Jason Merrells
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| Jason Merrells | |
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| Born | 1968 Wanstead, England |
| Years active | 1994 - present |
| Spouse(s) | Zerlina Hughes |
Jason Merrells (born 1968 in Wanstead, London) is an English actor, who received his big break when he starred in Casualty for three years (1994 to 1997) as receptionist Matt Hawley. He was educated at Buckhurst Hill County High School from 1980 to 1986.
He has also starred in Clocking Off, playing a factory employee called Martin Leach.
Jason's biggest role to date is as stylist Gavin Ferraday in Cutting It. Desperate to start a family with Allie (Sarah Parish), Gavin knew that she was having an affair with Finn (Ben Daniels) and plotted with Finn's wife Mia (Amanda Holden). In the next few seasons, Gavin ended up sleeping with his ex-wife's daughter (who she had given up after a teenage pregnancy) but eventually rekindled his love with Allie before she was killed in a road accident.
Jason has also made guest appearances in successful dramas such as Queer as Folk, Fat Friends, A Touch of Frost, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries and The Project.
Jason made a series called Sweet Medicine, which failed to capture the viewers. It was moved from its 9pm slot to 11pm as the audience figures continued to fall.
He most recently starred in BBC drama Waterloo Road as headmaster Jack Rimmer which lasted from early March 2006 and ended in late April 2006. The series returned to the BBC in January, 2007 and ended the second series on the 26th April 2007. The 3rd series will air on the 11th October 2007. As of 3x06, his character has been written out. Merrells cites the growing direction towards more soap-opera elements as the reason for leaving. [1]
Jason returned to Waterloo Road for one episode, which was aired on 6th March 2008.
Merrells is also the brother of actor Simon Merrells, who played Conrad Williams in Family Affairs from 2004 to 2005.
Merrells, from August to October 2007, is performing for the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. He is playing the role of Orsino in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, or What You Will alongside his brother Simon Merrells who is playing the role of Antonio. From October 2007, the Merrells brothers will be on tour performing 'A Comedy of Errors' with the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
Merrells has two daughters from his first marriage, Camille and Gina, who live in Oxfordshire with their mother, and one son, Jackson, with his present wife, Zerlina.
