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Inside Happy Valley star Mark Stanley’s off-screen life with Line of Duty actress partner

DRAMA fans are used to seeing Mark Stanley as violent PE teacher Rob Hepworth in Happy Valley.

The 34-year-old actor has also starred in other gritty shows including Trigger Point and The Bay.

Mark as Rob Hepworth in drama Happy Valley
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Mark as Rob Hepworth in drama Happy ValleyCredit: BBC
Off screen Mark is in a relationship with fellow drama star Rochenda
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Off screen Mark is in a relationship with fellow drama star RochendaCredit: Instagram
The couple keep their private life out of the spotlight but this post suggests they've been together for more than 14 years
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The couple keep their private life out of the spotlight but this post suggests they've been together for more than 14 yearsCredit: Instagram

But away from our screens Mark lives a drama-free life with his partner, actress and Line of Duty star Rochenda Sandall, and their black Staffordshire bull terrier Lollipop.

The TV couple keep their private life relatively out of the spotlight but a post on Mark's Instagram of a photo dated 25 May 2008 suggests they've been together for more than 14 years.

Rochenda, 35, also shares snaps of them together. She recently starred as Cat Braithwaite in Amazon Prime's psychological drama The Rig, and posted a sweet photo of them together at the premier.

Mark recently supported Rochenda at the premier of Amazon Prime's The Rig
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Mark recently supported Rochenda at the premier of Amazon Prime's The RigCredit: Tom Farmer
Rochenda played Lisa McQueen in Line of Duty
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Rochenda played Lisa McQueen in Line of DutyCredit: Aidan Monahgan
Last year they travelled to Spain together
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Last year they travelled to Spain togetherCredit: Instagram
And also visited Iceland where they saw the Northern Lights
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And also visited Iceland where they saw the Northern LightsCredit: Instagram

She captioned it: "By my side every step of the way! My soul mate @markstanley2020. Together forever ❤️."

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The couple enjoy travelling together and towards the end of last year visited Spain.

Mark and Rochenda also travelled to Iceland in January last year and were lucky enough to see the Northern Lights, with Rochenda posting photos from their travels on Instagram.

Being two of the UK's favourite drama stars, it was inevitable that they're paths would cross professionally.

In 2019 Mark and Rochenda both appeared in Netflix series Criminal: UK, playing DC Hugo Duffy and DC Vanessa Warren respectively.

Speaking previously about mixing business and pleasure, Rochenda told : "Some people would find working together a nightmare, but we absolutely love it!

"We talk about our characters at home all the time. I'm obsessive, so when I'm playing a character it takes over my whole life.

"We're geeks for each other - what can I say?"

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