Mark Stanley is having a moment, with roles in the hit ITV drama A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, not to mention the Netflix sensation, Adolescence. In the acting game for over a decade, the Yorkshire-born star has made his mark in British series, most notably in Criminal: UK – which is where he met his famous partner, Rochenda Sandall – plus Sanditon, Trigger Point and more recently, The Reckoning.
As his star continues to rise, we've done some digging on Mark and his sweet love story with Rochenda, who is herself known for Line of Duty, Hijack and Amadaland. Keep reading for all the details…
How did they meet?
During a 2020 interview with The Guardian, Rochenda clarified that she and Mark had met at the East 15 Acting School in London, so they've been in each other's orbit for almost 20 years.
According to one of Rochenda's Instagram posts, they officially began dating in 2008. Alongside a stunning photo of the pair dancing, the Line of Duty star wrote: "13 years with this absolutely amazing human! Here's to many many more. Happy Anniversary darling. I love you."
Red carpet appearances
While Rochenda and Mark tend to keep their relationship private, they have been known to make joint appearances on the red carpet, as well as other high-profile events. In 2020, the loved-up pair posed together at the London premiere of Mark's film, Sulphur and White, and more recently, they packed on the PDA at the 2022 premiere of Rochenda's series, The Rig, in Edinburgh.
Couple goals
There's no doubt about it, Rochenda and Mark are besotted with one another, with the actress often referring to him as her "favourite person", "partner in crime" and her "world" on Instagram.
When they're not shooting on set, both Mark and Rochenda are fond of travelling, with the latter sharing photos from their jet-setting journeys to Austria, the US and France across social media.
Life in London
In previous interviews, Rochenda and Mark have stated that their based in London. Speaking with The Times in 2019, the actress said: "Never take the fun out of life, that's what I always say. But I'm lucky: I've got love in my life with my partner, I've got an allotment and a dog at home, and that's very much who I am."
Working together
The dynamic duo have worked together on multiple occasions. Alongside their stint in Criminal (2019-20), Mark and Rochenda have also co-starred in Love, Lies and Records – a British drama broadcast on BBC One in 2017.