ARTICLE ABOUT SIMON SHEPHERD
As Dr Will Preston, a member of Peak Practice's original 1993 line up, Simon Shepherd is a familiar face to the programme's many viewers. The handsome GP is very much the senior doctor at The Beeches and the star of the show.
With a faithful audience, a central role in a hugely popular drama and no end in sight to that success, it would be hard to imagine anyone willingly walking away from it all. But that's exactly what Simon Shepherd did in 1997, fortunately not to pursue a pop career, but to chalk up an eclectic mix of critically acclaimed roles.
As well as starring in the highly successful Carlton drama Bliss, Simon appeared alongside Ewan McGregor in the movie Rogue Trader. He popped up in Falling Star and played a Victorian landowner in Catherine Cookson's Tilly Trotter. Other roles ranged from the part of Major Stone in the BAFTA award-winning Warriors to an appearance as himself in the BBC2 comedy Gimme Gimme Gimme.
No one actor is bigger than the programme, but fortunately for Shepherd and his army of fans the door was left open for the return of the popular Dr Preston. After three years away from Cardale, he returned prompting Peak fan Sandra Wells, to declare, "Dr Will came back and I am HOOKED. At last. An actor." So why would such an able and versatile actor return to a role he had previously played for four years? Stability is important for some people. Even actors have bills to think about, but Simon insists that the character of Will Preston has and continues to develop thanks to the brilliant team of scriptwriters on the series. Despite all this talk of new roads opening up for Dr Preston, he finds himself looking to the past in this week's episode when a saga of family deceit pushes him back towards his estranged wife Kate. And that will be music to the ears of Simon's fans.
Will the happiness last? I'll leave it to Peak fan, Georgia to have the final say on that one: "Will is sooo sweet and gorgeous and from those looks he was giving her I really hope him and Kate get back together and then it will be all happy lovely-coupley happiness in Cardale until someone gets run over by a bus or there's a black death epidemic..."
Joe Blake-Turner, Carlton
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