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David Easter
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David Easter (born 11 November 1959) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Pat Hancock in Brookside, Pete Callan in Family Affairs, Gil Keane in Emmerdale, Mac Nightingale in Hollyoaks and Frank Fisher in The Bill.
Key Information
Early life
[edit]Career
[edit]Easter made his acting debut in the 1979 disco film The Music Machine. From 1984 to 1987 he played Pat Hancock on the soap opera Brookside. He has also acted in many theatre productions.[1] In the 1991 London Palladium revival production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat he played the role of Pharaoh & Levi, alongside Jason Donovan and Linzi Hateley.
He played Pete Callan in the television soap opera Family Affairs from 1997 to 2005. He has also appeared on Lily Savage's Blankety Blank[2] and guest starred in episodes of Birds of a Feather, The Bill, Holby City and Doctors. In 2011, he appeared in the films How to Stop Being a Loser and Kill Keith.
On 21 November 2013, he made his first appearance as a recurring character in the ITV soap, Emmerdale. His character is a businessman named Gil Keane, who deals with Declan Macey's growing financial problems. He joined the cast of Channel 4 soap, Hollyoaks in May 2015, as Mac Nightingale, the mystery husband of bipolar sufferer, Cindy Cunningham (Stephanie Waring). They married during one of her bipolar episodes and he arrived asking for a divorce, on her wedding day to Dirk Savage (David Kennedy). In 2019 Easter left Hollyoaks when Mac fell victim to serial killer Breda McQueen.
Personal life
[edit]Easter was married to Denise Welch from 1985 to 1988.[3]
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | The Music Machine | Howard | |
| 1984 | Give My Regards to Broad Street | Apache Dancer | |
| 1984–1987 | Brookside | Pat Hancock | Series regular |
| 1989 | Three Up, Two Down | Rob | Main Cast |
| 1990 | Bread | Agent | |
| 1994 | Birds of a Feather | Warren | |
| 1996 | Bad Boys | Darren Appleton | |
| 1997–2005 | Family Affairs | Pete Callan | Series regular |
| 1999 | The Harpist | Music Critic | Guest role |
| 2004 | The Bill | Frank Fisher | Recurring role |
| 2007 | Holby City | Greg Marsh | |
| 2008 | Doctors | Rick Steedman | Guest role |
| 2009 | The Tudors | Watchman | |
| 2010 | Material Girl | Nick | Guest role |
| 2011 | Kill Keith | Cliff | Main role |
| 2011 | How to Stop Being a Loser | Mr Johnson | Main role |
| 2013 | Emmerdale | Gil Keane | Recurring role |
| 2015–2019 | Hollyoaks | Mac Nightingale | Series regular |
References
[edit]- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Lily Savage's Blankety Blank. 25 March 2001. ITV.
- ^ Denise Welch (13 September 2012). Starting Over. Pan Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-283-07171-3.
External links
[edit]- David Easter at IMDb
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David Easter
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Early life
Upbringing in Hampshire
David Easter was born on 11 November 1959 in Eastleigh, Hampshire, England.[1][7] Public information on his family background and childhood remains limited, with few details emerging about his personal life during the 1960s in the Hampshire region. No verified accounts describe specific family circumstances or early influences in Eastleigh, a town known for its post-war suburban development and working-class communities at the time.Education and training
David Easter was born on 11 November 1959 in Eastleigh, Hampshire.[1] His upbringing in this region motivated him to seek formal training in acting.[8] Following secondary school, Easter enrolled at the Manchester Polytechnic School of Speech and Drama (now part of Manchester Metropolitan University), where he honed his foundational skills in speech, drama, and performance techniques essential for a professional career.[8] Although some less authoritative sources mention training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), verified biographical details confirm his primary education occurred at Manchester Polytechnic.[8] These early experiences bridged his local upbringing to structured drama studies.Career
Early theatre and television work
David Easter made his screen debut in the 1979 British musical drama film The Music Machine, directed by Ian Sharp, where he played the supporting role of Howard alongside leads Gerry Sundquist and Patti Boulaye.[9] The film, often described as a British take on disco culture akin to Saturday Night Fever, marked his entry into professional acting following his dramatic training.[9] Building on his education at Manchester Polytechnic School of Speech and Drama, Easter's early professional efforts centered on theatre, where he performed in various stage productions during the late 1970s and early 1980s.[8] These experiences provided foundational opportunities in repertory companies, honing his skills before transitioning to more prominent television roles.[8] Prior to his breakthrough in soap operas, Easter had limited credited television appearances, primarily minor parts that reflected his emerging presence in the industry.[1]Soap opera roles
David Easter's breakthrough in soap operas came with his role as Pat Hancock, a hospital porter, in the Channel 4 series Brookside from 1984 to 1987. Hancock's storylines reflected the show's emphasis on everyday struggles in a Liverpool cul-de-sac, including workplace tensions and community conflicts that helped establish Brookside as a pioneering British soap known for its social realism.[10][11] After building experience in theatre, Easter took on the part of Pete Callan in Channel 5's Family Affairs from 1997 to 2005, portraying a central antagonist whose manipulative schemes and criminal activities drove much of the series' drama. As the long-serving villain, Callan's arcs involving extortion, infidelity, and violence solidified his status as a key figure in retaining the show's audience amid its eight-year run.[12] In late 2013, Easter appeared in ITV's Emmerdale as Gil Keane, a wealthy businessman who entered the village as a potential investor in Declan Macey's struggling enterprises and pursued a brief romance with Megan Macey. His six-episode stint from November to December added intrigue to ongoing financial and romantic tensions in the soap.[13] Easter returned to soaps with the role of Mac Nightingale in Channel 4's Hollyoaks starting in May 2015, playing the dysfunctional family patriarch whose storylines delved into themes of control, abuse, and fractured relationships within the Nightingale clan. Mac's complex arc included grooming his son's fiancée, orchestrating betrayals, and later grappling with guilt and redemption efforts upon his 2018 return, culminating in his murder by serial killer Breda McQueen in March 2019 after departing in December 2017. This multifaceted portrayal underscored Easter's versatility in depicting layered antagonists and contributed to Hollyoaks' signature blend of high-stakes family drama.[14][15]Later projects and other media
