# Jeremy Sheffield
**Jeremy Sheffield** (born 1966) is an English actor and former professional ballet dancer, best known for playing heart surgeon Alex Adams in the BBC medical drama *Holby City*, DCI Sullivan in *Murder in Suburbia*, and Patrick Blake in the soap opera *Hollyoaks*.[1](https://www.nndb.com/people/905/000163416/) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/38045/jeremy-sheffield) His film work includes *Creep* (2004) and *[The Wedding Date](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-wedding-date)* (2005).[1](https://www.nndb.com/people/905/000163416/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1966 in Essex, England; sources give Kelvedon[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0790785/bio/) or Chelmsford[4](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/jeremy-sheffield.html) as the town |
| First career | Ballet: began classes at 5, won a place at the Royal Ballet School at 10, joined the Royal Ballet at 17[5](https://www.holby.tv/jeremy-sheffield/) |
| Career change | Left ballet at 27 after injuries, including a broken toe and torn ligament, and repeated ankle breaks[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0790785/bio/) • [6](https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/fairietv/jeremy-sheffield-t683-s30.html) |
| Signature TV role | Alex Adams on *Holby City*, 2000 to 2003, 73 episodes[1](https://www.nndb.com/people/905/000163416/) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/38045/jeremy-sheffield) |
| Other leading TV roles | DCI Sullivan in *Murder in Suburbia* (2004–05); Major Nicholas Welling in *Bombshell* (2005); Patrick Blake and later Jeremy Blake in *Hollyoaks*[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/38045/jeremy-sheffield) |
| Film credits | *Creep* (2004), *The Wedding Date* (2005), *Miss Conception* (2008), *Last Chance Harvey* (2008), *The Children* (2008), *StreetDance 3D* (2010)[1](https://www.nndb.com/people/905/000163416/) • [5](https://www.holby.tv/jeremy-sheffield/) |
| Reality television | Contestant on ITV's *Dancing on Ice* in 2010, voted off third[7](https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/holby-city-star-jeremy-sheffield-voted-off-dancing-on-ice-6745164.html) |
## Ballet career
Sheffield began ballet classes at the age of 5 and won a place at the Royal Ballet School when he was 10; he joined the Royal Ballet company at 17.[5](https://www.holby.tv/jeremy-sheffield/) He has described growing tired of the strict regime and suffering many injuries, and he turned to acting at 27.[5](https://www.holby.tv/jeremy-sheffield/) IMDb records that his ballet career was brought to an end at that age by a broken toe and torn ligament,[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0790785/bio/) and he has said he broke his ankle four times during his dancing years.[6](https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/fairietv/jeremy-sheffield-t683-s30.html)
His dance background led to work in music videos: he appeared in Queen's video for "I Want to Break Free", which in turn led to his role as [Natalie Imbruglia](https://www.edgepedia.org/natalie-imbruglia)'s love interest in the video for her hit "Torn".[6](https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/fairietv/jeremy-sheffield-t683-s30.html) He has also said he made more than 60 commercials.[5](https://www.holby.tv/jeremy-sheffield/)
## Acting career
Sheffield entered acting through extra work, taking a walk-on part in *EastEnders* in which he delivered a box of crisps to the character Grant Mitchell.[5](https://www.holby.tv/jeremy-sheffield/) elCinema dates the start of his screen career to the series *Dark Season* (1991).[8](https://elcinema.com/en/person/1981253/biographies)
