Tucker goes back to Grange Hill

Todd Carty leaves EastEnders in 2003

Actor Todd Carty is to reprise his role as Tucker Jenkins in children's TV drama Grange Hill more than 20 years after first playing the character still fondly remembered by a generation of TV fans.

Carty, 38, filmed his return as the grown-up Tucker, who will be seen as the uncle of a new pupil, just three weeks after being axed from his role as Mark Fowler in soap EastEnders.

Carty is now best-known for his EastEnders role

Tucker, the teenage tearaway who went on to get his own spin-off series, Tucker's Luck, became one of the most popular characters on UK TV after he appeared in the first series of Grange Hill in 1978.

Carty filmed his appearance as the uncle of Patrick "Togger" Johnson in Liverpool at the start of a three-month break from EastEnders on Monday.

He will be seen in the first episode of the new series, and may reappear later - but will not become one of the show's main characters.

"I'm chuffed and delighted to say hello to my old mate Tucker Jenkins in the new series of Grange Hill," Carty said.

The actor joined Grange Hill at the age of 13 and stayed for four years.

'New start'

He joined EastEnders as the market trader in 1990 - but will leave the show in early 2003.

"I'm looking forward to the new start, getting stuck into other projects and obviously spending more time with my family over the summer," Carty said.

"I'm returning to the set of EastEnders in October, where Mark will be hanging up his leather jacket for the last time early next year."

Grange Hill is the longest-running children's TV drama in the UK, and the new series will be screened at the start of 2003.