We've all got to start somewhere! Sean Bean now has an illustrious film and television career, including roles as Bond villain Alex Trevelyan and as Boromir in the Lord of the Rings films. However, back in the 1980s, the star was making his first appearances on-screen and his first television role was actually on hit ITV drama The Bill, which ran from 1984 until 2010. The actor appeared in the fourth episode of the drama, 'Long Odds', where he played Horace Clark, an armed robber who carried out attacks on local shops around the Sunny Hill police station.
Horace actually managed to evade justice in the episode, escaping from the police, although his accomplice is ultimately apprehended. Despite managing to get away with his crimes, Sean never actually returned to the series. He was unrecognisable back in the day, with windswept hair, a baby face, an earring in the shape of a cross and fashion which definitely mirrored the era.
Sean is far from the first major British star to have appeared on the show. Keira Knightley played a runaway teenager back in 1995 before finding fame with Bend It Like Beckham and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, while David Tennant also appeared on the show in the same year as a fearsome criminal. Idris Elba also played a suspect before finding his big break and ahead of appearing in the Spice Girls, Emma Bunton also had a small role.
© ITVWhat is Sean Bean appearing in next?
The 66-year-old has plenty of upcoming projects to keep his fans entertained. The star will play the Sheriff of Nottingham in Amazon Prime's upcoming Robin Hood, a ten-part drama on the beloved legend. The upcoming series is a reimagined take on the legendary tale, and is billed as a "sweeping, romantic adventure" that focuses on the relationship between Robin and Marian.
The series, which comes from showrunner John Glenn (SEAL Team) and producer/director Jonathan English (Librarians: The Next Chapter), promises to bring "historical authenticity, psychological depth, and a heightened focus on the relationship between Rob and Marian to the beloved story", according to the synopsis.
© Aleksandar Letic/MGM+The star also has three upcoming films, including the animated military science-fiction movie, Rogue Trooper, which is based on the comic strip of the same name. The actor has been cast in an undisclosed role. Sean will also be appearing alongside Daniel Day-Lewis in Anemone in the latter's first return to acting since 2017. The actor is also appearing in biopic The Yellow Tie, where he plays an undisclosed role. The biopic will chart the life of Romanian conductor Sergiu Celibidache.
