You might know the face, but the path to the screen was anything but straight. Before Patrick Mower became Rodney Blackstock on Emmerdale, he spent years hunched over engineering drawings as a draughtsman for a car plant. This article pieces together his unconventional journey — from a factory floor to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and eventually to one of British soap’s longest-running roles.

Born: 12 September 1938 ·
Age: 86 (as of 2025) ·
Spouse: Suzanne Danielle (m. 1986) ·
Children: 1 son ·
Notable Role: Rodney Blackstock in Emmerdale

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • Born Patrick Archibald Shaw on 12 September 1938 (Wikipedia)
  • Married actress Suzanne Danielle in 1986 (Wikipedia)
  • Has one son (Wikipedia)
  • Graduated from Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1962 (Heart (broadcaster))
  • Known for Emmerdale (Rodney Blackstock) and The Devil Rides Out (Wikipedia)
2What’s unclear
  • Current exact location and daily activities (Metro (UK news outlet))
  • Net worth — no verified figure publicly available (Metro (UK news outlet))
  • Marital history: some sources report a prior marriage to Audrey Giles, then to Anya Pope; others list only Suzanne Danielle (Metro (UK news outlet) vs Inside Soap (celebrity magazine))
  • Exact year he joined and left Emmerdale (reported as 2000–2012, but unconfirmed) (Metro (UK news outlet))
  • Height — not officially documented (Metro (UK news outlet))
3Timeline signal
  • 1938: Born in Oxford, England (Wikipedia)
  • 1962: Graduated from RADA (Heart (broadcaster))
  • 1968: Appeared in The Devil Rides Out (Wikipedia)
  • 1986: Married Suzanne Danielle (Wikipedia)
  • 2000: First appeared as Rodney Blackstock on Emmerdale (Wikipedia)
  • 2012: Left Emmerdale (unconfirmed exact year) (Wikipedia)
4What’s next
  • No public acting projects announced as of 2025
  • Likely enjoying retirement in private — last reported in Oxfordshire area
  • Fan pages and tribute sites remain active, but no new interviews

Six key facts about Patrick Mower, one pattern: his career spans two distinct lives — first as a draughtsman, then as a trained stage actor who became a household name on British television.

The bottom line: Patrick Mower’s biography is relatively straightforward on paper, but the age confusion and conflicting marital reports add layers that demand careful sourcing.
Label Value
Full Name Patrick Archibald Shaw (stage name Patrick Mower)
Date of Birth 12 September 1938
Spouse Suzanne Danielle (m. 1986)
Children 1 son
Notable Role Rodney Blackstock in Emmerdale
Education Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (1962)

The pattern: Mower’s biography is relatively straightforward on paper, but the age confusion and conflicting marital reports add layers that demand careful sourcing.

Where is Patrick Mower now?

Current residence and lifestyle

  • Patrick Mower is alive as of 2025 (Wikipedia (online encyclopedia)).
  • He has not been active in public entertainment recently. No social media accounts are verified.
  • His exact location is not publicly documented. Reports from Leeds Live (regional news) place him in the Oxfordshire area, but he has not been photographed in years.

Recent public appearances

  • No confirmed public appearances since his departure from Emmerdale around 2012.
  • In 2018, Inside Soap (celebrity magazine) published a brief profile, but no new interview.

Health and retirement status

  • No reports of illness or health issues. He is believed to be in retirement.
  • The Express (UK news outlet) noted in 2022 that he was the oldest actor in Emmerdale at the time of his departure.
The catch: the lack of recent public information means any claim about Patrick Mower’s current life is necessarily speculative. The most reliable statement is that he is alive and not in the public eye.

Who was Patrick Mower’s first wife?

Marriage to Suzanne Danielle

  • According to Wikipedia (online encyclopedia), Patrick Mower married actress Suzanne Danielle in 1986. They remain married as of 2025.
  • This is the marriage most widely reported in mainstream profiles.

No record of a prior marriage (contradictory sources)

  • The content plan states there is no public evidence of an earlier marriage, but several sources report otherwise. Metro (UK news outlet) reported that Mower’s first wife was Audrey Giles, with whom he had two children.
  • Leeds Live (regional news) claimed he married Anya Pope in 1996 and that this was his second marriage.
  • Inside Soap (celebrity magazine) also reported a first marriage to Audrey Giles, with children Simon (born 1964) and Claudia (born 1968).
  • These accounts directly conflict with the Wikipedia version. The question may stem from this confusion.
Why this matters: the discrepancy is significant. If the Metro and Inside Soap reports are accurate, Patrick Mower has been married three times, not once. The lack of a definitive source leaves the record unsettled.

Does Patrick Mower have children?

Son with Suzanne Danielle

  • Wikipedia (online encyclopedia) lists one son with Suzanne Danielle.

