| Leon Harrop | |
| Nationality: | British |
| Occupation: | Actor |
| Years Active: | 2009–present |
Leon Harrop (born)[1] is a British TV actor with Down's Syndrome, known for playing characters with the condition, most notably playing Ralph Wilson in The A Word (2016–2020)[2] and its spin off series Ralph & Katie (2022).[3] [4]
Harrop is from the town of Royton in Greater Manchester, and his first TV acting role was in a 2009 episode of the BBC drama The Street set in an unnamed street in Manchester. He starred alongside his onscreen mother Maxine Peake and onscreen dad Stephan Graham. Harrop got the part after the casting company rang his school, New Bridge School, and Harrop's teacher suggested him. After Harrop's teacher asked his mother what she thought, she read the script to see if the role was a good fit for Harrop. Harrop says that reading the script made his mother cry.[1] After filming the episode the series' creator and writer Jimmy McGovern said Harrop was a "natural talent".[5]
Harrop then went on to perform in another BBC drama set in Manchester, portraying Lee in the mini series From Here to There (2014) about the 1996 Manchester bombing by the IRA.[6] He also appeared in a 2015 episode of the Channel 4 police procedural drama No Offence also set in Manchester, and a 2016 episode of the BBC anthology drama series, Moving On created by Jimmy McGovern, with whom Harrop had previously worked on The Street.
Harrop played series regular Ralph Wilson in The A Word between 2016 and 2020 in for all three series of the show, with the news and entertainment website HITC noting in September 2020 that his performance was being praised by fans of the show.[2]
Between 2019 and 2021 Harrop had guest appearances in three episodes of the Sky One comedy drama Brassic. [7] Also in 2021 he guest starred in the BBC medical drama Casualty as Jordan "Jordy" Holt in the 11th episode of the 35th series.[8]
In 2022 Harrop reprised his role of Ralph Wilson in The A Word
| TV Show | Role | Year | Episode(s) | Channel | Genre | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Street | Otto | 2009 | 1 episode ("Past Life") | BBC One | Drama | |
| From Here to There | Lee | 2014 | 3 episodes | BBC One | Mini series | |
| No Offence | Adam | 2015 | 1 episode | Channel 4 | Police procedural | |
| Moving On | George | 2016 | 1 episode ("Eighteen") | BBC One | Drama anthology | |
| The A Word | Ralph Wilson | 2016–2020 | 17 episodes | BBC One | Drama | |
| Brassic | Albie | 2019–2021 | 3 episodes | Sky One | Sitcom | |
| Casualty | Jordan "Jordy" Holt | 2021 | 1 episode | BBC One | Drama | |
| Ralph & Katie | Ralph Wilson | 2022 | 6 episodes | BBC One | Drama |