Jack Shepherd, actor behind TV’s Wycliffe, dies aged 85

Jack Shepherd, the English actor best known for his role as Detective Superintendent Charles Wycliffe in ITV’s long-running crime drama Wycliffe, has died at the age of 85.

The Leeds-born actor passed away in hospital following a short illness, with his family by his side, according to reports. His agents described his death as a significant loss to British television and theatre.

Shepherd enjoyed a distinguished career on both stage and screen. He received an Olivier Award for the original London production of Glengarry Glen Ross in 1983 and performed with leading institutions including the National Theatre and the Royal Court Theatre.

Before his role in Wycliffe, he gained recognition as Bill Brand in the 1970s ITV drama series Bill Brand, in which he played a fictional and outspoken Labour MP. The performance earned him a BAFTA nomination in 1977 and is still remembered as one of the defining political dramas of its era.

As Det Supt Charles Wycliffe, a quiet and thoughtful detective solving crimes across Cornwall, Shepherd led the series for 36 episodes between 1993 and 1998. His understated presence became a defining feature of the show and cemented his popularity with British television audiences.

His later screen work included BBC productions such as Play for Today, Blind Justice, the composer Franz Joseph Haydn in Beethoven, and an Auschwitz prisoner in God on Trial.

In addition to acting, Shepherd also worked as a theatre director, including staging The Two Gentlemen of Verona at Shakespeare’s Globe in 1996. He was known for his collaborations with respected figures in British theatre throughout his career.

Jack Shepherd is survived by his wife, Ann Scott, and their five children, Jan, Jake, Victoria, Catherine and Ben.