# Alex Avery

Alex Avery (born 6 August 1971) is an English actor. Beginning his career in 1999, he has appeared in numerous television series, films and stage productions. Alongside appearing in productions for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Avery has had notable stints in Holby City, The Bill and EastEnders, as well as portraying villain Graham Elton in the BBC soap opera Doctors.

## Life and career

Avery was born on 6 August 1971 in Bristol. In 1999, Avery made his television debut in the first series of the BBC medical drama series Holby City. He portrayed the recurring role of Carl until the second series. A year later, he made his film debut in Quills, as well as beginning his stage career, appearing in Another Country. He also appeared in A Tender Prayer at the Bristol Old Vic later in 2000. In 2001, he appeared in four episodes of The Bill as Special Constable Knowles. His character died at the end of Avery's stint. Then in 2004, he was cast in the BBC project Dunkirk. In December 2006, Avery made his first appearance in the BBC daytime soap opera Doctors. This marked the first of numerous of Avery's appearances in the soap.
Avery appeared in two Royal Shakespeare Company productions in 2004: The Two Gentlemen of Verona and Julius Caesar. Then in 2007, he starred in a West End theatre production Kean as the Prince of Wales. The production later toured the UK. A year later, Avery was cast in the recurring role of Simon Ackroyd on the BBC soap opera EastEnders. His character was introduced as Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald) and Ben Mitchell's (Charlie Jones) teacher. He appeared again in 2014 and 2016. Throughout the early 2010s, Avery made various film appearances, including: The Grind (2012), What You Will (2012), National Theatre Live: War Horse (2014) and The Ones Below (2015). In 2019, Avery portrayed the titular role in Rose Theatre Kingston's production of Macbeth. In 2024, Avery returned to the BBC soap Doctors, but this time was cast in the recurring role of Graham Elton. At the time of his casting, Avery was unaware that he had been cast as a villain.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2000 | Quills | Abbe du Maupas | |
| 2001 | Bridget Jones's Diary | Best Man | Uncredited role |
| 2008 | Last Chance Harvey | Andrew | |
| 2010 | Maria | James | Short film |
| 2012 | The Grind | Detective Inspector Greaves | |
| 2012 | What You Will | Tony | |
| 2014 | National Theatre Live: War Horse | Captain Nicholls | |
| 2015 | The Ones Below | Estate Agent | |
| 2017 | Rangoon | Major Williams | |
| 2022 | The Dunns of Brixton | Frank Dunn |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1999 | Holby City | Carl | Recurring role |
| 2001 | Shades | Waiter | 1 episode |
| 2001–2002 | The Bill | Special Constable Knowles | Recurring role |
| 2002 | The Project | Lib-Dem Candidate | Television film |
| 2003 | Death in Holy Orders | Mark Ayling | 1 episode |
| 2004 | Dunkirk | Captain J Hendry | Main role |
| 2004 | Murder in Suburbia | Alex | Episode: "Millionaire's Row" |
| 2005 | Colditz | Collins | Episode: "Part One" |
| 2006 | Tripping Over | Larry | Recurring role |
| 2006, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2017 | Doctors | Various roles | 5 episodes |
| 2008–2009, 2014, 2016 | EastEnders | Simon Ackroyd | Recurring role |
| 2014 | Holby City | Tris Mason | Episode: "True Colours" |
| 2015 | Coalition | William Hague | Television film |
| 2015 | The Coroner | Ray Mason | Episode: "Gilt" |
| 2016 | Undercover | Fred Redhead | Recurring role |
| 2016, 2019 | Casualty | Eli Brookes / Mark Eaves | 2 episodes |
| 2017 | Wallis: The Queen That Never Was | Edward VIII | Television film |
| 2022, 2024 | Royal Autopsy | William Knighton / Edmund King | 2 episodes |
| 2024 | Doctors | Graham Elton | Recurring role |

## Stage

| Year | Title | Role | Venue |
| 2000 | Another Country | Delahey | Oxford Playhouse |
| 2000 | A Tender Prayer | Travis | Bristol Old Vic |
| 2001 | Edward II | Levune / Gourney | Crucible Theatre |
| 2002 | The Master and Margarita | Ivan | Battersea Arts Centre |
| 2002 | The Deep Blue Sea | Jackie Jackson | Watford Palace Theatre |
| 2004 | The Two Gentlemen of Verona | Valentine | Royal Shakespeare Company |
| 2004 | Julius Caesar | Decius Brutus | Royal Shakespeare Company |
| 2005 | Presence | Conor | Drum Theatre |
| 2007 | Kean | Prince of Wales | West End / UK tour |
| 2010–2011 | Twelfth Night | Malvolio / Orsino / Aguecheek | Filter Theatre |
| 2011 | War Horse | Captain Nicholls | Gillian Lynne Theatre |
| 2019 | Macbeth | Macbeth | Rose Theatre Kingston |