Phil Mitchell’s nephew Mark Fowler Jr has returned to EastEnders after more than a decade away from Walford, with Stephen Aaron-Sipple taking over the role from Ned Porteous.
Mark Fowler Jr has made his return to EastEnders after being away from Albert Square for more than a decade. When viewers last saw him in Walford, he was struggling to come to terms with a bombshell DNA discovery.
Mark Jr is the son of Michelle Fowler and the brother of Vicki Fowler, making him the nephew of the late Mark Fowler and Martin Fowler, as well as the grandson of Pauline and Arthur Fowler. However, a dramatic twist in 2016 revealed that his biological father was actually Grant Mitchell, meaning Courtney Mitchell is his sister.
The character was previously played by Ned Porteous, who portrayed Mark Jr ten years ago and has since gone on to become well known for his role as Emmerdale villain Joe Tate.
The role has now been recast, with Stephen Aaron-Sipple taking over, reports the Mirror. Mark made his on-screen return at the end of Thursday’s episode (January 22) and is set to share scenes with his uncle Phil Mitchell and aunt Sam Mitchell, as well as sister Vicki.
Next week, Phil confronts his nephew over his sudden reappearance, while Vicki also presses Mark for answers.
The biggest question surrounding his return is his mysterious link to the Branning family. Mark actually appeared on screen weeks before viewers learned his true identity.
He was first seen as an unnamed character during Max Branning’s flash-forward on New Year’s Day, which offered fans a glimpse of events set in 2027. In the episode, he appeared unusually close to the Brannings, standing alongside Oscar Branning and speaking with Jack Branning following Max’s arrest.
The reason for this intriguing connection has yet to be revealed, but his January appearance ahead of the official casting announcement sparked widespread speculation and fan theories.
Some viewers suspected Stephen Aaron-Sipple was playing Mark, while others believed the role could be a recast of Joey Branning.
Fans are now speculating that Mark could become involved in an affair with Lauren Branning, which may help explain his mysterious connection to the Brannings — especially as Lauren appears to be hiding something in the flash-forward scenes.
Current spoilers suggest Mark is heavily involved in supporting Vicki during her court case against her attacker and stepson, Joel Marshall. Viewers will also see scenes with Phil Mitchell, which may finally reveal what Mark has been dealing with during his time away, and whether he is prepared to embrace his extended family — if he hasn’t already done so.
When Mark left Walford, he had only just learned that Grant Mitchell was his father, and no real father-son relationship had been formed, with Grant apparently keeping the truth from his daughter Courtney.
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