Martin Shaw is an English actor who trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and made his screen debut in 1967. He came to national recognition as Ray Doyle in the ITV crime-action series The Professionals (1977-1983), and went on to lead The Chief (1993-1995), Judge John Deed (2001-2007) and Inspector George Gently (2007-2017), playing the title role in the last of these. He also has extensive stage and film credits, won a Drama Desk Award in 1996 for An Ideal Husband, and has narrated audiobooks and presented television series including Martin Shaw: Aviators.
