John McArdle

Actor · Born August 16, 1949 (77) · Liverpool, England

John McArdle is an English actor. He is most notable for playing Billy Corkhill in the soap opera Brookside, with many other smaller appearances in other soaps and dramas.

Biography from TMDB.

Born: August 16, 1949 (77)
From: Liverpool, England
Works as: Actor
Titles: 19 on MovieCove · 48 credits in all
Links: IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 65 days to Oct 28Up 5% in 30 days

What are John McArdle's films like?

Across a limited sample of 3 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Survival.

Themes

share of theme weight

Bonds

53%

Survival

23%

Self

18%

Society

Family bonds2

Moods and endings

endings shown from 5 titles

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic

Hopeful

Warm

Contemplative

Bittersweet

How their films linger

Bittersweet3 Hopeful2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch John McArdle's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 19 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on BritBox (13).

Also on these channels

Shout! TV5 titles, show their 5 titles on Shout! TV
Howdy4 titles, show their 4 titles on Howdy
Acorn TV1 title, show their title on Acorn TV
Wonder Project1 title, show their title on Wonder Project

Subscription and free streaming for John McArdle's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

48 credits, 19 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

Our Kid(2023)
as Alan Reilly
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Deer Woman Child (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
as Patrick
Love Tomorrow(2012)
as Henry
Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
The Rochdale Pioneers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
as Dr. Dunlope
Vera(2011)
Show 1 episode · as Marty
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows
Wake Wood(2009)
as Ben
Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
U Be Dead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
as Brian Pemberton
Law & Order: UK(2009)
Show 1 episode · Actor
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
Waterloo Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Show 6 episodes · as Oliver Mead
Through My Eyes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Show 2 episodes · as McAulay
New Tricks(2003)
Show 1 episode · as Jim Marshall
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
Blue Murder(2003)
Show 1 episode · as Colin McAteer / Stephen McAteer
Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows
The Afternoon Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Show 1 episode · as Bob Collins
Foyle's War(2002)
Show 1 episode · as Stan Davies
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
Revengers Tragedy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
as 1st Man in Bar
Merseybeat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
Show 38 episodes · Actor
The Cazalets(2001)
Show 6 episodes · Actor
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows
Waking the Dead(2000)
Show 1 episode · as Murray Stuart
Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows
My Fragile Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
as Roy Lavery
There's Only One Jimmy Grimble(2000)
as Headmaster
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
Janice Beard(1999)
as Pyesek
Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
Out of Hours (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)
Show 6 episodes · as Dr. Daniel Laing
Born to Run (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Show 6 episodes · as Eddie Gallagher
The Place of the Dead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
as Major Ron Foster
Dalziel and Pascoe(1996)
Show 1 episode · as Matthew Davis
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows
Hollyoaks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
Show 3 episodes · as Billy Corkhill
Rich Deceiver (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
as Malc Freeman
Kavanagh QC(1995)
Show 1 episode · as Simon Lloyd
Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows
It's Not Unusual (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
as Warren
Seaforth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
Show 9 episodes · Actor
Wycliffe(1993)
Show 1 episode · as Alex Keir
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows
Skallagrigg (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
as Dilke
Bambino Mio (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
as Harry
Cracker(1993)
Show 1 episode · as Tom Carter
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
Peak Practice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
Show 1 episode · as Clive Richards
Gallowglass (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
Show 3 episodes · Casting · as Paul Garnet
Firm Friends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
Show 8 episodes · as Peter Cresswell
Thacker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
as Martin Strickland
Heartbeat(1992)
Show 1 episode · as Nat Jubb · as Terry Tinniswood
Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows
Underbelly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
Show 4 episodes · as Jack Preston
Prime Suspect(1991)
Show 1 episode · as DCS Ballinger
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows
The Chief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
Show 2 episodes · as Det. Con. Dave Corbyn
Screen One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
Show 1 episode · as Harry
Casualty(1986)
Show 1 episode · as Frank Morgan · as Mick Garland · as Pete Ellington
Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all shows
Frankie and Johnnie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
as 'Election Countdown' Panel
Scully (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
Show 7 episodes · as Teacher
Emmerdale (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)
Show 302 episodes · as Ronnie Hale
Sucker Bait (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)
as Second Crewman

Career shape

Star power in the 74^th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 48 titles from 1965 to 2023; peak year 2000.

Film career

19652023

Peak 2000 · steadily prominent in film for years. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

1972Screen debut· Emmerdale
2000First film· There's Only One Jimmy Grimble

By role

only this rolewith another role

Acting48 of 48 · 68^thOther crew1 of 48

By decade

1960s1 · acting1970s1 · acting1980s4 · acting1990s22 · 22 acting · 1 crew2000s14 · acting2010s4 · acting2020s2 · acting

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.