Beppe Di Marco
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Beppe di Marco is a fictional character from the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
soap opera A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...
''
EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the ...
'', played by Michael Greco. He made his first appearance on 29 January 1998, but was axed by executive producer John Yorke in 2002, with his final scene airing on 4 June 2002. The character, alongside his family, first arrived in
Albert Square Walford is a fictional borough of East London in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. It is the primary setting for the soap. ''EastEnders'' is filmed at Borehamwood in Hertfordshire, towards the north-west of London. Much of the location work i ...
as a police officer who is depicted to be his family's pride and joy. His story arc commenced with Beppe becoming sworn enemies with the square's local hardman Grant Mitchell (
Ross Kemp Ross James Kemp (born 21 July 1964) is an English actor, author, and television presenter. He rose to prominence in the role of Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. His other roles include Graham Lodsworth in ''Emmerdale'' and ...
) - up to the point where he develops romantic feelings towards Grant's estranged wife Tiffany (
Martine McCutcheon Martine Kimberley Sherrie McCutcheon (formerly Ponting, born 14 May 1976) is an English actress and singer. She began appearing in television commercials at an early age and made her television debut in the children's television drama '' Bluebir ...
); clashes with his older brother
Phil Phil may refer to: * Phil (given name), a shortened version of masculine and feminine names * Phill, a given name also spelled "Phil" * Phil, Kentucky, United States * Phil (film), ''Phil'' (film), a 2019 film * -phil-, a lexical fragment, used as ...
( Steve McFadden); and forms a relationship with their younger sister Sam ( Danniella Westbrook). Eventually, their feud culminates with Beppe being fired from the police force for attempting to frame Grant for Tiffany's murder - before he later witnesses Grant leaving the country upon learning that the latter faked his death from his criminal job with Phil. Soon afterwards, Beppe proceeded to establish a business partnership with Phil and Grant's enemy Steve Owen (
Martin Kemp Martin John Kemp (born 10 October 1961) is an English musician and actor, best known as the bassist in the new wave band Spandau Ballet and for his role as Steve Owen in ''EastEnders''. He is the younger brother of Gary Kemp, who is also a ...
) - which subsequently contributes to the character's other storylines that involves seeking to rebuild his fatherhood; a custody battle with old lover Sandra ( Clare Wilkie) over the well-being of their son Joe (Jake Kyprianou); exhibiting a minor STD condition; and its contribution to his romance with a local resident, Lynne Slater ( Elaine Lordan), that sparks the character becoming love rivals with her would-be husband Garry Hobbs (
Ricky Groves Richard Groves (born 23 April 1968) is an English actor best known for playing Garry Hobbs in ''EastEnders'' from 2000 to 2009, before making a brief return in 2025. Before his role in ''EastEnders'' he appeared in the series ''Burnside (TV se ...
). Beppe ends up leaving the square for his mother's funeral.


Character creation and development

The Italian di Marco family were introduced early in 1998 by Series Producer
Jane Harris Jane Harris may refer to: * Jane Harris (producer), British television director and producer * Jane Harris (writer) (born 1961), British writer of fiction and screenplays * Jane Harris (''Neighbours''), a fictional character in the Australian so ...
. The di Marcos were a family of eight, consisting of grandparents
Bruno Bruno may refer to: People and fictional characters * Bruno (name), including lists of people and fictional characters with either the given name or surname * Bruno, Duke of Saxony (died 880) * Bruno the Great (925–965), Archbishop of Cologn ...
and Luisa ( Leon Lissek and Stella Tanner), their daughter-in-law Rosa, her children Beppe, Gianni, Teresa and Nicky, and Beppe's young son Joe. They were heralded as the "family that would rival the Mitchells", one of the most successful and long-running families to have been featured in ''EastEnders''. According to author Rupert Smith, the di Marcos "landed with an almighty thud in January
998 Year 998 ( CMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – Otto III retakes Rome and restores power in the papal city. Crescentius II (the Younger) and his followers ...
turning out in force for the funeral of patriarch Giuseppe", who was Rosa's husband and an old business associate of the character George Palmer. The following month, the family moved to the area in which the soap is set,
Walford Walford is a fictional borough of East London in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. It is the primary setting for the soap. ''EastEnders'' is filmed at Borehamwood in Hertfordshire, towards the north-west of London. Much of the location wor ...
, to run an Italian restaurant, which was named Giuseppe's. The di Marcos remained with the show as a unit until 2000, when the new executive producer, John Yorke, decided to cull the majority of the family. All except Beppe and his son Joe were written out. They were reportedly "slaughtered because of a shortage of ideas for what to do with them". A source allegedly told '' The Mirror'': "It's always unpleasant having to say goodbye to people who have given loyal service to the show for a number of years. But John Yorke feels it's time to make his mark on the show. Every new producer likes to do the same. John wants to introduce a new family later this year and felt the Di Marcos had nowhere else to go. Their storylines were beginning to feel tired and that's a good time to make such a drastic change." However, an official BBC spokesperson at the time commented: "These changes are just part of ohn Yorke'splans to revamp the series and give it a new look." The cuts paved the way for the arrival of the popular
Slater A slater, or slate mason, is a tradesperson who covers buildings with slate. Tools used The various tools of the slater's trade are all drop-forged. The slater's hammer is forged in one single piece, from crucible-cast steel, and has a lea ...
family. Beppe and Joe remained until 2002, when they were axed too.


