Mark Christopher Wingett (born 1 January 1961) is an English actor.
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.Mark Wingett at the British Film Institute 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. 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.
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. 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. Wingett made a brief return in March 2007 to coincide with the departure of Trudie Goodwin, then the only other remaining original cast member.
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. 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.
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.
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. 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.McKew, Maxine: The Bill turns 16, The 7.30 Report (ABC TV), 18 October 2000.
Personal life Wingett's partner is Sharon Martin,The Times BFI London Film Festival -The Last King Of Scotland: Opening Gala, Getty Images, 18 October 2006. a makeup artist. They have a daughter, Jamila, and a stepson Benny from Martin's previous relationship. 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, but had reconciled by 2003 after a two-year separation. 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., Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 2012.
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.
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. His brother, Matthew Wingett, wrote several episodes of The Bill in the 1990s. 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.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1979 Quadrophenia Dave The Music Machine 2nd Heavy 1980 Breaking Glass Tony 1983 Fords on Water Eddie 1996 The Bill: Target DC Carver Video 2008 Jump Oscar Reeve Short film Beyond the Rave Ed's Dad Video Franklyn Frank Grant 2009 Jenny & the Worm Mr. Tulse Short film 2010 Rough Cut Man with dog Short film2011 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 Pete Video 2014 Mr. Turner Mariner The Lost Choices Dave 2015 Dragonfly Francis Grosvenor Far from the Madding Crowd Bailiff No. 1 2016 I Am Hooligan Ray - Justin's Father Eliminators Police Sergeant A Reason to Believe Harry 2017 Gypsy's Kiss Ron Short film Being Doley Short film 2018 Dark Ditties Presents 'Finders Keepers''' | Frank Hardy
| God's Kingdom| Simon | Short film |- | Been So Long| Mark - Bailiff
| King of Crime| Marcus King
| rowspan=4 | 2019 | Mash| Tony | Short film |- | Break Clause| Giles Davis
| Beautiful in the Morning| Roland
| Dark Ditties Presents 'The Witching Hour| George Sinclair
| rowspan=3 | 2020 | Doll House | James
| To Be Someone | Tommy
| The Invisible Collection | Oscar Swindon | Short film |- | rowspan=5 | 2021 | The Interlopers | Ulrich | Short film |- | Dead Again | Bob
| Navigator | Gary | Short film |- | Dark Ditties Presents 'Dad''' | Reverend Alistair O'Brian
| Dark Ditties Presents 'Stained Frank Hardy 2023 Mercy Slaughterman
Television Year Title Role Notes 1979–1980 The Ravelled Thread Billyboy 6 episodes 1980 Fox Lee Episode: "Stick or Twist" The Professionals Big Punk Episode: "Mixed Doubles" Caleb Williams Farmer Mini-series, episode: "#1.2" Play for Today 3rd Youth Episode: "The Flipside of Dominick Hide" 1981 Private Schulz Walter Schmidt 2 episodes: "#1.4" and "#1.5" Lady Killers Alfred Episode: "Miss Elmore" BBC2 Playhouse Johnny Episode: "The Grudge Fight" 1982 The World Cup: A Captain's Tale Deane Television film Take Three Women Kenneth 2 episodes: "Avril" and "Kate, Avril and Victoria" 1983 Storyboard Jimmy Carver Episode: "Woodentop" (Pilot for The Bill) Brookside Reporter 2 episodes: "Fundraising" and "Jeans" 1983–2007 The Bill PC/DC/DS Jim Carver Main role, 792 episodes 1986 C.A.T.S. Eyes Rider Episode: "Honeytrap" 1990 Vic Reeves Big Night Out Episode: "New Year's Eve Big Night Out" 1999 Operation Good Guys The Corpse Episode: "Forensics" 2005 The Bill Uncovered: Jim's Story DC Jim Carver Television film Heartbeat Terry Molloy Episode: "A Fresh Start" 2005–2006 EastEnders Mike Swann 27 episodes 2008 Heroes and Villains Batiatus Episode: "Spartacus" Walter's War Team Manager Television film 2009 The All Star Impressions Show Marco Pierre White TV Special 2009–2010 Missing Danny Hayworth 13 episodes 2010 Doctors Martin Proudfoot Episode: "Finding the Words" 2011 Banged Up Abroad Chris Chance Episode: "Daredevil Drug Runner" 2013 Hollyoaks Frank Symes 2 episodes 2014 Salting the Battlefield Football Supporter Television film 2016 The Tunnel Marty Episode: "#2.5" 2017 Ransom's Law DI Buttler 13 episodes 2019 Vera John Brace Episode: "The Seagull" Call the Midwife Peter Jessop Episode: "#8.6" 2022 Royal Autopsy Charles II Mini-series, Episode: "Charles II"
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