Early Life and Education of Sean Bean: A Complete Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: November 7, 2025

How education and upbringing influenced the life of Sean Bean. A timeline of key moments.

Sean Bean is a celebrated English actor, renowned for his distinctive Yorkshire accent and compelling performances. He honed his craft at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and began his career with a role in Romeo and Juliet in 1983. Bean achieved widespread recognition for his portrayal of Richard Sharpe in the popular ITV series Sharpe (1993-1997), marking a significant turning point in his career and solidifying his status as a prominent figure in British television.

Sections (2)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education

April 1981: Married Debra James

On April 11, 1981, Sean Bean married Debra James, his secondary school sweetheart.

October 1987: First daughter born

In October 1987, Sean Bean and Melanie Hill had their first daughter.

1988: Divorced Debra James

In 1988, Sean Bean divorced Debra James.

February 1990: Married Melanie Hill

On February 27, 1990, Sean Bean married actress Melanie Hill, whom he met at RADA.

September 1991: Second daughter born

In September 1991, Sean Bean and Melanie Hill had their second daughter.

August 1997: Divorced Melanie Hill

In August 1997, Sean Bean and Melanie Hill's marriage ended in divorce.

November 1997: Married Abigail Cruttenden

On November 22, 1997, Sean Bean married actress Abigail Cruttenden, whom he met during the filming of Sharpe.

1997: Received honorary doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University

In 1997, Sean Bean received an honorary doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University.

November 1998: Daughter born

In November 1998, Sean Bean and Abigail Cruttenden had a daughter.

July 2000: Divorced Abigail Cruttenden

In July 2000, Sean Bean and Abigail Cruttenden's marriage ended in divorce.

2001: Opened Sheffield United's Hall of Fame

In 2001, Sean Bean opened the Hall of Fame for Sheffield United, the "Blades", the football club he has been a fan of since he was eight years old.

2002: Joined Sheffield United's board of directors

From 2002 to 2007, Sean Bean served on the board of directors for Sheffield United after making a six-figure contribution to the club's finances to help raise the profile of the club.

2006: Began dating Georgina Sutcliffe

In 2006, Sean Bean began dating actress Georgina Sutcliffe.

July 2007: Received Doctor of Letters from the University of Sheffield

In July 2007, Sean Bean received a Doctor of Letters in English Literature from the University of Sheffield.

2007: Stepped down from Sheffield United's board

In 2007, Sean Bean stepped down from Sheffield United's board of directors to "go back to being an ordinary supporter."

January 2008: Wedding to Sutcliffe Cancelled

In January 2008, Sean Bean and Georgina Sutcliffe cancelled their planned wedding on the eve of the ceremony for "personal reasons".

February 2008: Married Georgina Sutcliffe

On February 19, 2008, Sean Bean married Georgina Sutcliffe at the Marylebone Town Hall in London.

August 2010: Separation from Sutcliffe announced

On August 6, 2010, the separation of Sean Bean and Georgina Sutcliffe was announced.

December 2010: Divorce Granted

On December 21, 2010, Sean Bean and Georgina Sutcliffe's divorce was finalized.

2015: Expressed support for Jeremy Corbyn and "old Labour"

In 2015, aligned with the British left, Sean Bean expressed support for Jeremy Corbyn and for "old Labour," the era before Tony Blair rebranded the party as New Labour; Bean also spoke of his admiration for Tony Benn.

June 2017: Married Ashley Moore

On June 30, 2017, Sean Bean married Ashley Moore.

September 2019: Bean turns down roles where his character dies

In September 2019, Sean Bean revealed that he had begun turning down roles that would have his character killed because the pattern had become predictable.