Martin Shaw is one of the most dependable actors when it comes to needing a TV detective, with the star having played the lead roles in the likes of The Professionals, The Chief and Inspector George Gently.
In The Professionals, the actor portrayed Raymond Doyle, a former detective constable recruited into the fictional CI5, known for his expertise in marksmanship and martial arts. Meanwhile, in The Chief, he starred as Chief Constable Alan Cade, before going on to play the title character in Inspector George Gently between 2007 and 2017.
However, Martin is also famed for his role in high-stakes legal drama Judge John Deed, where he again played the title role.
© Getty ImagesMartin has been married three times
Marriages
Away from the screen, Martin has been married three times. In 1968, one year after making his screen debut, he married Jill Allen, but the couple eventually divorced. In 1985, he walked down the aisle with Maggie Mansfield, but the pair also didn't remain together. His final marriage was to Vicky Kimm in 1996, but the couple have since split.
Since 2003, he has been in a relationship with Karen Da Silva.
Martin shares three children, Joe, Sophie and Luke, with his first wife, Jill Allen, with all three opting to follow their parents into acting.
© AlamyJoe (far-right) had a successful acting career
Joe Shaw
Joe is Martin's eldest son, and he made his professional debut in 1996, when he appeared in an episode of Rhodes as a Young Cecil Rhodes, with his father playing the adult version of the character.
The star has since appeared in the likes of Kull the Conqueror, The House of Angelo, Murder Investigation Team, Judge John Deed and Casualty. His largest role was in Bad Girls, where he played young prison officer Douglas McAllister.
In 2010, Joe left the acting world behind and instead became a director, working on major campaigns for the likes of Lego and Next.
© Getty ImagesThe father-daughter duo took to the stage in 2005
Sophie Shaw
Martin's only daughter, Sophie, also became an actress. The star made her professional debut in 2002, appearing in an episode of Holby City. She subsequently appeared in In Deep, Piccadilly Cowboy, The German Lullaby and Doctors.
Sophie was initially reluctant to act alongside her father, but the pair eventually joined forces in a 2005 production of A Man for All Seasons. Speaking to the BBC, she shared: "Some opportunities have come up occasionally but it's never happened. To be honest, I'd always rejected them before now because I wanted to make my own way. But this seemed too perfect to be true."
Like Joe, Sophie eventually left the acting world, with the star instead honing her talents in a vastly different way, becoming a glass artist. She once made a glass chicken for her father due to his love of the birds.
© Getty ImagesLuke has continued acting
Luke Shaw
Martin's youngest child, Luke, has also become an actor, with the star appearing in the likes of Chasing Dreams, Peak Practice, Judge John Deed and Already Dead. Unlike his siblings, Luke is still acting, with the star's most recent credit being in 2025's The SALE.
Luke and Martin appeared together in a stage production of A Country Girl in 2010, and speaking to the Sunday Times, Luke said: "Dad was a traditional Sunday father. We saw him at weekends, and on birthdays and at Christmas.
"We played a lot of games and sports, and we talked a lot. He’s always advocated talking. He has a terrific pioneering spirit, an ability to continually question and discover things about the world and himself."
