John Simm Reveals Finding Out His Biological Father Was Not His Dad Was ‘Vindicating’
Actor John Simm, known for his roles in Doctor Who and Life on Mars, has spoken about his experience on ITV’s DNA Journey, where he discovered that his biological father was not his beloved dad, Ronald Simm. According to a report by The Independent, Simm, 54, appeared on the show last year alongside his Life on Mars co-star Philip Glenister, but it was Simm whose life was altered by what he learnt from taking part in the series.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Simm revealed that finding out his biological father was not Ronald Simm, who died in 2015, but a club manager from Lancashire called Terence, felt vindicating and "explained a lot". As The Independent reported, Simm said, "It explained a lot. I always felt guilty for feeling a bit different to my family and for leaving at 16. So when I found out, I felt vindicated. I hadn’t been going mad."
Simm’s experience on DNA Journey was unexpected, as he had initially taken part in the show to support his friend Glenister. However, it was Simm who made the astonishing discovery about his biological father. As The Independent noted, Simm said, "It’s turned out to be such a massive thing in my life and all I was doing was a favour for Phil so he didn’t have to do it on his own. It’s spun my world… everything I thought I knew wasn’t real."
The Grace actor revealed that he had met Terence on numerous occasions in the past, as Terence used to run clubs where Simm and his dad would play gigs. According to The Independent, Simm said, "He used to run a couple of the clubs where me and my dad played. I’d have shaken his hand, he would have watched us and paid us, and he’d have probably seen me on TV. And yet none of us knew anything. That’s a crazy Life on Mars, Back to the Future-style scenario."
Despite the initial shock, Simm has made peace with the realisation and said, "I’m not damaged by it. My dad is still my dad." As The Independent reported, Simm considered quitting the show after making the discovery but decided to use the experts for information on his real father. The show revealed that Terence is dead, but worked at the same clubs that Simm and Ronald would play gigs at.
Simm also revealed a conversation he had with his mother before filming the show that took on new light after his astonishing discovery. According to The Independent, Simm learnt that his mother and Ronald initially split and got back together when they welcomed John. Simm said, "When they had me, in the 1960s, they were both young. They were together and then they split up and were both with other people and then they got back together and then they had me. And I’d never heard this story before."
The discovery has had a profound impact on Simm’s life, and he continues to come to terms with the new information. As The Independent noted, Simm is best known for playing The Master in the BBC’s long-running series Doctor Who as well as DI Sam Tyler in the BBC sci-fi series Life on Mars.
