Life after Heartbeat for David Lonsdale – from Corrie stint to radio career

It's fair to say the Heartbeat theme tune still takes many people way back to the '90s.

As viral videos on TikTok often point out, the catchy tune often transports people back to having a Sunday roast, worrying about finishing their homework at the end of the weekend and cosying up under a blanket to tune in.

It's actually been over 30 years since Heartbeat first aired, and the actors have gone onto have very varied careers since then. One memorable cast member is David Lonsdale.

The actor, now 61, is more commonly known for playing the role of David Stockwell in the ITV period police drama series. But since the show ended in 2010, you may have wondered what happened to the memorable actor.

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Little you may know, Lonsdale's first major role on television was way back in 1986 when he played Peter Barlow in Coronation Street. He went onto appear in the show on two other occasions.

Initially, he returned in 2011 in a minor role working for a solicitor. He then appeared on the Cobbles again in May 2012 where he played the part of Edwin Soames.

Over the years, he's also appeared in shows such as Inspector Morse, Casualty and also played a private detective in Emmerdale in 2018. He's also had two roles in ITV's Vera, taking on the parts of a policeman and a pub landlord and two separate episodes.

More recently, he starred in the The Bay in 2022, as well as in the ITV drama series, Anne. In 2023, he also played the role of a Catholic priest who is present for the confession of disgraced television personality Jimmy Savile in the BBC's four-part drama, The Reckoning.

If you're more of a film fan, you may have also noticed him crop up in some classic favourites. Lonsdale had a small role as a repo man in the 1997 fim The Full Monty. In 2019, he also played a Desk Sergeant in the Downton Abbey movie.

The actor is married, and has three children. More recently, he's spent time presenting a Sunday morning radio show, called The Southport Arts Show, on community radio station Mighty FM.

The actor is also a regular guest at the annual Heartbeat Car Rally in Goathland where he'll spend time meeting and chatting to fans. He's often seen alongside his former co-star, Tricia Penrose.