Ex EastEnders star Marc Elliott a 'handsome' addition to Holby City cast

(Image credit: BBC)

Ex EastEnders star Marc Elliott has lopped off his shaggy mane to appear as clean-cut, complex new Holby City medic Isaac Mayfield.

Marc played TV's first openly gay character, Syed Masood, in EastEnders between 2009-2012 and his storyline caused controversy by for its intimate pre-watershed scenes.

Dr Mayfield will reportedly immediately catch the eye of Dominic Copeland (David Ames).

The Mirror reported Marc saying: “I’m pleased to be joining the team and looking forward to playing this complex, flawed character.”

He added: “My twin sister was born with the brains and is a qualified veterinary surgeon. I’m chuffed to finally be able to compete – if only in the pretend world.”

Marc talked to Soaplife about why he left EastEnders in 2012 after deceiving his boyfriend Christian Clarke with Danny Pennant. Syed was a popular member of the Masood dynasty and Marc won Best Newcomer at the 2010 British Soap Awards.

Since EastEnders Marc has earned plaudits for his various performances on stage.

Holby executive producer Oliver Kent said Issac, on screen in June, would 'make a handsome addition and will quickly brighten up Dominic’s life'.

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix.

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.