Tony Hirst
Encyclopedia
Tony Hirst is a British
actor
and theatre director, best known for playing Mike Barnes
on the British soap opera Hollyoaks
and currently stars in Coronation Street
as the love interest of Eileen Grimshaw
.
from Hollyoaks
, Martin Gooch from The Ghost Squad
and Steve Kingsley from Holby City
. He has also narrated TV documentaries such as Blueprint for Disaster
, 2005, The Garage
, Smash Lab
, and How It's Made
since 1999. He also narrates some of the programme trailers on FX
and Channel 4
, as well as being the voice over for the Daz
detergent adverts. Hirst appeared as a fireman called Paul on Coronation Street
during the show's 50th anniversary in December 2010. Paul returned to Coronation Street during October 2011.
, on BBC Two on 5 March 2008. He was in the "red tomato team" and lost to Zoë Lister
, who plays Zoe Carpenter
in Hollyoaks. He played the part of Rom, a Roman man, on CBBC
children's history programme The Romans in Britain shown on BBC2 and also played "Uncle Jake" in the BBC children's programme "The World Around Us". He also played the part of a policeman in the first series of the Channel 4 show Shameless. He has also appeared on the Channel 4 show No Angels as an "ambulance chaser" in the first series. Hirst also currently narrates the UK versions of Mike Rowe
s Dirty Jobs
and How It's Made
on Discovery channels. Hirst is also portraying a man sent back from the future to warn of an impending alien invasion in an adventisement being aired on the channel, Discovery Science to promote their Out Of This World campaign.
and a son called Jack.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and theatre director, best known for playing Mike Barnes
Mike Barnes (Hollyoaks)
Michael "Mike" Barnes is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Tony Hirst. He first appeared in 2006. In 2010, soap opera magazine Inside Soap reported that the character would leave in late January with love interest Zoe Carpenter...
on the British soap opera Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
and currently stars in Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
as the love interest of Eileen Grimshaw
Eileen Grimshaw
Eileen Grimshaw, is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by Sue Cleaver, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 3 May 2000....
.
Filmography
Hirst's acting roles include: Mike BarnesMike Barnes (Hollyoaks)
Michael "Mike" Barnes is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Tony Hirst. He first appeared in 2006. In 2010, soap opera magazine Inside Soap reported that the character would leave in late January with love interest Zoe Carpenter...
from Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
, Martin Gooch from The Ghost Squad
The Ghost Squad
The Ghost Squad was a 2005 British crime drama series produced by Company Pictures, for Channel 4. The show was created by Tom Grieves. Inspired by the real life "Ghost Squad" that existed between 1994 and 1998, secretly investigating police corruption, the premise of the series is that the squad...
and Steve Kingsley from Holby City
Holby City
Holby City, stylised as Holby Ci+y, is a British medical drama television series that airs weekly on BBC One.The series was created by Tony McHale and Mal Young as a spin-off from the established BBC medical drama Casualty, and premiered on 12 January 1999...
. He has also narrated TV documentaries such as Blueprint for Disaster
Blueprint for Disaster
Blueprint for Disaster is a Canadian documentary television series that premiered in 2004 on Discovery Channel Canada. Produced by Temple Street Productions, the program investigates why and how various disasters have happened. Toronto-based Voice Artist Adrian Bell provided the narration for the...
, 2005, The Garage
The Garage (TV)
The Garage is a television programme following the staff of English Mobile Mechanics in Marbella, Spain. The programme follows the activities of the garage and initially it followed new staff hires as they adjusted to life in Spain whilst coping with their new jobs and their boss, Jock Campbell...
, Smash Lab
Smash Lab
Smash Lab is a reality television series that premiered on December 26, 2007, on the Discovery Channel. The idea of the show is to take everyday technology and test it in "extraordinary ways."-Cast:...
