David Paisley

Paisley is the son of author Janet Paisley, and is one of seven children. He was voted 'Britain's sexiest man' by readers of Gay Times magazine in 2003. He grew up in Glen Village near Falkirk. At 15 years of age, Paisley went to an LGBT group where he eventually met his first partner. At 17, he attended the University of Glasgow to study physics, during which time he appeared in a community workshop (part of 7:84 theatre company in Glasgow) and then studied Optometry at Glasgow Caledonian University. At 18, he came out to his family who were supportive and helped in his efforts campaigning against the Keep the Clause campaign. Paisley began acting as a teenage boy when he heard about an open audition for television drama Tinsel Town, a 1999-2000 television drama (co-produced by BBC Scotland and Raindog/Deep Indigo Productions). He went on to play one of the main characters, Ryan Taylor, the 17-year-old partner of a police officer.

Later, Paisley appeared in a few stage productions. Then in 2002, he landed the part of midwife Ben Saunders in BBC1's popular medical soap Holby City. Ben's kiss with his on-screen same-sex partner attracted 114 complaints from viewers.

In 2008, Paisley starred in the short film Sweat, which was screened at the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, and selected for screening at NewFest in New York, June 2008.

Paisley completed filming on his regular role as Rory Murdoch on BBC Scotland's River City, the son of gangster Lenny Murdoch and departed the show in 2009.

Paisley starred as 'Madam' Gary in the play The Backroom by Adrian Pagan at The Cock Tavern Theatre in Kilburn, London in March–May 2009, where he provided a 'particularly credible' performance as his 'nervy and paranoid' character.

In May 2009, he also starred as Michael in the successful stage production of Muhmah at the HighTide Festival. In 2009–10, he took to the stage again in the UK Tour of Over The Rainbow: The Eva Cassidy Story, in which he played the part of Dan Cassidy.

In 2010, he made his directorial debut with the play The Lasses, O (written by his mother Janet Paisley). at the Edinburgh Festival. He also starred as Rick in the 2010 horror film Unhappy Birthday.

In 2013, Paisley "starred" in a short film produced for the Dutch Film Festival called Fall-out, described as a post-apocalyptic romantic comedy.

In 2016, he played the role of Saki in Katherine Rundell's Life According to Saki at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe; the play went on to win the Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award and subsequently toured Off-off-Broadway.

In November 2019, he returned to River City as Rory Murdoch, back from the dead having faked his own suicide.