He might be best known for his dedication to helping animals on Supervet, but believe it or not, Irish vet Noel Fitzpatrick was once in Heartbeat!
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The 52-year-old, who was an actor before he became a vet, appeared in the popular ITV drama series on two separate occasions. In January 2000, Noel portrayed a sheep rustler named Gabriel, and in November 2002, he played a vet named Andrew Lawrence.
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But those appearances in Heartbeat weren't Noel's only brush with acting. Earlier in 2001, the animal lover popped up in ITV series London's Burning, and that same year was in two episodes of The Bill. Later on, in 2005, he could be seen on screen again in Casualty and has even landed roles in films!
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Noel is best known for his show Supervet
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Noel made an appearance in the 2003 film, The Devil's Tattoo, and in 2004 even bagged a lead role in a movie called Live for the Moment, playing Dr David Fowler. In 2008, he starred in Framed as a character called Inspector Beckett.
But the one thing that's been a constant in Noel's life is his passion for animals. The star, who was born in Ballyfin, grew up surrounded by animals as his father was a farmer.
He previously told The Irish Times: "My friends were the animals, especially the sheepdog, Pirate, but the experience shaped me profoundly, I saw them as sentient creatures with their own needs and wants."
In 1990, Noel studied Veterinary Medicine at UCD. He also completed his Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons certificate, opening his private practice - Fitzpatrick Referrals – in Surrey in 2008.
Noel resides nearby his place of work, and is known to work 16-hour days, which has prevented him from settling down to start a family just yet. He explained to The Irish Times: "I'd like to marry and have kids one day, but the wife would have to know she’d always come second to the practice."
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