**Holby City.** From 2000 to 2003 he played the heart surgeon Alex Adams on the BBC medical drama *Holby City*, appearing in 73 episodes.[1](https://www.nndb.com/people/905/000163416/) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/38045/jeremy-sheffield) He described the character as a maverick surgeon who had spent time in Rwanda, and called him "the BBC's version of George Clooney".[5](https://www.holby.tv/jeremy-sheffield/) Earlier television work included the role of Lancelot in the 1998 television film *Merlin*.[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/38045/jeremy-sheffield)**Later television.** He starred as DCI Sullivan in *Murder in Suburbia* (2004–05) and as Major Nicholas Welling in *Bombshell* (2005).[1](https://www.nndb.com/people/905/000163416/) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/38045/jeremy-sheffield) Guest appearances include *New Tricks*, *Green Wing*, *Hotel Babylon*, and *Personal Affairs*.[6](https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/fairietv/jeremy-sheffield-t683-s30.html) • [9](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/jeremy_sheffield/) In *Hollyoaks* he played Patrick Blake and later returned as Patrick's brother, Jeremy Blake, with episodes airing in October 2025.[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/38045/jeremy-sheffield)
**Film.** His film credits include *Her Own Rules* (1998), *Anna Karenina* (1997), *Creep* (2004), *The Wedding Date* (2005), *Miss Conception* (2008), *Last Chance Harvey* (2008), *The Children* (2008), and *StreetDance 3D* (2010).[1](https://www.nndb.com/people/905/000163416/) • [5](https://www.holby.tv/jeremy-sheffield/) In *The Wedding Date* he appeared alongside [Debra Messing](https://www.edgepedia.org/debra-messing).[4](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/jeremy-sheffield.html)
## Dancing on Ice
In January 2010 [Sheffield](https://www.edgepedia.org/sheffield) competed in the ITV reality series *Dancing on Ice*, partnered with the professional skater Susie Lipanova.[6](https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/fairietv/jeremy-sheffield-t683-s30.html) He tore a hamstring during training shortly before the live shows but returned to the ice about two weeks later.[6](https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/fairietv/jeremy-sheffield-t683-s30.html) Bookmakers rated him an early favorite, odds of 7/2 with William Hill, but he said his ballet training from two decades earlier helped less than expected because ice skating demands opposite technique, with toes pointed in rather than out.[6](https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/fairietv/jeremy-sheffield-t683-s30.html) Judge Jason Gardiner criticized his first dance for lack of speed, remarking that "considering he's a dancer, or used to be, it looks like he's never danced"; Sheffield was the third celebrity voted off.[7](https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/holby-city-star-jeremy-sheffield-voted-off-dancing-on-ice-6745164.html)
## Personal background
Sheffield was brought up in [Coggeshall](https://www.edgepedia.org/coggeshall), Essex, and lives in London.[5](https://www.holby.tv/jeremy-sheffield/) His parents are Barry Sheffield and Brenda Dare; his mother, a former deputy head at the Philip Morant School, is named Kate in a 2010 interview, and he has a brother who is a pilot.[4](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/jeremy-sheffield.html) • [5](https://www.holby.tv/jeremy-sheffield/) • [6](https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/fairietv/jeremy-sheffield-t683-s30.html) His hobbies include scuba diving and wildlife.[5](https://www.holby.tv/jeremy-sheffield/)
## References
1. [Jeremy Sheffield, NNDB](https://www.nndb.com/people/905/000163416/)
2. [Jeremy Sheffield, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/38045/jeremy-sheffield)
3. [Jeremy Sheffield, IMDb Biography](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0790785/bio/)
4. [Jeremy Sheffield, Famous Birthdays](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/jeremy-sheffield.html)
5. [Jeremy Sheffield, holby.tv](https://www.holby.tv/jeremy-sheffield/)
6. [Jeremy Sheffield, Fairie TV forum compilation of Mirror and other 2010 press](https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/fairietv/jeremy-sheffield-t683-s30.html)
7. [Holby City star Jeremy Sheffield voted off Dancing On Ice, London Evening Standard](https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/holby-city-star-jeremy-sheffield-voted-off-dancing-on-ice-6745164.html)
8. [Biographies: Jeremy Sheffield, elCinema](https://elcinema.com/en/person/1981253/biographies)
9. [Jeremy Sheffield, British Comedy Guide](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/jeremy_sheffield/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › English actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Sh to S*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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