| Marcus Dean | |||||||||
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| Emmerdale character | |||||||||
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| Portrayed by | Darcy Grey | ||||||||
| Duration | 2022–23 | ||||||||
| First appearance | 3 February 2022 | ||||||||
| Last appearance | 21 February 2023 | ||||||||
| Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||
| Introduced by | Jane Hudson | ||||||||
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Marcus Dean is a fictional character from the British soap opera Emmerdale, played by Darcy Grey. The character and casting were announced in January 2022, with Grey making his first appearance as Marcus on 3 February 2022. Grey was happy to be cast on the soap and believed that he and the character shared many similarities. Marcus was introduced as the estranged son of former character Pierce Harris (Jonathan Wrather) after being contacted by Pierce's former wife, Rhona Goskirk (Zoë Henry). Marcus' arrival initially causes issues for Rhona and her relationship with Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock). Following Pierce's death, Marcus begins a romance with Ethan Anderson (Emile John) and decides to remain in the village. Rhona initially does not want Marcus to stay but changes her mind when she realises that he is not like his father. Marcus and Ethan's relationship strengthens and the two move in together.
Marcus is later sexually harassed by Ethan's boss, which puts a strain between the couple. In early 2023, it was announced by Emmerdale producers that Ethan and Marcus' relationship would end in order to create new storylines for Ethan's family. Shortly afterwards, it was announced that Grey would be departing the soap as Marcus in order to explore new acting roles. Marcus ends up cheating on Ethan which leads to their breakup, and he departs the village shortly afterwards. For his role as Marcus, Grey was shortlisted for the 2022 British Soap Award for Best Newcomer. Marcus received positive reception when he debuted on the soap, and several critics have noted the resemblance between Marcus and Pierce. Critics initially praised Ethan and Marcus' relationship and believed that they were a strong couple. However, Marcus' cheating and his low-key departure were criticised, with some believing that the character had more potential.