Devoted soap opera viewers have been left stunned by an unexpected 'crossover' between two of Britain's biggest shows, EastEnders and Emmerdale. The surprise connection came to light following the announcement of a major character recast in Walford.
A Familiar Face Returns to Albert Square
Over the weekend, EastEnders confirmed the return of Mark Fowler Jr, the son of iconic characters Grant Mitchell and Michelle Fowler, to Albert Square. The role will now be played by actor Stephen Aaron-Sipple, who is set to join both sides of Mark's complex family, including his sister Vicki, played by Alice Haig.
This marks a significant recast for the character. During Mark's previous stint in Walford back in 2016, he was portrayed by actor Ned Porteous for a total of 13 episodes. Porteous, now 31, is far better known to soap fans for his role as the scheming businessman Joe Tate on ITV's Emmerdale.
Fan Reaction to the Soap Link
The revelation that the current Joe Tate once walked the halls of the Queen Vic has caused a minor shockwave on social media. Many fans had been completely unaware of Porteous's earlier EastEnders connection.
One astonished viewer wrote online: 'Still blows my mind that Ned Porteous was in #EastEnders before joining #Emmerdale as Joe Tate.' Another simply commented: 'Never knew Joe Tate was in EastEnders first.' A third echoed the sentiment, stating: 'Didn’t realise Joe was in EastEnders (Ned Porteous) and then he went to Emmerdale.'
New Beginnings and Past Appearances
Discussing his new role, Stephen Aaron-Sipple said: 'Having grown up in East London, EastEnders has been in my life since childhood and I’m excited to be joining not one, but two iconic Albert Square families! I’m looking forward to viewers seeing why Mark is back, and what Walford has in store for him.'
EastEnders executive producer Ben Wadey added: 'We are thrilled to welcome Stephen Aaron-Sipple to EastEnders and bring Mark back to Albert Square. Viewers had a glimpse of Mark in the New Years Day flashforward episode, with the circumstances around his upcoming involvement with the Brannings set to unfold throughout the year.'
As for Ned Porteous, his character Joe Tate was recently involved in a major storyline. He featured in 'Corriedale', a special one-off crossover event between Coronation Street and Emmerdale. In the plot, Joe was convinced by Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) to help save Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) from a kidnapper. The episode contained a huge twist with the surprise return of Joe's presumed-dead mentor, Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough).
This discovery highlights how many beloved soap stars have played smaller roles in rival shows before finding fame, with these early appearances often going under the radar until a surprising recast or plot twist brings them back into the spotlight.
