EastEnders’ Mark Fowler Jnr star appeared on the soap before – and fans are stunned
Stephen Aaron-Sipple made his first EastEnders appearance on New Year’s Day, as the mysterious ‘man’, who’d apparently managed to seduce Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa), leaving her with a big decision to make.
In the months following, we learned that he wasn’t simply ‘man’, he was, in fact, the new face of Mark Fowler Jnr, taking over the role from Ned Porteous. Tumbling through the front door of uncle Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), beaten half to death by the dangerous drugs gang he’d gotten himself wrapped up in.
Though, as a TikTok revealed this weekend, Mark isn’t the first character Stephen has embodied on the soap.
In fact, Stephen’s true Albert Square debut came all the way back in 2020, when he played a suave delivery driver, dropping a car off for Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy). ‘Keys are in the dash and there’s a note,’ he said, before heading away, as Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) teased Sonia as to whether or not he was her new boyfriend.
The clip made its way on to TikTok over the weekend, with fans shocked that Stephen had previously appeared on EastEnders prior to becoming Mark. ‘One thing about EastEnders, they’re going to recycle an actor!’ said a commenter. ‘I didn’t even know he had been on it before!’ said another.
Stephen Aaron-Sipple before EastEnders
Stephen previously took to Instagram to discuss his journey in the acting world, revealing that he’d worked as a firefighter prior to landing the role.
He uploaded a carousel of images, taken throughout his career in the emergency services. ‘Quick story…10 years ago I was a struggling actor…my daughter was born, and my family needed stability, a word not used very often in the acting world…’ he began the caption.
‘I was very lucky to be able to fulfil another childhood dream and became a London Firefighter…a job that has taught me so much about myself, about life, about loss, about gratitude…
‘It gave me a home away from home with some of the greatest, bravest and most giving people in the world…we experienced together, we rescued together, we mourned together, we laughed through the tough times and were shoulders through the tougher times…
‘Although I move onto the next chapter of my journey, to be able to tell stories, hopefully to entertain and intrigue people with my performances…I say goodbye to the place that helped me become the person I am.
‘F32 Stoke Newington Red Watch. I love you brothers and sisters, I hope I always make you proud. FF Sipple fall out’
He also used social media to display his stunning body transformation, having undertaken a new diet and exercise regime after being diagnosed with diabetes at age 29.
Stephen had previously discussed his health journey following the life-changing diagnosis with Men’s Health magazine in 2019: ‘I’ve always been a bit of a yoyo in terms of my weight. When my daughter was born, I piled on the weight very quickly because I suddenly stopped exercising, I was so tired!
‘Life outside of being a dad became about ease. Not exercising was the easy option. Getting takeaway was the easy option. I don’t like saying it about myself, but I chose the lazy option every time.
‘I didn’t realize at the time, but me choosing the easy option when I was tired was me digging myself into a deeper hole mentally and physically.’
‘I had abused my body so much that a part of it stopped working properly. An early death was the lightbulb moment I needed to really take back control of my health.
‘I read everything and anything to do with fitness and healthy eating, including Men’s Health, and honestly, the simplest way to lose weight is to eat a little less and exercise a little more. I know, shocking, right?’