Philip Middlemiss

Philip Middlemiss (born Philip Sean Middlemiss on 19 June 1963) is a British television and radio actor, who played bookmaker Des Barnes in ITV's Coronation Street (from 1990 until 1998). He has since moved on to appear in ITV's Where the Heart Is.

Middlemiss was born on 19 June 1963 in Hartlepool, County Durham, to pub landlady Yvonne Lloyd who gave him up for adoption when he was ten days old. He was adopted by builder Alex Middlemiss and his wife June who later had a younger daughter of their own, Nicola. He attended the English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College.

After leaving school, Middlemiss joined the National Youth Theatre and studied drama at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He appeared on stage after graduation in plays such as Strippers, Trackers, A Tale of Two Cities and A Christmas Carol. On television he made his debut in 1986 in Ladies In Charge and then had various roles in series such as Inspector Morse, The Bill and Waterfront Beat in which he had a regular role as PC Barry Smith.

Middlemiss made his debut in Coronation Street in February 1990 as newly-wed Des Barnes together with Amelia Bullmore who played his screen wife Steph. Bullmore left the series in 1991, but Middlemiss remained as a series regular until November 1998 when his character was killed off. This was not an option welcomed by Middlemiss who, although he wanted to leave the programme, also wanted the door left open for a possible return.

After leaving Coronation Street, he has appeared regularly on television, most notably in the role of David Buckley in the ITV drama Where the Heart Is, from 2000 to 2006.

He appeared on a celebrity edition of Come Dine with Me in 2010 with other former Coronation Street stars, Julie Goodyear, Tupele Dorgu and Ken Morley. He finished first on 23 points winning £1,000 for his chosen charity.

On 30 May 2012, Middlemiss declared himself bankrupt.