Storylines

Beppe first appears in
Albert Square Walford is a fictional borough of East London in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. It is the primary setting for the soap. ''EastEnders'' is filmed at Borehamwood in Hertfordshire, towards the north-west of London. Much of the location work i ...
for the funeral of his late father, Giuseppe, in January 1998. There, he is acquainted with two other attendees; Peggy Mitchell (
Barbara Windsor Dame Barbara Windsor (born Barbara Ann Deeks; 6 August 193710 December 2020) was an English actress, known for her roles in the Carry On (franchise), ''Carry On'' films and for playing Peggy Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders''.
), the landlady of the square's
public house A pub (short for public house) is in several countries a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption Licensing laws of the United Kingdom#On-licence, on the premises. The term first appeared in England in the ...
called
The Queen Victoria ''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the programme follows the ...
, and her business rival George Palmer ( Paul Moriarty). One month after his father's funeral, Beppe moves into the square with the rest of his family - which consists of his one brother
Gianni Gianni is an Italian name (occasionally a surname), a short form of the Italian Giovanni and a cognate of John meaning God is gracious. Gianni is the most common diminutive of Giovanni in Italian. People with this given name * Gianni Agnelli (19 ...
(
Marc Bannerman Marc Bannerman (born 15 August 1973) is an Irish-born British actor. He played Gianni di Marco in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. His character was introduced in 1998, but was written out three years later by the executive producer of ''EastE ...
); two sisters
Teresa Teresa (also Theresa, Therese; ) is a feminine given name. It originates in the Iberian Peninsula in late antiquity. Its derivation is uncertain, it may be derived from Classical Greek, Greek θερίζω (''therízō'') "to harvest or rea ...
( Leila Birch) and
Nicky Nicky is a diminutive form of the name Nicholas, Nicola and Nicole, occasionally used as a given name in its own right. Sometimes it is spelled as Nikki, Niki. It can also be used as a diminutive of Dominic. People Sports * Nicky Adams (born ...
( Carly Hillman); and their mother
Rosa Rosa or De Rosa may refer to: Plants and animals * ''Rosa'' (plant), the genus of roses * Rosa (sea otter), a sea otter that has become popular on the internet * Rosa (cow), a Spanish-born cow People * Rosa (given name) * Rosa (surname) * San ...
(
Louise Jameson Louise Marion Jameson (born 20 April 1951) is an English actress with a variety of television and theatre credits. Her roles on television have included playing Leela (Doctor Who), Leela in ''Doctor Who'' (1977–1978), Anne Reynolds in ''The O ...
). While his family have moved into Walford to open an
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
restaurant A restaurant is an establishment that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and Delivery (commerce), food delivery services. Restaurants ...
, Beppe has already built himself a successful career in the police force, progressing through the ranks to the
Vice squad Vice Squad are an English punk rock band formed in 1979 in Bristol. The band was formed from two other local punk bands, The Contingent and TV Brakes. The songwriter and vocalist Beki Bondage (born Rebecca Bond) was a founding member of the b ...
. Upon his arrival, Beppe instantly clashes with Peggy's two sons
Phil Phil may refer to: * Phil (given name), a shortened version of masculine and feminine names * Phill, a given name also spelled "Phil" * Phil, Kentucky, United States * Phil (film), ''Phil'' (film), a 2019 film * -phil-, a lexical fragment, used as ...
( Steve McFadden) and Grant (
Ross Kemp Ross James Kemp (born 21 July 1964) is an English actor, author, and television presenter. He rose to prominence in the role of Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. His other roles include Graham Lodsworth in ''Emmerdale'' and ...
) - also known as the "Mitchell Brothers". This had first emerged when Beppe learned that Phil and Grant have constantly dabbled on the wrong side of the law, thus seeing them as trouble makers. While his quarrel with Phil appears less occasional, Beppe frequently clashes with Grant as their animosity escalates. This becomes evident through Beppe's disapproval of Grant's mistreatment towards his wife Tiffany (
