Mark Williams (Holby City)

Mark Williams is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Holby City, portrayed by actor Robert Powell. The character first appeared in the series seven episode "Stick or Twist", broadcast on 15 February 2005. Mark was created as a new addition to the show's existing Williams family, entering as the ex-husband and father of established characters Tricia Williams (Sharon Maughan) and Chrissie Williams (Tina Hobley) respectively. Powell stated that he was looking forward to the opportunity to develop the character over a longer period of time than with the briefer acting roles he was more used to taking. The character's major storylines have centered on his relationship with his family. He reunited with Tricia and discovered that she had been raped by his father, meaning Chrissie was actually his biological half-sister. Although the couple were able to put the past behind them and remarry, Tricia was killed in a road traffic accident in 2006. Mark struggled to cope in her absence, succumbing to a cocaine addiction in 2007. The character was later promoted to the hospital's chief executive officer. Powell left the serial in 2010 and Mark departed in the series thirteen episode "Don't Go Changing", broadcast on 25 February 2011. The character was well-received by the audience, although his cocaine storyline was criticised for its surrealism in the media. The character of Mark was created as an addition to the existing Williams family on the show, composed of established characters Chrissie Williams (Tina Hobley), Mark's daughter, and Tricia Williams (Sharon Maughan), Mark's former wife. One series 7 plot strand saw Tricia diagnosed with breast cancer, and as Hobley explained: "Chrissie is extremely supportive and they start to become much closer." When Tricia was abandoned by her boyfriend, plastic surgeon character Carlos Fashola, Chrissie took it upon herself to seek out her father, hoping to reunite her family before it was too late.