Mark Wingett

Last updated

Mark Wingett
Born
Mark Christopher Wingett

(1961-01-01) 1 January 1961 (age 62)
Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, England, UK
NationalityBritish
OccupationActor
Years active1979–present
PartnerSharon Martin
Children2

Mark Christopher Wingett (born 1 January 1961) is an English actor.

Contents

He is best known for his roles as PC/DC Jim Carver in The Bill and EastEnders as Mike Swann, Hollyoaks as Frank Symons and Heartbeat as Terry Molloy.

Acting career

Wingett was born in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. [1] His father was an officer in the Royal Navy, and the family moved to wherever he was stationed, including Malta and Singapore, but mostly in Portsmouth. [2] He attended Padnell Junior School in Cowplain, followed by Horndean Technology College (then known as Horndean Bilateral School).

Wingett wanted to act from his youth and joined the National Youth Theatre. His film debut came in 1979 when he played Dave, a reckless and rebellious mod, in Quadrophenia . Because the film was X-rated, he was too young to watch it legally. [2]

In 1983 he took a minor role as a local press reporter in Channel 4's Brookside before making his first appearance as PC Jim Carver in "Woodentop", which became the pilot episode for The Bill . He was one of four actors in "Woodentop" who returned in the series' first complete season. He played Jim Carver in around 780 episodes, from 1984 until his departure in 2005 which ended 21 years on The Bill. [3] Jim Carver was central to several major plotlines on The Bill, including the character's struggles with alcoholism, gambling and as a victim of domestic violence. [4] Wingett made a brief return in March 2007 to coincide with the departure of Trudie Goodwin, then the only other remaining original cast member. [5]

In 2005 he appeared in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders as Mike Swann, the father of Mickey Miller and Dawn Swann, initially for a week-long stint. [6] He returned to the soap in late 2005, leaving in March 2006. Also in 2005 he appeared as Terry Molloy, a London gangster who had turned Queen's evidence on his cohorts following a robbery in the Heartbeat episode A Fresh Start.

Wingett provides the voiceover for the British television version of the hit American TV series American Chopper aired on the Discovery Channel. He also appeared in the "Spartacus" episode of the BBC's Heroes and Villains as the gladiator trainer Lentulus Batiatus. [7]

In 2009, he appeared in the BBC daytime series Missing as Danny Hayworth alongside Pauline Quirke, returning to the programme for its second series in 2010. [8]

In 2018, he issued a privately-printed pamphlet 'Tattered Troubadour', a 36 page disquisition on the musician GG Allin at his own publishing house Nantz Press.

In addition to acting, Wingett has directed several stage productions. In 2010, he directed the play Good to Firm by Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood at the Customs House, South Shields. [3] In 2000, Wingett directed the play Lone Star by James McLure, in a production which toured Australia and starred his fellow Bill cast members Russell Boulter and Huw Higginson. [9]

Personal life

Wingett's partner is Sharon Martin, [10] a makeup artist. They have a daughter, Jamila, and a stepson Benny from Martin's previous relationship. [11] The couple separated in 2000 after Yvonne Williams, a fire-eater who had appeared on The Bill as an extra, went to the press detailing her affair with Wingett over a number of years, [12] but had reconciled by 2003 after a two-year separation. [11] They both worked on the 2012 film Snow White and the Huntsman , with Martin as head of the makeup department and Wingett playing the character of Thomas. [13]

Wingett is a keen scuba diver, fisherman, skier and wreck hunter. He started diving in 1984 at a sub-aqua club for London black cab drivers. [14]

Wingett's sister, Fiona Wingett, is a magazine editor. She was the editor of New Idea magazine in Australia in the mid-1990s, then returned to Britain to edit the Personal magazine for the Sunday Mirror . [15] His brother, Matthew Wingett, wrote several episodes of The Bill in the 1990s. [16] His first episode, "Thicker than Water" was submitted under the false name "Matthew Brothers", so that it would not receive favourable treatment because of their relationship. [17]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1979 Quadrophenia Dave
The Music Machine 2nd Heavy
1980 Breaking Glass Tony
1983Fords on WaterEddie
1996The Bill: Target DC Carver Video
2008JumpOscar ReeveShort film
Beyond the Rave Ed's DadVideo
Franklyn Frank Grant
2009Jenny & the WormMr. TulseShort film
2010Rough CutMan with dogShort film
2011 Intruders Dave
War of the Dead David Selzman
2012 Snow White and the Huntsman Thomas
Run for Your Wife Man outside café
2013 Dom Hemingway Man outside pub 2
Walking with the Enemy Sorenzi
Green Street 3: Never Back Down Pistol PeteVideo
2014Mr. TurnerMariner
The Lost ChoicesDave
2015DragonflyFrancis Grosvenor
Far from the Madding Crowd Bailiff No. 1
2016I Am HooliganRay - Justin's Father
Eliminators Police Sergeant
A Reason to BelieveHarry
2017Gypsy's KissRonShort film
BeingDoleyShort film
2018Dark Ditties Presents 'Finders Keepers'Frank Hardy
God's KingdomSimonShort film
Been So Long Mark - Bailiff
King of CrimeMarcus King
2019MashTonyShort film
Break ClauseGiles Davis
Beautiful in the MorningRoland
Dark Ditties Presents 'The Witching Hour'George Sinclair
2020Doll HouseJames
To Be Someone Tommy
The Invisible CollectionOscar SwindonShort film
2021The InterlopersUlrichShort film
Dead AgainBob
NavigatorGaryShort film
Dark Ditties Presents 'Dad'Reverend Alistair O'Brian
Dark Ditties Presents 'Stained'Frank Hardy
2023MercySlaughterman

