Dean Andrews of Emmerdale startled fans with a 1986 throwback picture that showed off his mullet. In the old photo, the actor—who has been playing Will Taylor since April 2019—was seen having fun at a vacation camp. “What an impressive mullet you have there,” remarked one admirer on the photo.
For more than twenty years, Dean Andrews captivated audiences with his vocal abilities before appearing on Emmerdale as Will Taylor. Dean, who goes by “Deano” and was born in Rotherham, Yorkshire, on August 6, 1963, made his acting debut in Ken Loach’s film The Navigators in 2001.
Prior to his arrival in the Dales, Dean had already made an appearance on EastEnders as the character Dean in 2002, and returned for the TV special EastEnders: Ricky and Bianca the same year.
Dean’s career continued to flourish with roles in popular TV series such as Clocking Off (2003), Casualty, Shameless, The Street, and Silent Witness, as noted by the Daily Star. He also impressed viewers as Pete Lewis in Being Eileen in 2013 and as Robbie in Last Tango in Halifax from 2012 to 2016, reports OK!.
Yet, it is perhaps his portrayal of DS Ray Carling in the BBC hit Life on Mars that remains most memorable to many, where he featured prominently alongside John Simm and Philip Glennister from 2006 to 2007, and later in the sequel Ashes to Ashes with Keeley Hawes from 2008 to 2010.
Dean frequently shares glimpses of his time with the casts of both shows, including a playful behind-the-scenes performance of Billy Joel’s Uptown Girl, sung alongside co-stars Philip Glennister and Marshall Lancaster during the third series of Ashes to Ashes.
Another image shows Dean with co-star Monseratt Lambard and 80s Spandau Ballet star Tony Hadley on the Ashes to Ashes set. In another scene, Andrews and fellow actor Marshall Lancaster are dressed as Superman and James Bond for a costume party in one of the show’s plots.
Dean didn’t always work as an actor. For twenty years, he sang on cruise ships and at clubs. He once posted a nostalgic 1986 album cover from his singing days on his Instagram, posing in black trousers and a tan leather jacket, titled You to Me are Everything.
Away from the screen, Dean is a devoted Rotherham football fan and in 2022, he participated in a fundraising event for the Rotherham Hospice. The family-oriented man is happily married to Helen Bowen-Green, lives with their two children, and recently welcomed granddaughter Ida-Rae in August 2022.
