| Neil Ashton | |
| Birth Name: | Neil Smith |
| Birth Date: | 11 December 1969 |
| Birth Place: | Kendal, Westmorland, England |
| Occupation: | Actor |
| Nationality: | British |
| Education: | Kirkbie Kendal School |
| Period: | 1990s–present |
Neil Smith (born 11 December 1969), known by the stage name Neil Ashton, is an English actor known for his wide-ranging, often comic, performances in television programmes, notably Channel 4's It's A Sin and Sky's Brassic.
Ashton grew up as Neil Smith in Kendal, Cumbria, living above a newsagents on Highgate in the town. After leaving school, he became a fashion editor for teen magazine Just Seventeen.
His notable television performances include 'Grizzle' in It's A Sin and Davey MacDonagh in Brassic. He has worked several times with screenwriter and Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies.[1] Ashton's lifetime nickname has been 'Nelly' and this was the name of the character he played in Davies' Cucumber.[2]
Ashton took his stage surname from the Lancashire town where his mother was born.[3]