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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Kirsty McCormack

Emmerdale actor Dean Andrews looks unrecognisable in epic throwback snaps

Dean Andrews might be best known for his role as Ray Carling in Ashes To Ashes, and more recently Will Taylor in Emmerdale, but his career actually spans 20 years.

Dean's first acting credit is for Ken Loach film The Navigators back in 2001, and this was closely followed by a stint in EastEnders.

He played a character called Dean in an episode in 2002 and also featured in a TV movie called EastEnders: Ricky & Bianca.

Next up for the 58-year-old actor was television series Buried in 2003 as well a mini series called Between the Sheets.

Following this, 2004 was a very busy year for Dean as he starred in several TV series including Casualty, Blue Murder and a movie called My Summer of Love.

Actor Dean Andrews currently stars as Will Taylor in Emmerdale (ITV)

The next few years brought plenty of work too such as a stint in Shameless and then landing the role of Ray Carling in much-loved BBC series Life on Mars.

Last year, Dean revealed that Life on Mars could be making a comeback and that new episodes were currently being written for a third series.

The popular BBC show, which also starred John Simm and Philip Glenister, ended in 2007 after its second series - but was never cancelled.

Dean looks unrecognisable in throwback snaps where's he's rocking a mullet (instagram.com/deanoandrews)

Speaking during an appearance on This Morning in 2020, Dean said: "There's a very, very good chance of that happening.

"The writers Matt Graham and Ashley Pharoah are in the process of writing four or five episodes, and getting everybody back together who wants to come back.

"I believe Phil and John are very, very excited about it, Daniel Mays, myself... they are hoping everyone wants to come back, and they want to make the story back in the 70's and the 80's and the modern day.

Emmerdale fans would be forgiven for not recognising Dean in some of the old photos (instagram.com/deanoandrews)

"I’ve just got to try and beg Emmerdale at some point in my life, if they still want me," he added.

Dean joined Emmerdale back in 2019 and has been embroiled in some pretty epic storylines as former drug dealer Will.

However, he's no longer rocking the mullet he sported many years ago - but he can certainly poke fun at his former look.

Dean looks very different at the age of 40 when he starred in TV series called Clocking Off (Instagram)

Posting a throwback snap on Twitter in April 2020, Dean wrote: "My old mate has just posted this photo from my holiday camp singing days. So I thought I’d give you all a laugh to cheer you up a bit. This was 1988....... who could resist the mullet."

Dean's followers were delighted with the old photo and were quick to comment on it.

Dean played a character called Dean in BBC soap EastEnders back in 2002 (BBC)

"What a looker," one person wrote, while another joked: "Michael Bolton called - he wants his hair back!"

A third fan added: "An impressive mullet you have there!"

These days, Dean prefers to have his hair a lot shorter and recently became a grandad.

He shared a snap of his granddaughter named Ida-Rae on Instagram at the beginning of August and was clearly smitten.

Dean played the role of DS Ray Carling in much-loved BBC series Life on Mars (BBC)

"So this is mine and @hbg_indiarose beautiful granddaughter Ida-Rae. She didn’t have the easiest of passages into this world but just look at her now…… stunning, healthy and loved," he wrote alongside the adorable picture.

"Her parents @alibumbum91 and @coburnfitness have done an amazing job to bring such a beauty into our lives. We are truly grateful xx."

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