Ashley Taylor Dawson

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Ashley Taylor Dawson
Vocals
Years active2001–2014
LabelsIsland

Philip Ashley Taylor Dawson (born 11 January 1982), known as Ashley Taylor Dawson, is an English actor and singer. He is known for portraying the role of

allSTARS*
.

Early life

Born in Manchester, Dawson grew up in Wilmslow. He attended Ashdene Primary School and Altrincham Grammar School for Boys and joined local drama group Scamps at a young age.[1] He is the brother of singer and guitarist Catherine Taylor-Dawson.[2]

Career

Dawson has played the role of Darren Osborne in Hollyoaks since 1999. Actor Adam Booth originally played the part before leaving in 1997. The character rejoined Hollyoaks in 1999 when Dawson secured the part. Dawson joined Hollyoaks when he was 17 years old after getting his big break with the National Youth Theatre. Since then he has appeared in Hollyoaks spinoffs such as Hollyoaks Later and Tom's Life. He went on to secure the part of Darren following an audition, but soon after left in 2000 to join ALLSTARS*.[3] Dawson re-joined the show in August 2003 after AllSTARS* split up. On playing the part Dawson said "I love playing the bad lad. He's my alter ego".[3]

Dawson was a member of the UK pop band

STARStreet*. Dawson was featured in other shows as well. He performed with the band on 80s Mania in 2001, and was next seen on episodes of Top of the Pops. He later made an appearance in Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Stars in Their Eyes and RI:SE. While with the group they managed to score four Top 20
singles in their two-year career.

Dawson appeared along with Darren Day in a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Palace Theatre, Manchester, UK. As a teenager, he appeared in a number of amateur productions in his home town, including Wilmslow Guild Players' production of Jack and the Beanstalk[4] in 1996, for which he was nominated for The Barry Phillips Award for the Most Promising Youngster (Male) in the Cheshire Theatre Guild Awards.

In September 2013, Dawson was announced as a contestant on the

eleventh series of Strictly Come Dancing partnered with Ola Jordan
. They were voted out in the quarter-finals, on 8 December.

In 2014, Dawson released "Playboy Bunny" on Applique Music, produced by

BBC Radio One
.

In January 2021, Dawson and John Junior, filmed a video with BBC Radio 5, about a suicide storyline in Hollyoaks. The storyline; When Nancy and Darren, played by Dawson, were distressed about Nancy's partner Kyle taking his own life, this stopped Junior from continuing with his suicide plans. The BBC brought them both together, so that Junior could thank Dawson for saving his life.[5][6]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1999–2001, 2003–present Hollyoaks Darren Osborne Regular role
2001–2002 Starstreet Ashley Main role
2009 The Wright Stuff Panellist Guest
2009, 2020 Hollyoaks Later Darren Osborne Main role
2013 Strictly Come Dancing Contestant Quarter-Finalist
2014 Northern Soul Paul Film
2014 Tom's Life Darren Osborne Main role
2018 The More You Ignore Me Mr. Desmond Film
2021
Hollyoaks IRL
 		Himself Episode 1 - Hollyoaks saved my life

Radio

Year Title Role Notes
2021 Hollyoaks suicide storyline saved my life[6] Main role BBC Sounds podcast

Personal life

In January 2011, Dawson announced that he and long-term partner Karen McKay were expecting their first child.[7] Their first son was born in March 2011 and their second in October 2013.

Dawson is fond of sports and plays football, tennis, and basketball. He supports Manchester United FC and considered a career as a professional footballer. He currently plays occasional charity football matches with the Hollyoaks All-Stars. He also owns a night club in Wilmslow called Symposium.

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
2005 Inside Soap Awards Sexiest Male[8] Hollyoaks
2005 Inside Soap Awards Best Villain[8] Hollyoaks
2007 Inside Soap Awards Funniest Performance[9] Hollyoaks
2009 The British Soap Awards Best actor[10] Hollyoaks Longlisted
2009 Inside Soap Awards Funniest performance[11] Hollyoaks Nominated
2010 Inside Soap Awards Best Actor[12] Hollyoaks Nominated
2010 Inside Soap Awards Funniest Performance[12] Hollyoaks
2010 Inside Soap Awards Sexiest Male[12] Hollyoaks
2011 The British Soap Awards Sexiest Male[13] Hollyoaks Nominated
2014 The British Soap Awards Sexiest Male[13] Hollyoaks Shortlisted
2020
TV Choice Awards
 Best Soap Actor Hollyoaks Pending

References

  1. Trinity Mirror
    . Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  2. ^ "Cream of the well groomed crop". TheNatter.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 May 2011. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  3. ^
    Trinity Mirror
    . 24 March 2004. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  4. ^ "Wilmslow Guild Players: Jack and the Beanstalk". Archived from the original on 15 June 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
  5. ^ "Hollyoaks suicide storyline 'saved my life'". BBC News. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  6. ^ a b "5 Live News Specials - Hollyoaks suicide storyline 'saved my life' - BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  7. Hachette Filipacchi
    . 20 January 2011. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
  8. ^
    Trinity Mirror
    . Retrieved 18 August 2011.
  9. Hachette Filipacchi UK
    . Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  10. IPC Media
    . 5 May 2009. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  11. Sky. Archived from the original
    on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  12. ^
    E4
    . 13 August 2010. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  13. ^
    Hachette Filipacchi
    . Retrieved 18 August 2011.

External links
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ashley_Taylor_Dawson&oldid=1183095646"