Colin Wells (actor)
Encyclopedia
Colin Wells, born 11 September 1963, is an English actor best known for his role as Johnno Dean
in the long-running television drama series, Hollyoaks
.
In the 1980s Wells worked full-time at a high-street bank before leaving at age 27 to pursue his dream of becoming a professional actor in 1990. After several minor roles in low-budget television series and commercials throughout the 1990s, Wells first came to the attention of national audiences in his native UK when cast as Martius in the 1999 film Titus
, and gained his first major television role in 2001 when he played the character Jake Booth in the revived version of the ITV soap opera Crossroads, before leaving the series to join the cast of Hollyoaks in April 2003. He took over the role of Johnno Dean
from Mark Powley
, who had previously played the character on a part-time basis, when the series writers decided to give Johnno a full storyline as a loyal and devoted father figure who supported his family through the simultaneous effects of his family losing their home and his suffering a midlife crisis when his workplace collapsed, and also his daughter being attacked by a serial killer, before eventually falling into disgrace when he had an affair with a teenager and left the family to marry her after discovering that he had made her pregnant.
Wells left the Hollyoaks cast in July 2005; he was invited to reprise his role as Johnno Dean in 2009 by the series' producers as part of a long-running storyline involving the remaining members of the Dean family, but declined as he was already filming two other roles in the long-running TV drama serials Casualty
and The Bill
. The proposed storyline involving the return of Johnno was scrapped as a result.
Wells, who has been married to actress Joanna MacLeod since 1997, has one daughter, Rachael, and is a keen supporter of West Ham United football club.
Johnno Dean
John "Johnno" Dean is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 British television soap opera Hollyoaks, played originally by Mark Powley. He first appeared in October 2002, and from April 2003 was replaced by Colin Wells until his exit in July 2005.-Storylines:The Deans were a very...
in the long-running television drama series, Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
.
In the 1980s Wells worked full-time at a high-street bank before leaving at age 27 to pursue his dream of becoming a professional actor in 1990. After several minor roles in low-budget television series and commercials throughout the 1990s, Wells first came to the attention of national audiences in his native UK when cast as Martius in the 1999 film Titus
Titus (film)
Titus is a 1999 film adaptation of Shakespeare's revenge tragedy Titus Andronicus, about the downfall of a Roman general. It was the first film of the play . The film was made by Overseas Filmgroup and Clear Blue Sky Productions and released by Fox Searchlight Pictures...
, and gained his first major television role in 2001 when he played the character Jake Booth in the revived version of the ITV soap opera Crossroads, before leaving the series to join the cast of Hollyoaks in April 2003. He took over the role of Johnno Dean
Johnno Dean
John "Johnno" Dean is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 British television soap opera Hollyoaks, played originally by Mark Powley. He first appeared in October 2002, and from April 2003 was replaced by Colin Wells until his exit in July 2005.-Storylines:The Deans were a very...
from Mark Powley
Mark Powley
Mark Powley Mark Powley Mark Powley (Born 4 October 1963 Chelmsford, Essex United Kingdom is a British actor.Powley is best known for his work on television, most notably for appearing in 88 episodes of police drama The Bill as P.C Melvin (1987–1990) and as builder Tom in BBC sitcom Next of Kin for...
, who had previously played the character on a part-time basis, when the series writers decided to give Johnno a full storyline as a loyal and devoted father figure who supported his family through the simultaneous effects of his family losing their home and his suffering a midlife crisis when his workplace collapsed, and also his daughter being attacked by a serial killer, before eventually falling into disgrace when he had an affair with a teenager and left the family to marry her after discovering that he had made her pregnant.
Wells left the Hollyoaks cast in July 2005; he was invited to reprise his role as Johnno Dean in 2009 by the series' producers as part of a long-running storyline involving the remaining members of the Dean family, but declined as he was already filming two other roles in the long-running TV drama serials Casualty
Casualty (TV series)
Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...
and The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
. The proposed storyline involving the return of Johnno was scrapped as a result.
Wells, who has been married to actress Joanna MacLeod since 1997, has one daughter, Rachael, and is a keen supporter of West Ham United football club.
Selected filmography
- CI5: The New ProfessionalsCI5: The New ProfessionalsCI5: The New Professionals is a British crime drama that aired on the Sky1 satellite channel from 19 September to 19 December 1999. An updating of the late 1970s television series The Professionals, the series is set in a fictional government agency CI5 .-Synopsis:The original group of three men...
- Sam Curtis, 1998 - TitusTitus (film)Titus is a 1999 film adaptation of Shakespeare's revenge tragedy Titus Andronicus, about the downfall of a Roman general. It was the first film of the play . The film was made by Overseas Filmgroup and Clear Blue Sky Productions and released by Fox Searchlight Pictures...
- Martius, 1999 - Crossroads - Jake Booth, c.2001-2003
- Hollyoaks - Johnno DeanJohnno DeanJohn "Johnno" Dean is a fictional character from the long-running Channel 4 British television soap opera Hollyoaks, played originally by Mark Powley. He first appeared in October 2002, and from April 2003 was replaced by Colin Wells until his exit in July 2005.-Storylines:The Deans were a very...
, 2003–2005 - Mr Bean - Guest, 2006 (filmed in 1995)
- CasualtyCasualty (TV series)Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...
- DI Moreland, 2005–2009