It has been 30 years since Michelle Fowler left Walford to give birth to Mark Fowler Jr, who is now returning to the BBC soap. The role of Mark has been taken over by Stephen Aaron-Sipple, previously portrayed by Emmerdale's Ned Porteous in 2016. Mark made his first appearance during the recent New Year's Day flashforward episode, placing him at the heart of the Brannings' escalating drama.
Mark is the son of Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp) and Michelle Fowler, making him the half-sibling of Vicki and Courtney Mitchell. In 1995, Albert Square bid farewell to Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully), who moved to America, keeping her pregnancy with Grant's child a secret. Mark was born the following year, in 1996.
Susan Tully, who portrayed Michelle for a decade from the soap's first episode in February 1985, was at the centre of numerous high-profile storylines, including teenage pregnancy and scandalous affairs. Her illicit affair with Dirty Den (Leslie Grantham) resulted in the birth of Vicki Fowler. After leaving Walford in 1995, Susan chose to step away from acting and instead carved out a successful career behind the scenes as a director.
She has directed episodes for TV favourites such as The Bill, London's Burning, EastEnders, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Silent Witness, Stella, Britannia, Line of Duty, Strike, Maryland, Too Close, and the second series of Sky Atlantic's Tin Star. Now aged 58, Susan sports a chic bob, a stark contrast to Michelle's iconic shoulder-length curls.
Despite her success behind the scenes, fans are still keen to see her return as Michelle. However, the director has firmly stated that she has no intention of returning to the soap. When the decision was made to bring back Michelle in 2016, then-executive director Sean O'Connor confirmed that Susan had given her blessing to proceed without her. The role was subsequently handed over to Jenna Russell.
