
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.
Acted in 82
2020s
- 2026
National Theatre at Home: The Story
Detective Williamson / Ensemble
Black Cab
Harry
Babies
Ralph · 2 episodes
- 2025
- 2024
Sherbet
Rene
- 2023
National Theatre Live: Othello
Brabantio / Gratiano
- 2022
Pistol
Ron, Steve's Stepdad · 4 episodes
- 2021
72Bull
Dave
Stephen
Peter Birdsall · 3 episodes
- 2020
King Gary Christmas Special
John The Butcher
Small Axe
Duty Officer · 1 episode
Sitting in Limbo
Trevor
2010s
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
Rearview
Johno
- 2016
- 2015
Cradle to Grave
Ernie · 6 episodes
- 2014
- 2013
Run
Steven · 1 episode
The Magnificent Eleven
Rob
- 2012
Mrs Biggs
Bruce Reynolds · 2 episodes
Acts of Godfrey
Phil
- 2011
Shifter
Huxley
Dreams of a Life
Caretaker
Hattie
Bruce
- 2010
Round Ireland with a Fridge
London Cabbie
2000s
- 2008
Shifty
Trevor
Mrs In-Betweeny
Kevin
- 2007
Recovery
Johnathan
- 2006
- 2005
- 2004
Murder in Suburbia
Photographer · 1 episode
Wall of Silence
John Weighill
- 2003
- 2002
Bodily Harm
Tintin · 1 episode
Club Le Monde
Mark
- 2001
Hot Money
Barry Weller
South West 9
Elf
1990s
- 1999
Beautiful People
Bigsy
- 1995
- 1992
1980s
- 1989
The Firm
Dominic
- 1988
The Fear
Mark · 1 episode
- 1987
Empire State
Jeff
- 1986
Nobody Here Knows
Mouth
- 1985
All in Good Faith
Youth · 1 episode
- 1983
The Baker Street Boys
Wiggins · 8 episodes
No release date
The Present Times
Clive Westlake
Appearances2
2010s
- 2016
Alan Clarke: Out of His Own Light
Self
- 2012
The Great Train Robbery
Narrator