James Nelson-Joyce is back on our screens, and the internet has a collective new crush.
The Scouse actor is currently starring in season two of This City Is Ours, having returned to the cast as gang member Michael. It’s proven a successful series so far, with a twisty finale confirming that season three will be hitting our screens in the future.
Whether you’ve binge watched all of This City Is Ours season two or are patiently waiting for the next episode to air, there’s no denying that James Nelson-Joyce is a force to be reckoned with.
Where is he from? What else has he starred in? Is he still dating a certain Love Island star? Here’s the lowdown on This City Is Ours star James Nelson-Joyce.
Who is James Nelson-Joyce, and how old is he?
James Nelson-Joyce is a British actor, currently starring as Michael in BBC's This City Is Ours. His date of birth isn't widely known online, but it's thought he's currently around 36 or 37 years old.
Where is James Nelson-Joyce from?
James was born and raised in Orrell Park, Liverpool, where he still calls home. Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, he shared, 'People always say to me, "Oh, do you still live in Liverpool?" And I'm like, "Where else would I live?" Yeah, I could go and live where the weather is nicer or there are more fancier restaurants. But wherever it is, I'm not going to get Scousers, and that's the most important part. A city is only as good as the people that's in it.'
From a young age, a strong work ethic was drilled into James. He recently told The Big Issue, 'I started working on a building site with my dad when I was 13.' However, James went on to leave school without any qualifications - having not yet realized that he was dyslexic. It was only on the advice of his English teacher that James chose to pursue acting, going on to study at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre and Arts.
Throughout his career, James has listed Stephen Graham as one of his biggest inspirations. 'When a teacher said "You should be an actor," there was no one I knew to ask about it,' he told The Big Issue. 'Seeing Stephen Graham in The Street, a working-class voice in working-class clothes on working-class streets, is where I got bug for it.'
James has since gone on to work with Graham several times in his career. Opening up about what the Animol actor taught him, James shared, '[It] doesn't matter who you are, everyone brings something to the table. So it's about being respectful to everyone around you, showing up on time, prepared and ready to go.'
What else has James Nelson-Joyce appeared in? His career explained
Throughout his career, James has carved himself a nice niche as playing TV's tough guys and villains.
His first notable role was back in 2017, when he appeared in the ITV Liverpool based true-crime drama Little Boy Blue. He starred as teenage gang member James Yates, who provided the gun that killed 11 year old Rhys Jones.
In 2019, James landed a role playing the lead in the BAFTA nominated short film The Trap, directed by Game of Thrones legend Lena Headey. The following year, James once again reunited with Headey to star in a music video she was directing.
In 2021, James starred in six episodes of the BBC film series The Outlaws, before working alongside Stephen Graham and Sean Bean in the BBC prison drama Time. James has since appeared in The Gold, Sky Max’s British family gangster series A Town Called Malice, Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant, Industry, and appeared in an episode of the sci-fi anthology Black Mirror.
Last year, James reunited with Stephen Graham in A Thousand Blows, playing the boxer Edward ‘Treacle’ Goodson. It was also the year that he reunited with Sean Bean on This City Is Ours, with the Game of Thrones star playing Ronnie.
Is James Nelson-Joyce single? Inside his past relationships
Good news for anyone with a James-shaped hole in their hearts: the actor does appear to be currently single. At least, he hasn’t yet announced any relationship on social media…
James was previously engaged to Coronation Street actress and fellow Scouser Olivia Frances Brown. The pair announced their engagement in 2023, with Olivia later telling YM Liverpool that the couple chose to keep their careers outside of their romance. ‘We do read lines together, but we respect each other’s creative process,’ she explained. ’Sometimes it’s about giving each other space - creative work can be quite solitary. We both understand that, which is valuable in a partner.’
The pair split earlier this year, swiftly deleting all traces of each other from their Instagram accounts. A source at the time told The Sun that it was hectic schedules that led to their split, with the pair ‘struggling to make time in their diaries for each other.’
Earlier this year, James had a brief romance with Love Island star Samantha Kenny. The pair were first linked in June 2026, before parting ways the following month.
At the time, Samantha - who appeared on season 11 of Love Island back in 2024 - teased her relationship with James by posting a video of a mystery man applying her lip liner. Captioning it ‘Bafta nominee turned MUA,’ James could be heard saying, ‘I can’t do it when you’re talking, can I.”
Does James Nelson-Joyce have Instagram?
To keep up with James's life, you'll find him over on Instagram @jamesnelsonjoyce.
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Charlotte Roberts is a writer at Grazia UK. She spends her days covering everything celebrity, culture, and entertainment - from film review roundups to cast explainers.