Martine McCutcheon Martine Kimberley Sherrie McCutcheon (formerly Ponting, born 14 May 1976) is an English actress and singer. She began appearing in television commercials at an early age and made her television debut in the children's television drama '' Bluebir ...
), whom he grows romantic towards and even tries urging her to leave Grant. At one point, Beppe confronts Grant in The Queen Vic over his cruelty towards Tiffany and the pair brawl. When Tiffany learns that Grant has slept with her mother Louise ( Carol Harrison), she plans to leave Grant and take their daughter Courtney with him. Just as Tiffany prepares to leave after packing her bags, however, ends up falling down the stairs - making everyone suspect that Grant pushed her. When Beppe discovers this, he becomes furious and proceeds to arrest Grant for attempted murder. It is then that Beppe grows determined to get Grant out of the square when he coerces Tiffany to pretend that Grant had pushed her in order to keep him locked up, but her conscience gets the better of her and she later writes a letter exonerating Grant of any wrongdoing. She also instructs her best friend, Bianca Jackson (
Patsy Palmer Julie Anne Merkell (''née'' Harris; born 26 May 1972), known professionally as Patsy Palmer, is a British actress and DJ. After appearing as Natasha in the children's drama series ''Grange Hill'' (1985–1987), she came to prominence for her p ...
), to give it to the police after she leaves. Not long afterwards, however, Tiffany is killed in a car accident - unintentionally caused by Grant's stepfather
Frank Butcher Frank Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Mike Reid (actor), Mike Reid. Frank makes his first appearance on-screen as a guest character in 1987, but due to a positive viewer reception, he is reintr ...
( Mike Reid) - whilst trying to reclaim Courtney from Grant, who has been released on bail from that point. As Tiffany was about to elope with Beppe, he never forgives Grant and burns the letter that exonerates him. However, his police superiors soon discover what Beppe had done and he is consequently sacked from the force for withholding evidence and misconduct. When Grant finds out about the letter, he confronts Beppe in The Queen Vic and punches him when Beppe taunts Grant about the fact that he is responsible for Tiffany's ordeal and subsequent death. Their feud escalates when Beppe begins dating Phil and Grant's younger sister Sam ( Danniella Westbrook), who later seeks his help when she learns from her cousin
Billy Billy may refer to: * Billy (name), a name (and list of people with the name) * Billy (surname), a surname (and list of people with the surname) Animals * Billy (dog), a dog breed * Billy (pigeon), awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945 * Billy ( ...
(
Perry Fenwick Perry Fenwick (born 29 May 1962) is an English actor. He is known for portraying the role of Billy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', a role which he has played since 1998. Career Television Fenwick's first regular television rol ...
) that her brothers are planning to do a criminal job. Beppe responds by summoning the police to intercept Phil and Grant, before he joins Sam in pursuing them towards the
River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, s ...
- where her brothers have ended up plunging their getaway car into the water. When arriving at the scene of that moment, Beppe and Sam are stunned to find that only Phil is present and alive - whereas Grant is nowhere to be found. Grant is presumed dead, but Beppe discovers that he is actually alive and tracks him down at the airport. There, he sports Grant leaving the country with Courtney and calls out his name - which prompts Grant to turn and face Beppe. As they stare at each other, Grant silently bids Beppe farewell by giving him a sarcastic wave as the departure doors close - while Beppe smiles back at him in response; which implies that the pair have seemingly mended their differences despite the longstanding conflict between them. Beppe soon continues to build his relationship with Sam, until she grows jealous of his roommate Nina Harris ( Troy Titus-Adams) - whose friendship with Beppe eventually sparks the end of his relationship with Sam. Now out of work ever since getting fired from the police, Beppe starts to look for jobs - and initially gets one working as a cab driver on behalf of local businessman Barry Evans (
Shaun Williamson Shaun Williamson (born 29 November 1965) is an English actor best known as Barry Evans in ''EastEnders'' and as a satirical version of himself in the BBC/HBO sitcom '' Extras'', 'Barry off EastEnders'. Early life Williamson was born in Park W ...