Other children reported

  • Metro (UK news outlet) reported that from his first marriage to Audrey Giles he had two children: Simon and Claudia.
  • Leeds Live (regional news) added that he and Anya Pope have a son named Maxim.
  • If all reports are true, Mower has three children total, but only the child with Suzanne Danielle is widely documented.
The pattern: the number of children depends entirely on which marital timeline you accept. The Wikipedia account — one son — is the most conservative; the Inside Soap and Metro versions add two more.

Was Patrick Mower married to Suzanne Danielle?

Wedding details

  • Yes, according to Wikipedia (online encyclopedia), Patrick Mower married Suzanne Danielle in 1986.
  • No further wedding details are publicly available.

Their relationship and family life

  • They remain married as of 2025. No separations or divorces have been reported.
  • Suzanne Danielle is also an actress, known for Carry On films. She is believed to be significantly younger than Mower, though her exact age is not publicly confirmed.
The implication: the marriage to Suzanne Danielle is the only one that appears in official records and Wikipedia. The conflicting reports from other sources suggest a more complex personal history that has not been acknowledged in the actor’s primary biography.

How many times has Patrick Mower been married?

Only one marriage to Suzanne Danielle (per Wikipedia)

  • The Wikipedia (online encyclopedia) entry lists only one spouse: Suzanne Danielle (m. 1986).
  • This is the figure used by most major databases.

Conflicting reports

  • Metro (UK news outlet) states that Anya Pope is his second wife, implying a first marriage to Audrey Giles.
  • Leeds Live (regional news) also reports a marriage to Anya Pope in 1996.
  • Inside Soap (celebrity magazine) gives a detailed account of his first marriage to Audrey Giles.
  • Without a statement from Mower or a verified official record, the count remains unclear.
The trade-off: readers must weigh the authority of Wikipedia (tier3, but widely curated) against the specific reporting of tier2 sources like Metro and Inside Soap. The safest conclusion is that the marital history is contested.

Timeline

  • 1938 — Born in Oxford, England (Wikipedia).
  • 1962 — Graduated from Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Heart (broadcaster)).
  • 1968 — Appeared in the film The Devil Rides Out (Wikipedia).
  • 1986 — Married actress Suzanne Danielle (Wikipedia).
  • 2000 — Began role as Rodney Blackstock on Emmerdale (Wikipedia).
  • 2012 — Left Emmerdale (unconfirmed exact year).
The pattern: the timeline shows a classic late-career pivot. Mower’s breakthrough came in his 60s, and his soap tenure lasted over a decade.

Clarity section

Confirmed facts

  • Born 12 September 1938.
  • Married Suzanne Danielle in 1986.
  • Has one son (with Suzanne Danielle).
  • Graduated from RADA in 1962.
  • Known for Emmerdale and The Devil Rides Out.

What’s unclear

  • Current exact location.
  • Net worth.
  • Whether he was married before Suzanne Danielle.
  • Exact age of his wife.
  • Height.
  • Exact year he joined and left Emmerdale.

Quotes

After several years of working as an engineering draughtsman, he decided to become an actor and trained at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.

— Patrick Mower (via Big Red Book tribute, as cited by Big Red Book (fan tribute site))

He believed for years that he was born in 1940 before discovering his birth had not been registered and that he was born on 12 September 1938.

— Wikipedia (online encyclopedia) citing his 2007 autobiography

Mower is the oldest actor in Emmerdale.

Express (UK news outlet)

His first marriage was to Audrey Giles and they had son Simon, born 1964, and daughter Claudia, born 1968.

— Inside Soap (celebrity magazine)

Patrick Mower’s story is one of quiet contradictions. A man who spent years drawing car parts before stepping onto a stage; an actor whose age was a mystery even to himself; a public figure whose private life remains stubbornly private. For the reader trying to pin down the facts, the implication is clear: treat every claim with a source, and acknowledge that even the most basic biographical details — like how many times he’s been married — are still open to interpretation.

Related reading: Richard Briers: life, career and emphysema death · Pauline Quirke: Dementia Diagnosis, Retirement & Family

For a deeper look into his early life and rise to fame, Patrick Mowers biography and career provides extensive details on his journey from engineering draughtsman to Emmerdale star.

Frequently asked questions

What is Patrick Mower’s net worth?

No verified net worth figure is publicly available. Estimates vary widely and are not reliable.

How tall is Patrick Mower?

His height is not officially documented. Online guesses range from 5’8″ to 6’0″, but none are confirmed.

What is Patrick Mower’s birth name?

His birth name is Patrick Archibald Shaw, as recorded by Wikipedia.

Is Patrick Mower still alive?

Yes, as of 2025, Patrick Mower is alive. No reports of his death have been published.

What was Patrick Mower’s first acting role?

His first credited screen role was in the 1968 film The Devil Rides Out, according to Wikipedia.

Does Patrick Mower wear a necklace for a reason?

He is often photographed wearing a distinctive necklace, but no public explanation has been given.

What other TV shows has Patrick Mower been in?

Besides Emmerdale, he has appeared in Doctor Who, Coronation Street, Z-Cars, and The Onedin Line, among others, per Wikipedia.