Jay Simpson
Biography
Jay Simpson is a prolific English film, television and stage actor. Most recently, he has appeared in Chernobyl and Frontier. Simpson is perhaps best known in television for portraying cockney desk sergeant Ian 'Brookie' Brooke in Foyle's War, and he has also appeared on television in Recovery with David Tennant and Sarah Parish, Hot Money, Bad Crowd, A Touch of Frost, Casualty, Primeval, The Bill, Peep Show, Rome, Ashes to Ashes, Murder in Suburbia and Soundproof. Jay also uses his charm and voice skills as he is the voice of 'The Tree of Temptation' in Big Brother. His films include Hush Your Mouth, The Holiday, Pride and Prejudice and Erik the Viking and the 1988 TV film The Firm with Gary Oldman. He also voiced a major character, Flea, in the 2008 English language DVD re-release of the cult 2006 Norwegian animated film, Free Jimmy, alongside Woody Harrelson and with dialogue written by Simon Pegg. The character of Flea was something of comedy relief in the film, with a character partly inspired by Sean Ryder. In 2008 he appeared alongside Ross Boatman and Roger Lloyd-Pack in Patrick Marber's play Dealer's Choice for a run on the West End. In 2011 he appeared as George Redman in the television film The Suspicions of Mr Whicher for ITV. In 2011, he appeared in "The National Anthem", an episode of the anthology series Black Mirror On 13 April 2012, he appeared as Stretch in the sitcom Not Going Out and appeared in the ITV series Mrs Biggs as one of the great train robbers, Bruce Reynolds.
Known For
All Movies (51)
- National Theatre at Home: The Story2026 · as Detective
- Blitz2024 · as Timothy Ashdown
- The Critic2024 · as Slyfield
- Tuesday2024 · as Spike
- Sherbet2024 · as Rene
- National Theatre Live: Othello2023 · as Brabantio / Gratiano
- Ferryman2022 · as Dad
- Bull2021 · as Dave
- King Gary Christmas Special2020 · as John The Butcher
- Enola Holmes2020 · as Conductor (uncredited)
- Sitting in Limbo2020 · as Trevor
- Brexit: The Uncivil War2019 · as Steve
- King Gary Pilot2018 · as John The Butcher
- This Little Death2018 · as Mortimer
- Terminal2018 · as Danny
- Their Finest2017 · as Alf Reynolds
- Rearview2017 · as Johno
- The 101-Year-Old Man Who Skipped Out on the Bill and Disappeared2016 · as Bas
- Alan Clarke: Out of His Own Light2016 · as Self
- The Guvnors2014 · as Neil
- Rush2013 · as British Journalist
- The Magnificent Eleven2013 · as Rob
- The Great Train Robbery2012 · as Narrator
- Acts of Godfrey2012 · as Phil
- Wild Bill2011 · as Det. Harry 'Superspeed' Cotty
- Shifter2011 · as Huxley
- Dreams of a Life2011 · as Caretaker
- Age of Heroes2011 · as RMP Company Sergeant Major
- The Murder at Road Hill House2011 · as George Redman
- Hattie2011 · as Bruce
- Round Ireland with a Fridge2010 · as London Cabbie
- Shifty2008 · as Trevor
- Mrs In-Betweeny2008 · as Kevin
- Recovery2007 · as Johnathan
- Hush Your Mouth2007 · as Alan Townsend
- The Holiday2006 · as Limo Driver
- Pride & Prejudice2005 · as Meryton Milliner
- The I Inside2004 · as Morgue Orderly
- Wall of Silence2004 · as John Weighill
- Occasional, Strong2002 · as Steve
- Club Le Monde2002 · as Mark
- Hot Money2001 · as Barry Weller
- South West 92001 · as Elf
- Beautiful People1999 · as Bigsy
- Erik the Viking1989 · as Leif the Lucky
- The Firm1989 · as Dominic
- Death of a Son1989 · as John Williams
- The Moneymen1988 · as Other Dealer
- Empire State1987 · as Jeff
- Blueberry— · as Daddy
- Black Cab— · as Harry
All TV Shows (39)
- Babies2026 · as Ralph
- The Hack2025 · as Glenn Vian
- The Day of the Jackal2024 · as George Hands
- A Spy Among Friends2022 · as MI6 cabbie
- Pistol2022 · as Ron, Steve's Stepdad
- Sister Boniface Mysteries2022 · as Alfie Lynch
- Stephen2021 · as Peter Birdsall
- The Nevers2021 · as Tunnel Foreman
- Small Axe2020 · as Duty Officer
- Des2020 · as DS Chris Healey
- Chernobyl2019 · as Perevozchenko
- Cradle to Grave2015 · as Ernie
- The Game2014 · as Colin Blakefield
- Utopia2013 · as Detective Richmond
- Mrs Biggs2012 · as Bruce Reynolds
- Call the Midwife2012 · as Albert Calthorpe
- Black Mirror2011 · as Rod Senseless
- Black Mirror2011 · as Gordon
- Comedy Blaps2011 · as The Pitbull
- Silk2011 · as Russell
- Ashes to Ashes2008 · as Reeks
- Secret Diary of a Call Girl2007 · as Punter
- The Sarah Jane Adventures2007 · as Jay
- Not Going Out2006 · as Stretch
- Murder in Suburbia2004 · as Photographer
- Peep Show2003 · as Foz
- Foyle's War2002 · as Sergeant Ian Brooke
- Foyle's War2002 · as Sgt Brooke
- Bodily Harm2002 · as Tintin
- Murphy's Law2001 · as Neil
- Pilgrim's Rest1997 · as Ronnie
- The Thin Blue Line1995 · as Baz
- A Touch of Frost1992 · as Peter Bainbridge
- Heartbeat1992 · as Steve Dempsey
- Press Gang1989 · as Archie
- The Fear1988 · as Mark
- Screen Two1985 · as Dominic
- Screen Two1985 · as John Williams
- Dramarama1983 · as Vincent