Mark Fowler

Mark Fowler is a fictional character in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Mark, an original regular character when the series started in February 1985, became a semi-regular after his original actor David Scarboro was written out of the role in April 1985. Scarboro made brief returns to the role in 1986 and 1987. Scarboro died in April 1988 and subsequently Mark was recast two years later on his return, with former Grange Hill regular Todd Carty taking on the role. From this point the character was a permanent fixture in the series and Carty remained in the role until the character was written out of the series in early 2003. The character was originated as a member of the established Beale/Fowler family; he is the eldest son of Arthur (Bill Treacher) and Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard), and thus the older brother of Michelle (Susan Tully/Jenna Russell) and Martin (Jon Peyton-Price/James Alexandrou/James Bye). Initially a delinquent teenager from his early stint on the show, Mark was a changed man upon returning to Albert Square as a 22-year-old in 1990. Following his return, Mark became one of the programme's central protagonists and went on to feature in some of EastEnders' most significant and high-profile storylines. One such storyline saw Mark announce that he had been diagnosed with HIV, which forced him to grow up fast and accept his responsibilities. He frequently found it difficult to accept the restrictions of the illness, which ultimately led to his death in April 2004. Mark married thrice to Gill Fowler (Susanna Dawson), who had also contracted HIV and died on the day after their wedding; Ruth Fowler (Caroline Paterson), which ended in adultery; and Lisa Shaw (Lucy Benjamin). His other prominent storylines involved feuds with his archnemesis Nick Cotton (John Altman) and love rival Phil Mitchell...