). He soon develops a close friendship with Phil's nemesis and Grant's antagonistic business partner Steve Owen (
Martin Kemp Martin John Kemp (born 10 October 1961) is an English musician and actor, best known as the bassist in the new wave band Spandau Ballet and for his role as Steve Owen in ''EastEnders''. He is the younger brother of Gary Kemp, who is also a ...
), up to the point where the latter hires Beppe to work at his nightclub: the E20. Sometime later, Beppe establishes a business partnership with Steve and ends up managing the E20 on his behalf. His newfound job continues to build when drugs are found in the club at one stage, and Beppe's police contacts come in handy after he manages to persuade them to turn a blind eye. It soon transpires that Beppe has a son: Joe (Jake Kyprianou). His child's mother, Sandra ( Clare Wilkie), left them when Joe was 10 months old - driven away by Beppe's interfering family, who never forgave her for not being Italian. His past is reemerged when Sandra appears in Walford, looking for Beppe and wanting to see their son. Although she is met with hostility at first, she and Beppe soon become closer and eventually rekindle their romance - much to his family's disgust. Because of his ties, he decides to stay in Walford when the family move away. Beppe is still in love with Sandra and soon wants to discuss having more children, Sandra flatly refuses. Soon after, Beppe's old vice-squad partner, Jack Robbins ( Chook Sibtain), arrives, looking for Sandra. It turns out that Sandra had been involved with Jack for years. She left him following a
miscarriage Miscarriage, also known in medical terms as a spontaneous abortion, is an end to pregnancy resulting in the loss and expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the womb before it can fetal viability, survive independently. Miscarriage before 6 weeks ...
that left her unable to have children. Sandra tries to deny her feelings for Jack, but eventually, she admits that she is still in love with him and only reconciled with Beppe so she can get custody of her son. She and Jack reignite their romance and Sandra makes plans to leave with Jack and Joe. However, Beppe catches them just as they are about to leave and when he realizes what is going on, he attacks Jack, takes Joe back and denies Sandra access. Sandra and Jack subsequently threaten to fight Beppe for custody of Joe. Beppe retaliates by using his police contacts to plant drugs on Jack, getting him sacked from the force. The constant rowing is having a negative effect on Joe and he struggles to choose between his parents. This culminates in him getting hit by a car when he disobeys his father and runs across the road to be with his mother. Joe is not seriously hurt but the accident makes his parents rethink their behaviour. Beppe allows Sandra access and she leaves the following year. By then, Beppe has become the sole owner of the E20 - after Steve allows him to buy his share of the club prior to being killed on his first wedding anniversary at the start of March 2002. This surprises Steve's wife Mel ( Tamzin Outhwaite), as she thought she was the sole owner. During this time, Beppe develops a minor STD condition when he ends up spending his routine having sex with anonymous women and dumping them upon getting bored. This soon contributes to his romantic bond with Joe's babysitter Lynne Slater ( Elaine Lordan), who later helps Beppe see the error of his ways. Beppe quickly falls in love with Lynne and even attempts to stop her from marrying her fiancé Garry Hobbs (
Ricky Groves Richard Groves (born 23 April 1968) is an English actor best known for playing Garry Hobbs in ''EastEnders'' from 2000 to 2009, before making a brief return in 2025. Before his role in ''EastEnders'' he appeared in the series ''Burnside (TV se ...
), and fights with Garry at the registry office; however, while Lynne is tempted to be with Beppe, she ends up choosing Garry and goes ahead with the marriage. In June 2002, Beppe gets news that his mother has suffered a heart attack. He decides to leave the square and, after tying up some loose ends, sells the club to Phil's former lover and Grant's ex-wife Sharon Watts (
Letitia Dean Letitia Jane Dean (born 14 November 1967) is an English actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Sharon Watts in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. An original cast member from 1985 to 1995, she reprised the role from 2001 to 2006, and ag ...
). Afterwards, Beppe departs from Walford to be with his family in Leicester, from where he telephones Lynne to tell her Rosa has died and that he won't be returning to Walford.


