Shaun Dooley was born 1974 in Barnsley. He is an English actor who played Ritchie Fitzgerald in Coronation Street between 1997 and 1998. He has appeared in many TV drama roles including as Tom Stuart in EastEnders, Peter Harper in the BBC drama series The Street and in 2010 had prime roles in Five Days on the BBC and Married, Single, Other on ITV. In September 2010 he renewed his association with the programme when he played Derek Bennett, Coronation Street 's first director in The Road to Coronation Street.