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Simon O'Brien | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1965-06-19)19 June 1965 (age 60) Liverpool, England |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, radio presenter, property developer |
| Spouse | Liz O'Brien |
| Children | 1 |
| Website | http://www.simonobrien.com |
Simon O'Brien (born 19 June 1965) is a British television actor and radio presenter, as well as a property developer, fromLiverpool, England. He is known for his role in the soap operaBrookside from 1982 to 1987 and for presenting on a number of different television shows.
Simon O'Brien was born in Liverpool on 19 June 1965.[1][2] He attended Highfield Comprehensive School in Liverpool.[3]
He came to prominence as the characterDamon Grant inBrookside, a role he played from the soap's launch in 1982 until 1987, when his character was killed off inYork at the end of theDamon and Debbie "soap bubble".[4] In 1989, O'Brien starred in the British version ofJim Henson'sFraggle Rock until 1990. He portrayed the Lighthouse Keeper called BJ in the much acclaimed musical puppet TV series.
In the 1990s, after a spell presentingBBCfootball showStanding Room Only and a regular role on the American sitcomOut All Night,[5] he leftshow business and, with Alan Bate, set up Liverpool Cycle Centre, a combination of vegetarian café, cycle shop, cycle parking and other resources relevant to his enthusiasm for cycling. O'Brien then moved into property development. He has since returned to acting and presenting, with a short-lived football quiz show,Do I Not Know That?, onITV Digital,[6] co-presenting theBBC One showTo Buy or Not to Buy, as well as playing caretaker Wally Scott inGrange Hill from 2003.
O'Brien presentedBBC Radio Merseyside's breakfast show withLucinda Moore from September 2006 until 25 June 2007, when he resigned after the accidental broadcast of a promotional preview clip of a forthcoming radio show of him saying "fuck the government, fuck the planners".[7] In 2014, O'Brien began presenting the TV reality seriesMy Dream Derelict Home, before moving on toFind It, Fix It, Flog It in 2016 with fellowpresenter Henry Cole, forChannel 4.[8]
In 2022, O'Brien appeared on the ITV soap operaCoronation Street as guest characterFrank Bardsley.[4]
In 2014, O'Brien was appointed chair of the Liverpool Green Strategy Group.[9] He and his wife Liz, a teacher, have one daughter.[8]