David Ashton (born "David Scott" on 10th November 1941 in Greenock, Scotland) appeared on Coronation Street in July 1985 as Norris Birchall, who enjoyed a holiday romance with Mavis Riley in Blackpool.
After five years of working in a bank, he trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.
His other television credits include roles in Z Cars, Judge Dee, The New Road, The Voyage of Charles Darwin, Maggie, Doctor Who, the regular role of Dr McDuff in Granada Television's Brass, Waterfront Beat, the regular role of Major Roddy Maclean in Hamish Macbeth, Glasgow Kiss, Always and Everyone, Waking the Dead, Sea of Souls, Vital Signs and New Tricks.
Film roles include Carry on Cowboy, Eye of the Needle, Indian Summer, Stiff Upper Lips, Tomorrow Never Dies, The House of Mirth, The Last King of Scotland and Rory's Way.
On stage, he began his career at Worcester Repertory Theatre and appeared in productions of A View from the Bridge, Black Comedy, Arms and the Man, The Bear, The Cherry Orchard, The Hostage, The Philanthropist, Hamlet and Happy as a Sandbag.
Radio appearances include Curlew in Autumn, Magnificat, The Afternoon Play and Last Night.
As writer as well as an actor, he has written for television, radio and the stage and his credits include Me...Dancing (in which he also appeared), The Old Ladies at the Zoo, Casualty, Freddie as F.R.O.7, EastEnders, God on the Rocks, Daziel and Pascoe, Thirty Minute Theatre, A Week with Grandfather, The Afternoon Play, Stations, Morning Story, The Windbear, Saturday-Night Theatre, Sherlock Holmes, Two Sisters, McLevy, Dr Finlay and several episodes of The Archers.
He has also written a series of books about his fictional radio detective, McLevy.