Other appearances

The character of Beppe di Marco has been spoofed in the
cartoon A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently Animation, animated, in an realism (arts), unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or s ...
sketch show Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches" or, "skits", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. While the form developed and became popular in ...
'' 2DTV'', as well as impersonated by
Alistair McGowan Alistair Charles McGowan (born 24 November 1964) is an English impressionist, BAFTAaward winning comic, actor, pianist, poet, and writer. He starred in '' The Big Impression'' (formerly '' Alistair McGowan's Big Impression''). He has also wor ...
on his show, '' The Big Impression''. In spite of his non-existence in real life, he was reported by a British newspaper as being in the womanising circuit with comedian
Russell Brand Russell Edward Brand (born 4 June 1975) is an English comedian, actor, podcaster and media personality. He established himself as a stand-up comedian and radio host before becoming a film actor. After beginning his career as a comedian and la ...
on the last series of ''
Big Brother's Big Mouth This is a complete list of shows about and relating to ''Big Brother UK'' and ''Celebrity Big Brother''. The civilian edition originally ran from 2000 to 2018, and again since 2023. The celebrity edition ran from 2001 to 2018, and again since 20 ...
'' in 2006. In August 2015, it was announced that Greco would reprise the role of Beppe in an eight-part television mockumentary called ''British Andy''.


Reception

In 2020, Sara Wallis and Ian Hyland from The ''
Daily Mirror The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily Tabloid journalism, tabloid newspaper. Founded in 1903, it is part of Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), which is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the tit ...
'' placed Beppe 96th on their ranked list of the best ''EastEnders'' characters of all time, writing that he "was nicknamed the Hoarse Whisperer on account of his softly rasping voice", but also wrote that the "ladies loved him". The di Marcos are now deemed as something of a failure for ''EastEnders''. Since their departure, the family has even been mocked in an ''EastEnders'' official book, entitled ''EastEnders 20 Years In Albert Square''. In the book, the author, Rupert Smith, writes: "Nobody really knew what to do with the di Marco family, who had been languishing in the pizza restaurant without a decent storyline between them. Finally, there was nothing else for it: the di Marcos would have to go. All of them…it was as if they'd never been". Matthew Baylis of ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' has commented on their lack of success: "Thank heaven for off-screen uncles. As we saw during the hurried departure of the di Marco family from Albert Square, there's nothing like a fictitious relative when you need to get characters off the screen…The di Marcos' departure had its dodgy elements. A hitherto unheard-of uncle needs help in his restaurant, so the whole family ups sticks. Including Teresa - who'd always fought for independence from her family? Rosa, who presumably owned the house she'd transformed into something resembling an Imperial Palace, is suddenly prepared to leg it with a couple of suitcases? There was plenty that didn't ring true. But few viewers minded. There was, if anything, more sympathy for the programme-makers, trying valiantly to dispose of this singularly unpopular family while retaining an element of drama." The di Marcos have been dismissed as "unconvincing characters". Baylis goes on to highlight a problem that he feels "dogged the whole family", their occupation as restaurateurs. Baylis believes this kept them "self-contained", and prevented them from establishing meaningful links with other characters. He explains: " he di Marcoshad an ambiguity, heightened by the job they did. Soapland has no place for grey areas. Bad things happen to bad people. They also happen to good people, of course, but not for very long. To make this predictable universe work on the screen, you need characters who are relatively stable (even if they are unstable). The writers and the viewers buy into a myth that people aren't particularly complex, that the full range of their feelings and actions can be revealed in a few hours on the TV. And a quick, visible way of revealing characters is to mirror them in their occupation. Thus we have
Pauline Fowler Pauline Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders''. She was played by actress Wendy Richard between the first episode on 19 February 1985 and 25 December 2006. Pauline was created by scriptwriter Tony Holland an ...
, long-suffering drudge and matriarch. What better job than folding pants all day in the launderette? Or Peggy itchell- tough but fun-loving and gregarious. So she runs the pub. But what attributes spring to mind when we think of Italian restaurants? Fond of pasta, perhaps? Permanently overworked? The job never provided an easy route into understanding the di Marcos' characters…The most visible jobs tend to be taken by the strongest, most vivid characters. Confined to their restaurant, the di Marcos could only become involved in Walford life when other characters came over to eat a carbonara. And how often do working-class East End people do that? If any di Marco wanted a night out, a pint in the Vic, a clandestine liaison, then an excuse had to be found as to why they weren't working. Transforming Giuseppe's into a daytime sandwich bar, and sending Teresa onto the market were bold rescue attempts, but they came too late. The viewers had already decided they didn't much care…Because of their jobs, the di Marcos became a largely self-contained unit…"


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:di Marco, Beppe EastEnders characters Fictional British police officers Fictional businesspeople in soap operas Television characters introduced in 1998 British male characters in soap operas di Marco family Fictional police officers in soap operas