, and How It's Made
How It's Made
How It's Made is a documentary television series that premiered in 2001 on Science in the U.S., and Discovery Channel Canada in Canada. The program is produced in the Canadian province of Quebec by Productions MAJ, Inc...
since 1999. He also narrates some of the programme trailers on FX
FX (UK)
FX is a television channel in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, owned by Fox, launched in 12 January 2004. It was originally branded as FX289 in reference to its Sky EPG number. It was rebranded to FX in May 2005 as the channel moved in the Sky EPG.FX targets a demographic between 25...
and Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, as well as being the voice over for the Daz
Daz (detergent)
Daz is the name of a popular laundry detergent on the market in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is manufactured by Procter & Gamble and is lower priced than P&G's main brand, Ariel...
detergent adverts. Hirst appeared as a fireman called Paul on Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
during the show's 50th anniversary in December 2010. Paul returned to Coronation Street during October 2011.
Other TV appearances
Hirst also appeared on Ready Steady CookReady Steady Cook
Ready Steady Cook was a BBC daytime TV cooking programme it first debuted on 24 October 1994 and the last edition was broadcast on the 2 February 2010. The programme was hosted by Fern Britton from 1994 until 2000 when celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott became the new host...
, on BBC Two on 5 March 2008. He was in the "red tomato team" and lost to Zoë Lister
Zoë Lister
Zoë Lister is an English actress from Stoke Prior, Worcestershire, best known for playing Zoe Carpenter in British soap Hollyoaks. She grew up in Callow Hill near Redditch. where she has lived for most of her life. She trained at the Starlight School of Dance in Winyates, Redditch. Previous to...
, who plays Zoe Carpenter
Zoe Carpenter
Zoe Carpenter is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Zoë Lister. The character first appeared on-screen on 1 September 2006, as one of three new students at Hollyoaks Community College. It was announced in 2009 that Lister had quit her role in order to...
in Hollyoaks. He played the part of Rom, a Roman man, on CBBC
CBBC
CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
children's history programme The Romans in Britain shown on BBC2 and also played "Uncle Jake" in the BBC children's programme "The World Around Us". He also played the part of a policeman in the first series of the Channel 4 show Shameless. He has also appeared on the Channel 4 show No Angels as an "ambulance chaser" in the first series. Hirst also currently narrates the UK versions of Mike Rowe
Mike Rowe
Mike Rowe may refer to:*Michael Rowe, television writer for Futurama*Mike Rowe , host of the Discovery Channel show Dirty Jobs* Mike Rowe , retired Canadian professional ice hockey player...
s Dirty Jobs
Dirty Jobs
Dirty Jobs is a program on the Discovery Channel, produced by Pilgrim Films & Television, in which host Mike Rowe is shown performing difficult, strange, disgusting, or messy occupational duties alongside the typical employees. The show premiered with two pilot episodes in November 2003...
and How It's Made
How It's Made
How It's Made is a documentary television series that premiered in 2001 on Science in the U.S., and Discovery Channel Canada in Canada. The program is produced in the Canadian province of Quebec by Productions MAJ, Inc...
on Discovery channels. Hirst is also portraying a man sent back from the future to warn of an impending alien invasion in an adventisement being aired on the channel, Discovery Science to promote their Out Of This World campaign.
Theatre
Hirst has produced two one-man shows touring the UK during the summer of Autumn 2008, including four weeks at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The first play "Wombman", written and performed by Ricky Payne, which Hirst also directed and the second "Wacker Murphy's Bad Buzz" written and performed by Edwin Mullane. Ricky Payne won Best Actor award at the Buxton FestivalPersonal life
Hirst lives with partner Sue and they have two children, actress Kate Colgrave PopeKate Colgrave Pope
Kate Colgrave Pope is a young British actress.She played 24-year-old Victoria Moon in a flashback episode of EastEnders, opposite Dickon Tolson who played Victoria's late husband William Moon . This episode later went on to win the British Soap Award for 'Best Single Episode'...
and a son called Jack.