest in acting.{{cn|date=January 2024}} He first went to ballet school but was not a good dancer, and after that attended drama school.

Shepherd's first well-known role was in 1996 in This Life. He remained in the role for two series (1996–1997). Other credits include The Best Man (2005),[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430919/ IMDb profile for The Best Man] The One That Got Away (1996), Maisie Raine (1998), Virtual Sexuality (1999), G:MT - Greenwich Mean Time (1999), Forgive and Forget (2000), Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), Boudica (2003), Layer Cake (2004), The Last Chancers (2004), Too Much Too Young (2005), and Dalziel and Pascoe. He played Paul in Channel 4's Plus One (2007) and appeared in Piaf at the Donmar Warehouse until 20 September 2008.{{cn|date=January 2024}}

Shepherd appeared in BBC Three sitcom Lunch Monkeys as Charlie Brierson. On 17 January 2010, he appeared in the second episode of the second series of Being Human as Carl, a gay vampire. In 2011 he played the role of child abductor Max "Bag Man" Harding in the BBC series Waking the Dead.{{cn|date=January 2024}}

In July 2010, Shepherd's casting as Michael Moon, the cousin of Alfie Moon, in EastEnders was announced.{{cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a251698/alfie-moons-cousin-to-arrive-in-enders.html|title=Alfie Moon's cousin to arrive in 'Enders|last=Kilkelly|first=Daniel|date=28 July 2010|publisher=Digital Spy|accessdate=27 July 2010}} He made his first appearance on 1 October 2010. In May 2011, Shepherd was nominated in the Best Soap Newcomer category at the 2011 TV Choice Awards for his portrayal of Michael.{{cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a320175/in-full-tv-choice-awards-2011-nominees.html|title=In Full: TV Choice Awards 2011 – Nominees|last=Wightman|first=Catriona|date=18 May 2011|publisher=Digital Spy|accessdate=26 May 2011}} In March 2013, Shepherd announced that he would be leaving EastEnders later that year.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a465251/eastenders-exit-for-michael-moon-actor-steve-john-shepherd.html|title='EastEnders' exit for Michael Moon actor Steve John Shepherd – EastEnders News – Soaps – Digital Spy|last=Christian|first=Tobin|work=Digital Spy|date=13 March 2013|accessdate=13 March 2013}} Shepherd's final storyline surrounded Michael's plan to murder his wife Janine Butcher. Michael's last episode was on 1 November 2013, when he was killed by Janine. Shepherd left the show to explore new roles.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a465251/eastenders-exit-for-michael-moon-actor-steve-john-shepherd.html|title='EastEnders' exit for Michael Moon actor Steve John Shepherd|last=Christian|first=Tobin|date=13 March 2013|publisher=Digital Spy|accessdate=13 March 2013}}

{{as of |April 2014}} Shepherd was living in west London with his wife Anna Wilson-Jones and their three children.{{cite web | last=Standard | first=Evening | title=It took a long time to get Michael Moon out of my system: EastEnders | website=Evening Standard | date=2 April 2014 | url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/it-took-a-long-time-to-get-michael-moon-out-of-my-system-eastenders-star-to-hit-the-stage-9232366.html | access-date=14 January 2024}}

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• {{IMDb name|0791874|Steve John Shepherd}}

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Category:Living people

Category:1973 births

Category:20th-century English male actors

Category:21st-century English male actors

Category:Actors from the London Borough of Newham

Category:English male film actors

Category:English male stage actors

Category:English male television actors

Category:English people of Burmese descent

Category:English people of Chinese descent

Category:Male actors from London

Category:People educated at St Bonaventure's Catholic School

Category:People from Plaistow, Newham