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1979–1980The Ravelled ThreadBillyboy6 episodes
1980 Fox LeeEpisode: "Stick or Twist"
The Professionals Big PunkEpisode: "Mixed Doubles"
Caleb WilliamsFarmerMini-series, episode: "#1.2"
Play for Today 3rd YouthEpisode: "The Flipside of Dominick Hide"
1981 Private Schulz Walter Schmidt2 episodes: "#1.4" and "#1.5"
LadykillersAlfredEpisode: "Miss Elmore"
BBC2 Playhouse JohnnyEpisode: "The Grudge Fight"
1982 The World Cup: A Captain's Tale DeaneTelevision film
Take Three Women Kenneth2 episodes: "Avril" and "Kate, Avril and Victoria"
1983Storyboard Jimmy Carver Episode: "Woodentop" (Pilot for The Bill )
Brookside Reporter2 episodes: "Fundraising" and "Jeans"
1983–2007 The Bill PC/DC/DS Jim Carver Main role, 792 episodes
1986 C.A.T.S. Eyes RiderEpisode: "Honeytrap"
1990 Vic Reeves Big Night Out Episode: "New Year's Eve Big Night Out"
1999 Operation Good Guys The CorpseEpisode: "Forensics"
2005The Bill Uncovered: Jim's Story DC Jim Carver Television film
Heartbeat Terry MolloyEpisode: "A Fresh Start"
2005–2006 EastEnders Mike Swann 27 episodes
2008 Heroes and Villains BatiatusEpisode: "Spartacus"
Walter's WarTeam ManagerTelevision film
2009The All Star Impressions Show Marco Pierre White TV Special
2009–2010 Missing Danny Hayworth13 episodes
2010 Doctors Martin ProudfootEpisode: "Finding the Words"
2011 Banged Up Abroad Chris ChanceEpisode: "Daredevil Drug Runner"
2013 Hollyoaks [18] Frank Symes2 episodes
2014 Salting the Battlefield Football SupporterTelevision film
2016 The Tunnel MartyEpisode: "#2.5"
2017Ransom's LawDI Buttler13 episodes
2019 Vera John BraceEpisode: "The Seagull"
Call the Midwife Peter JessopEpisode: "#8.6"
2022Royal Autopsy Charles II Mini-series, Episode: "Charles II"

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References

  1. ↑ Mark Wingett at the British Film Institute [ better source needed ]
  2. 1 2 Kingsley, Hilary (1994). The Bill: The First Ten Years. London: Boxtree. ISBN   978-1852839574.
  3. 1 2 Lamb, Liz (8 September 2010). "Life after The Bill as star returns to the North". The Newcastle Journal. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  4. ↑ Eustice, Kerry Ann (2 January 2008). "Wingett makes his Mark in panto". News Shopper. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  5. ↑ Green, Kris. "487: Jim Carver returns to Sun Hill". Digital Spy. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  6. ↑ Green, Kris. "Ex-'Bill' actor to appear in 'EastEnders'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  7. ↑ "Episode 5: Spartacus". Heroes and Villains. BBC. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  8. ↑ "Missing". BBC Press Office. 14–20 March 2009. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  9. ↑ McKew, Maxine: The Bill turns 16, The 7.30 Report (ABC TV), 18 October 2000.
  10. ↑ The Times BFI London Film Festival -The Last King Of Scotland: Opening Gala, Getty Images, 18 October 2006.
  11. 1 2 Carroll, Sue (29 October 2003). "I stopped drinking but got addicted to sex.. it nearly cost me my world; EXCLUSIVE HOW BILL STAR MARK BEAT ALL HIS DEMONS". The Mirror. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  12. ↑ Wright, Matthew (15 June 2000). "O 'ELL O 'ELL; Two-timing Bill star Mark is booted out after wife discovers his double life". The Mirror. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  13. ↑ Index to Motion Picture Credits: SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 2012.
  14. ↑ Burstall, Emma (9 December 2006). "Get out more". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  15. ↑ Cowlett, Mary (10 September 1999). "MEDIA: Two leave Sunday Mirror mag". PR Week UK. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  16. ↑ "Biography".
  17. ↑ Lynch, Tony (1992). The Bill the inside story of the successful police series seen on ABC TV. London: Boxtree. ISBN   0-7333-0196-7.
  18. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 June 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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