‘Emmerdale’: Turmoil for Rhona as Pierce’s son Marcus arrives in the village
Emmerdale newcomer Darcy Grey says being offered the role of Marcus Dean was 'one of those pinch-yourself moments we actors simply dream of'.
He joins the ITV soap on Thursday, 3 February, as the son of murderer Pierce Harris (Jonathan Wrather), and Emmerdale mainstay Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry) will be forced to confront her past when he turns up.
Viewers will recall that Rhona married Pierce back in 2017, but he went on to rape her same day. She bravely reported him to the police and he was jailed.
Then in 2020, we discovered he had been released, returning to stalk Rhona. Pierce held her friend Vanessa Woodfield (Michelle Hardwick) hostage in her own home, and it was revealed he had murdered Rhona’s partner Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough).
Read more: Next week on Emmerdale
It was Rhona who put a stop to Pierce’s reign of terror for a second time, and he was once again sent to prison. But now his presence is set to haunt her once again in the form of his so.
Darcy Grey shares his father Pierce’s brooding good looks — but is that where the similarities end? Viewers will be wondering what kind of upbringing Marcus has had, and what kind of person he is as a result.
Rhona has been able to move on with her life since her ordeals at the hands of Pierce, who is still in prison for his crimes. She is content in her relationship with Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) and together they have set up a strong family unit with their son Leo and Marlon’s daughter April.
But as the arrival Marcus causes her to relive her trauma, could Rhona’s happy future be under threat if she lets him into her life?
Emmerdale producer Kate Brooks says: “Marcus' arrival will certainly ruffle a few feathers and flutter a few hearts in the village. However, people will soon realise there's more to Marcus than merely being the son of Pierce.
“But will our villagers give him a chance, or will he be forever doomed to live in the shadow of his father's heinous crimes? We're delighted to welcome Darcy to the show and we're sure he'll certainly make quite the impression on villagers and viewers alike.”
Speaking about his role, Darcy Grey adds: “When my agent sent me the character of Marcus Dean, I was quietly smiling inside. We share so many similarities, both the good — and perhaps — some of the bad! I thought "I know who this kid is".
"To then get the call to say that the role was mine was one of those pinch-yourself moments we actors simply dream of.
“For Marcus, the battle of being torn between wanting to forget his relationship with his Dad but also ultimately, wanting to simply be loved is a challenge many of us face, and one that I hope I can bring some truth to.
"He is such an open book, with such an uncertain future that I just can't wait for you all to see where his journey in the village takes him!”
Marcus will appear on Emmerdale from Thursday 3 February. Watch the latest Emmerdale spoilers below.
