Joe Swash

Joseph Swash (born 20 January 1982) is an English actor who played Mickey Miller in the British television soap opera "EastEnders". He is the older brother of Shana Swash, who played his on-screen little sister Demi Miller until July 2006. Swash was axed from "EastEnders" in 2008 by producer Diederick Santer.

Career

Joe Swash started modelling when he was a two-year-old. He studied at Highbury Grove school in Islington, and attended Anna Scher Theatre School on the advice of his mother's friend, actress Linda Robson. Swash attended the school with Natalie Cassidy, James Alexandrou and Brooke Kinsella, who he would later go on to work with in "EastEnders".cite news |title=I can cope with girl fans. After dad died I was in a house full of|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20040208/ai_n12886687/pg_1|publisher="Sunday Mirror"|date=8 February 2004 |accessdate=2008-05-15]

When Joe was seven, he made his first TV appearance in an Andrex advert as a little boy who wiped off his grandmother's kiss in disgust, but his big break came at the age of eleven, when he was cast in the movie "The Adventures of Pinocchio", alongside Dawn French and Griff Rhys Jones. He made minor appearances in several television series such as "Casualty", "The South Bank Show", "The Bill" and Nickelodeon's "LOL: Laugh Out Loud".

He was about to give up on the idea of becoming an actor when he won a role in BBC's "EastEnders". He was cast as Mickey Miller and made his first appearance in "EastEnders" in April 2003 as a recurring character. Due to a positive viewer reception, producer Louise Berridge turned Mickey into a regular character, and his on-screen family arrived a year later, including Mickey's little sister Demi, who was played by Swash's real sister, Shana. His son, Harry Swash, also appeared in the soap as his niece Summer Swann for a minimal period. On 26 February 2008, it was announced that Joe Swash, along with the actor who plays his stepfather, David Spinx, were both being written out of "EastEnders" in a "big explosive storyline". He made his final appearance in July 2008. Since the announcement of his departure, Swash has been critical of the direction producers took with his character. He has blamed his three month screen absence in 2005 (due to an illness) for Mickey becoming little more than "light-relief".cite news |title=Killer disease cost me EastEnders job |url=http://thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/article1321625.ece|publisher="The Sun"|date=21 June 2008| accessdate=2008-06-24]

Swash has expressed an interest in presenting, as well as appearing in "Brit-flicks".

Personal life

Swash's background is a mix of Irish, Scottish and Italian. He grew up in Islington in North London. His father Ricky, a London cab driver, died of a heart-attack when Swash was 12, and he and his two younger sisters, Caisie and Shana, were subsequently raised by their mother, Kiffy. Joe has said that he is particularly close to his youngest sister Shana, as he took on a paternal role towards her following their father's death. He has commented, "Shana's more than just a sister to me. I look out for her. If I go away, I miss her so much. It was hard when my dad died - it was so sudden. Shana was only little so it's been tough for her. We've got a special connection there - we look the same and have the same personality [...] Dad dying made me grow up pretty fast - I've learned a lot from it. And it makes you appreciate your family more."

Swash was dubbed the "Swashbuckler" by the British press, due to his regular appearances on the London club-circuit. He has admitted that he was regularly reprimanded by "EastEnders"' bosses for his alcohol-fuelled partying. Swash was forced to take a three month break from "EastEnders" in 2005 after he contracted meningoencephalitis — a rare form of viral meningitis, which makes the brain swell up.cite news |title=EASTENDER JOE HAS DEADLY BRAIN BUG|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/archive/2005/10/04/eastender-joe-has-deadly-brain-bug-89520-16205477/|publisher="The Mirror"|date=4 October 2005| accessdate=2008-06-24] Swash has commented, "I couldn’t talk. Half my face was numb and I couldn’t get the words out. I was constantly sick and couldn’t stand.” Swash spent two weeks in intensive care and doctors told him they were not sure he would live; however, he recovered with no lasting damage.

On 16 June 2007, Swash's girlfriend Emma Sophocles gave birth to their first child, a boy named Harry Swash. [cite news|url=http://www.celebrity-babies.com/2007/06/eastenders-joe-.html|title=EastEnders Joe Swash becomes father for the first time|publisher=Celebrity Baby Blog|date=25 June 2007|accessdate=2007-06-26] On 19 January 2008, it was announced that Swash had split from Sophocles. [cite news|url=http://www.nowmagazine.co.uk/celeb_news/EastEnders_star_Joe_Swash_splits_from_girlfriend_article_174840.html|title=Actor grows apart from his son's mum|publisher="Now Magazine"|date=2008-01-19|accessdate=2008-01-20] As of 2008, Swash is rumoured to be dating actress Hannah Tointon, sister of Kara Tointon who played Swash's screen sister Dawn in "EastEnders". The Two were seen cuddling up to each other at T4 on the beach 2008.Fact|date=July 2008

Swash is an avid Arsenal supporter and holds a season ticket at the Emirates Stadium.

References

External links

*imdb name|0841998