TV

Karen Pirie on ITV1: DI Simon Lees played by EastEnders villain Steve John Shepherd!

He was an EastEnders baddie...

If you recognise DI Simon Lees from Karen Pirie, you’ll likely know actor Steve John Shepherd from EastEnders – or This Life.

DI Lees is the boss of the star of ITV’s new detective drama, which launches Sunday, September 25.

Here’s how you recognise star Steve John Shepherd and everything you need to know about the Karen Pirie star…

Steve John Shepherd in Karen Pirie, he looks down in a suit disappointed
Steve John Shepherd as Simon Lees in Karen Pirie (Credit: ITV)

Who did Steve John Shepherd play in EastEnders?

Steve John Shepherd starred in EastEnders as Michael Moon, Janine Butcher’s abusive and all-around terrible husband.

He joined the show in 2010 and was romantically involved with everyone from Kat Slater to Alice Branning.

His run on the show eventually came to an end in 2013 as he plotted with Alice to get his daughter Scarlett back from Janine.

In a dramatic turn of events, Michael tried to strangle Janine before Alice stabbed him! But it was Janine herself that got to give the fatal stab wound, finally killing Michael.

Steve told Digitalspy about his exit at the time: “They asked me if I wanted to come back so I said, ‘No, I wouldn’t’ and that it had to be final, so they said, ‘Right, then we’ll kill you’.

“Which apparently is a compliment – it didn’t feel like it at the time!”

Steve John Shepherd as Michael Moon in EastEnders, he stands outside looking into the camera with a grumpy expression
You might recognise him as Steve John Shepherd from his EastEnders role… (Credit: BBC)

What else has Steve John Shepherd been in?

Steve John Shepherd has had an impressive career in TV, film and theatre!

He got his first big break in the BBC drama This Life. Steve played heartthrob Jo in the show.

He also played DC George Kyprianou in the female detective series Maisie Raine.

Steve also had a small role in the Star Wars prequel Attack of the Clones.

You might also recognise him as Ambrose in the adaptation of the Jaqueline Wilson novel Hetty Feather.

He’s also had guest spots in Waking The Dead, Silent Witness, London Kills and Agatha Raisin.

Where is Steve from and how old is he?

Steve John Shepherd was born in London and grew up in the Newham area.

He has English, Burmese and Chinese ancestry.

The actor was born on August 1 1973, making him 49 years old.

Is Steve John Shepherd married? Does he have kids?

Steve John Shepherd has been married to fellow actress Anna Wilson-Jones since 2004. She’s best known as Juliet Miller from Hotel Babylon.

They live in west London with their three children, two girls: Agatha and Cosimia and a boy.

Steve John Shepherd in an interview, he at an awards show and smiles at the camera in a black suit
Are you a fan of Steve John Shepherd? (Credit: Youtube)

Steve John Shepherd’s near-death illness

In 2014, the actor had a health scare where he had a serious internal haemorrhage and lost nearly seven units of blood.

At the time, he told the Evening Standard: “I could feel myself dying, it was very discernible. I could feel a fog creeping into my periphery.”

Doctors were unable to find the exact cause of what caused his haemorrhage, but it seems like he’s had a clean bill of health since.

What height is he?

According to the actor’s IMDb, he is 6″2 but this is unconfirmed.

Some other sites claim is he is 5″11, so we’ll have to wait for the day that Steve confirms it himself!

Read more: Karen Pirie on ITV: What’s it about, how many episodes is it, and is it based on a book?

What is Steve John Shepherd’s net worth?

There’s a lot of speculation on the internet about the net worth that Steve John Shepherd has racked up over his career.

Popularbio.com claims he’s amassed a fortune of £1.25 million, while networthpost.org claim he’s worth £226,000.

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Karen Pirie begins on Sunday September 25 2022 at 8pm on ITV1. Episodes will also be available on the ITV hub after airing.

So, are you a fan of Steve John Shepherd? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think.