Believe it or not, Scott Maslen got his start not on the cobbles of Walford, but in the glitzy, slightly soapier world of The Bill. He played Detective Sergeant Phil Hunter, which is basically Jack Branning but with a different badge and a better haircut. If you squint, it’s the same character telling different criminals to “stop right there.”
Fun fact: before he was a TV cop, Scott was actually a male model. That’s right—he used to get paid to look handsome for a living. Now he gets paid to look worried while holding a cup of tea on a fake London street. Career progression, folks. Truly inspirational.
He also appeared in the music video for S Club 7’s “Bring It All Back”. Yes, that S Club 7. The one with the catchy tunes and the questionable dance moves. Imagine Jack Branning, the grumpy Walford detective, grooving alongside a pop band in 2000. Your brain is now broken. You’re welcome.
Why Does Jack Always Look So Exhausted?
Let’s be honest: playing Jack Branning looks exhausting. The man has been through more wives than Henry VIII, and with less beheading. He’s been married to Ronnie Mitchell, slept with her sister Roxy, had a child with Sam Mitchell, and occasionally dated a random woman who inevitably ends up dead or entangled in a Mitchell family feud. It’s a miracle he hasn’t just moved to Brighton and started a shellfish stall.
Scott Maslen has said in interviews that he loves the drama, but you can see the toll in his character’s permanent frown. It’s as if Jack is constantly thinking, “I just want to watch the telly in peace, but no—a car crash, a secret twin, and a missing necklace. Again.”
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The physicality of the role is no joke either. He’s been in car chases, fistfights, and at least one scene where he had to dramatically leap out of a window. For an actor, that’s just “Tuesday.” For us, it’s a reminder that we need more core strength.
