Ian Kelsey was born to parents Julie (a window dresser) and John (a printer). He also has an older brother called David. He trained at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre York and graduated at The Guildford School of Music and Theatre. He divides his time between his London home and where Casualty is filmed in Bristol. His hobbies are golf and music, he supports the football team Barnsley and has a pet goldfish called Toby. He dislikes rudeness and arrogance and considers his worst habit to be smoking.