Todd Carty also known as Todd John Jennings (born Todd Robert Carty; 31 August 1963) is an English actor and director who has grown up on television screens in a variety of roles. His stage appearances have ranged from serious drama to pantomime, and he has worked on radio plays, voiceovers, commercials, narrations and films. He is best known for TV roles as Tucker Jenkins in Grange Hill (1978-1982) and Tucker's Luck (1983-1985), Mark Fowler in EastEnders (1990-2003), and PC Gabriel Kent in The Bill (2003-2005). Early life Carty was born in Willesden, London as Todd R Carty to an unmarried Irish mother, Margaret M. Carty, who hailed from Limerick. Margaret subsequently married Thomas Jennings in 1972 who later adopted Carty and legally changed his name to Todd John Jennings. Through his parents, Carty is a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. He grew up in Kilburn, West Hampstead and Harrow on the Hill, London. He has two younger sisters named Billie Joe and Bobby Sue, who respectively work as a lawyer and a teacher. Carty was educated at the Phildene Stage School, a co-educational independent school in Chiswick in West London. Career Early career Carty's first television appearance in the UK was in an advertisement for Woolworths at the age of four. He also had other advertising and Public Information Film roles, including one with Doctor Who actor Jon Pertwee for the "Green Cross Code". Carty made his first stage appearance at the New London Theatre, Drury Lane, London, as the young Lionel in Lionel Bart's autobiographical musical Lionel!; however, his career in his youth was mostly defined by his television role as Tucker Jenkins in the BBC children's drama Grange Hill (1978–1982) and the spin-off series Tucker's Luck (1983–1985). During the 1970s and 1980s, Carty also appeared in Z-Cars (1976), Our Mutual Friend, Drummer, and Headmaster, all for the BBC; and, for German TV, Focus on Britain and The Idle Bunch. His film work included Please Sir! (1971) and Professor Popper's Problem (1974). In 1983, he landed the role of Oswyn in the fantasy film Krull opposite Kenneth Marshall, Lysette Anthony, Liam Neeson, and Alun Armstrong, among others. EastEnders and The Bill Carty took over the role of original character Mark Fowler in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders in 1990, following the death of the original actor, David Scarboro. Carty played the role