Tommy Jessop is no stranger to firsts.
He was the first actor with Down syndrome to lead in a prime-time BBC drama (2007’s Coming Down The Mountain, starring alongside Nicholas Hoult), to play Hamlet in a professional theatre production and to be selected as a voting member of BAFTA.
Many other acting roles, including in the popular police drama series Line Of Duty, have made him a household name.
Now, he is celebrating another first with the publication of his debut memoir – A Life Worth Living: Acting, Activism And Everything Else.
“My main reason for writing my memoir is for other people to understand us a bit better,” Jessop, 38, says over Zoom from the home he shares with his parents near Winchester in Hampshire. “To see how we think and feel, and to see we are no different from other people.”
People with Down syndrome are born with an extra chromosome and will have some level of learning disability. But Jessop is “a man on a mission” to show that this often doesn’t mean what people might assume.
“Let us surprise you,” he writes in the book. “A doctor once said I would never learn to read, but I ended up playing Hamlet – and now I’m writing a book.”
He has long been a fan of other people’s memoirs – “I am currently halfway through reading Rafa’s autobiography,” he reveals (Rafael Nadal is his favourite tennis player) – saying he has always been “intrigued by other people’s lives”.
Writing his own is another step in his “mission” to debunk myths around learning disabilities and show that everyone has the right to follow their talents and passions.
He spent around six months working on it, often typing on his laptop for a few hours first thing in the morning, fitting it in around other work commitments – which include filming, campaigning and public speaking.
How did he feel looking back on his own journey so far?
“I’m proud and honoured, looking back on my career,” he says, citing “doing my own stunt work” for various filming projects as one of many highlights. He’s also grateful for the opportunity to “get my feelings out into the open” and reflect on his campaigning work: “It all makes me even more alive and free.”
In 2021, Jessop – who is also an ambassador for the charity Mencap and patron of the National Down Syndrome Policy Group – helped campaign for the passing of the new Down Syndrome Bill, which saw him speak outside Parliament, among other things.
He describes it in the book as the “most important campaign” he’s been part of, writing: “Because for too long people ignored our gifts and hid us away. We didn’t learn anything and did not have jobs or get married. The Down Syndrome Act is to make sure everyone with Down syndrome gets a proper education, with teachers understanding how we learn, better healthcare and real employment opportunities.”
Campaigning for healthcare equality for people with learning disabilities is a key part of Jessop’s mission. The book delves into what this means and the tragic consequences some families have experienced. He filmed a BBC Panorama programme on the topic in 2022, called Will The NHS Care For Me?, investigating why people with a learning disability are “more than twice as likely to die from avoidable causes than the rest of the population”.
Luckily, Jessop says he enjoys keeping busy and seems to have a natural knack for embracing joy. The book is also peppered with humour, snapshots of fun family life, laughter and glitzy showbiz moments.
“I do tend to not look on the bad side of life,” he agrees. “I try to focus on the good things that might be happening.”
He acknowledges that his curiosity and “being intrigued by knowing other people’s emotions and feelings” are a skill, feeding into his acting, his motivation as a campaigner, and simply making life richer. His family – Jessop also has a brother and sister – plus friends, fans and professional connections are very important to him.
“My connections are about seeing the good in people, and the goodness I bring to their life as well,” he says. “It’s about bringing more goodness into the world, being a peacemaker, and being a man on a mission to dig out the skills and talents that others have and bring that out into the world.”
Jessop’s love of performing started early – by his teenage years, it was clear this was something he wanted to pursue. Only a couple of theatre companies in the country were available for actors with Down syndrome at the time, but they were too far away for Jessop – so eventually, in 2005, his mum founded Winchester’s Blue Apple Theatre. Acting remains his “greatest passion in life” and he has big goals (some of which are “top secret” for now).
“I’ve always been intrigued by how the process of theatre works and going behind the scenes. I’m also intrigued by how the camera works, as much as I enjoy being in front of the camera as well,” he says.
Recalling one of his early theatre performances, he adds: “It was a huge feeling to make the audience laugh and cry and shout and swear, and all for the love of it.”
How does he switch off when he’s not working? “I enjoy research time on my iPad and phone. And listening to music, I also go to my singing group and enjoy dancing and watching TV.”
A keen Newcastle United supporter, he says he loves “the drama” of watching sports. Working on his own fitness was a resolution this year.
“Myself and my dad participate in a fitness regime. Two days a week, we do warm-ups and weights, working on core strength and cardio. I enjoy walking as well. My New Year’s resolution is going strong,” he shares. “I’ve got a health app on my phone, which I’ve found useful.”
Does he ever get nervous before doing public speaking? “Not really. It’s quite rare that I do get nervous. The adrenalin rush will be pumping!”
The secret to confident public speaking, he says, “Is just to say what really is on your mind. And to explore and try to express your feelings a bit more.”
At 38, what advice would he give his younger self?
“Enjoy your life, live your life to the full. And don’t worry, be happy, is the main message.”
It’s a message he extends to everyone, including all young people with learning disabilities.
“Believe in yourself and be kind,” says Jessop. “Find your own gifts and talents and use them in the world, and live your life to the full.”
A Life Worth Living by Tommy Jessop is published by Wildfire, priced £20. Available July 6.