Following his prominent soap opera roles, which provided a foundation for diverse opportunities, David Easter expanded into guest appearances across various British television series. In 2004, he portrayed Frank Fisher in a recurring capacity on The Bill, a long-running police procedural drama. He later guest-starred as Greg Marsh in an episode of Holby City in 2007, playing a character entangled in the hospital's medical intrigue. In 2008, Easter appeared as Rick Steedman in Doctors, a BBC daytime soap where his role involved a brief but pivotal storyline on personal crises. Easter ventured into film with supporting roles that showcased his versatility in comedy and drama. He played Cliff in the 2011 horror-comedy Kill Keith, a low-budget production centered on a chaotic pursuit involving television personality Keith Chegwin, directed by Andy Thompson. That same year, he appeared as Mr. Johnson in How to Stop Being a Loser, a coming-of-age comedy about a young man's awkward romantic pursuits. In more recent years, Easter continued to take on varied television projects, including a role as Jack Daniels in the 2020 web series Cockney and Scouse, a gritty drama exploring East End and Liverpool underworld tensions, which he co-created and wrote for multiple episodes. His latest credited role came in 2024 as Will in The Miner's Son, an independent film set against the 1984 miners' strike, depicting a rock band's struggles with deception and hardship. These endeavors highlight Easter's ongoing contributions to both acting and writing in independent British media.Personal life
Marriage to Denise Welch
David Easter and Denise Welch met in the late 1970s through connections in the British acting community, where both were beginning their careers in television and theatre. At the time, Welch was 20 years old and Easter was 18; their relationship developed quickly amid the challenges of young adulthood and financial instability in the industry. Approximately six months into dating, Welch became pregnant, but the couple mutually decided to terminate it, as neither felt prepared for parenthood, with Easter providing support throughout the process.[16] The pair married in October 1983. The following year, Easter joined the cast of the soap opera Brookside as Pat Hancock, a role that marked an early highlight in his television career.[17] Welch, also building her acting resume with guest roles, shared the professional environment of soap operas and stage work during this period. Their union, however, proved short-lived, ending in divorce in 1988 after five years together.[18] Welch has since spoken publicly about the marriage's dissolution, attributing it primarily to Easter's infidelity, which she discovered during their relationship. In later interviews, she expressed ongoing hurt over his quick transition to a new partnership and the birth of a daughter with another woman shortly after their split, a development that intensified her emotional recovery.[11][16]Subsequent relationships
Following his divorce from Welch, Easter entered a relationship with model Tina Bond around 1987. The couple were together for about ten years until splitting circa 1997, and they have a daughter together.[11] As of 2013, Easter was in a relationship with Bozenka and they had a son, Angelo, born circa 2008.[19]Health and privacy
In March 2020, amid the initial COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom, David Easter publicly revealed that he had entered a rehabilitation facility in Kent to address his long-standing battle with alcoholism. He stated that he had been struggling with the addiction for over 20 years and was isolating there for treatment focused on substance abuse.[20][21] Later that year, Easter shared further details about his health challenges, including a suicide attempt in January 2020 following decades of alcohol and drug dependency rooted in childhood trauma. He credited the Kenward Trust, a Kent-based charity supporting addiction recovery, for providing the counseling and rehab that led to his sobriety, marking 10 months alcohol-free by December.[22][23] Easter has maintained a relatively low public profile in recent years, prioritizing time with close family and friends while continuing his career in acting.Filmography
Television appearances
David Easter's television career spans several decades, beginning with his early role in the long-running soap opera Brookside and encompassing guest appearances in various series alongside major soap roles in Family Affairs, Emmerdale, and Hollyoaks. His credits include both recurring characters and one-off guest spots, often portraying working-class or antagonistic figures. Below is a chronological overview of his key television appearances.| Year(s) | Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984–1987 | Brookside | Pat Hancock | Recurring role as a cheeky young resident; appeared in over 200 episodes. |
| 1989 | Three Up, Two Down | Rob | Guest role in 3 episodes of the BBC sitcom. |
| 1990 | Bread | The Agent | One episode guest appearance in the Liverpool-set comedy series. |
| 1990 | The Bill | Gary Canning | One-episode guest role in the ITV police procedural. |
| 1994 | Birds of a Feather | Warren | Guest role in the episode "Puppy Love" of the BBC sitcom. |
| 1997–2005 | Family Affairs | Pete Callan | Lead role as a volatile family man and villain; appeared in 212 episodes until the character's death. |
| 2004 | The Bill | Frank Fisher | Guest appearances in multiple episodes of the ITV police procedural. |
| 2007 | Holby City | Greg Marsh | Guest role in the BBC medical drama. |
| 2008 | Doctors | Rick Steedman | One-episode guest role in the BBC daytime soap. |
| 2009 | The Tudors | Watchman #2 | One-episode appearance in the Showtime historical series. |
| 2013 | Emmerdale | Gil Keane | Guest role as a businessman across 6 episodes (November–December). |
| 2015–2019 | Hollyoaks | Mac Nightingale | Recurring role as a pub landlord and antagonist; appeared in 230 episodes. |
| 2020 | Cockney and Scouse | Jack Daniels | Lead role in the TV series (8 episodes). |