William Simons is a Welsh actor, born in Swansea on 17 November 1940.
He started acting as a child, but he is best known for his role as Yorkshireman PC Alf Ventress in Heartbeat, a part he played for its entire 18-year run. Although he plays a heavy smoker in Heartbeat, Simons is a non-smoker in real life.He is mainly known as a policeman that lacks in the physical side but makes up for that with his 'local knowledge'. Ventress is the longest serving officer for much of the drama and often in a role as acting sergeant when Blacketon, Craddock and Merton are absent. In later series of the drama, Ventress is forced to retire from the force but continues as a civilian member of the team and also helps Oscar Blaketon (played by Derek Fowlds) in a private investigatory role.