Paul Matthews, later known as Paul Shelley, was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, to Henry Matthews, a shop steward, and his wife Kathleen. He was one of three siblings, with his older brother Francis Matthews also becoming an actor, famously voicing Captain Scarlet and playing the role of Paul Temple.
Paul Shelley's interest in acting began at university, where he graduated from RADA in 1966. He then pursued a successful career on the stage, initially with repertory companies and the Bristol Old Vic. He went on to have lengthy tenures with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre, performing notable roles such as Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, Edmund in King Lear, and title roles in Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra.
Shelley has also directed for the stage at the Theatre Royal in York and the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond. In addition to his stage work, he has been a prolific narrator and reader of audiobooks, earning three Audiophile Earphones Awards.
Shelley made his screen debut in a BBC adaptation of Nicholas Nickleby in 1968, followed by a role in A Tale of Two Cities in 1980. He then appeared in the World War II drama series Secret Army, which spawned a sequel, The Fourth Arm, in which he played a leading role.
Shelley has also had recurring roles in Paradise Postponed and Titmuss Regained, and has guest-starred in various TV shows, including Blake's 7, Doctor Who, and Midsomer Murders.
In his personal life, Shelley has been married to actress Paula Stockbridge since 1999. The couple met while on tour with a stage production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Shelley has spoken about their relationship, saying it developed over the snooker table, as they were the only two members of the company who played the game, and they would often play together in the afternoons.
