has worked extensively as an actor, writer, director teacher, mentor, and coach for over thirty years and has won a number of awards for his work. An ex-army scholar, he has a degree from Exeter University in Politics & Society and is a graduate from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Back in the late 90’s, his regular television roles made him a familiar face on the small screen. They included Sgt Chris McCleod in ‘Soldier, Soldier’, and Station Officer Chris Hammond in ‘London’s Burning’, both for ITV. Whilst starring as Ian Bentley in Coronation Street, over twenty million viewers tuned in to see bride-to-be, Sharon’s (Tracie Bennett) attack on Ian at the alter! He was then seen as Ray Winstone’s brother-in-law in the series for Granada, ‘Vincent’. Other television credits include, ‘Skins Redux’, ‘Endeavour’, ‘Desperados’, ‘Silent Witness’, ‘Sea Of Souls’, ‘Holby’, ‘Heartbeat’, ‘Casualty’, ‘Inspector Morse’, ‘Peak Practice’, and ‘The Governor’.
His first play as a writer was ‘Our Boys’. Based on his own experiences of being invalided out of the military, it won The Writers’ Guild Award for Best New Fringe Play, and he was named as the TAPS new Television Writer of The Year, as well as being nominated for The Lloyds Bank Playwright of The Year.
Over the last few years, he has focused his creative attention on two different areas – education and military veterans. He has been teaching and directing at UK Drama Schools and written a trilogy for the theatre on education – the first part, ‘A Level Playing Field’ was premiered at The Jermyn Street Theatre in April 2015. The second part ‘The Be All & End All’ was produced by York Theatre Royal and Colchester Mercury Theatre in the summer of 2018. From 2018, Jonathan has been working with the Soldiers’ Arts Academy (SAA), becoming it’s Artistic Director at the end of 2019. He wrote and directed a play for military veterans called ‘Soldier On’. This premiered at the Northcott in Exeter and toured the UK, before coming to London, firstly at The Playground Theatre, and then The Other Palace. In 2019, The Roland Gossage Foundation brought the production to The Berkeley St Theatre in Toronto, and it is currently being developed as a film.
Jonathan has now also had considerable experience over the last twenty years designing and delivering personal development and impact skills to the corporate world. He specializes in coaching and mentoring business leaders and understanding the performance aspect in the power of leadership and communication. His work in this area has taken him all over the world and to many different working environments. He is currently a Fellow at Edinburgh University’s School of Nursing.