The former Grange Hill star passed away on Tuesday (26Apr16) following a short battle with cancer. His death was announced by representatives of the show on Twitter, who wrote, "It is with great sadness we report that Mark Farmer aka Gary Hargreaves died earlier (Tuesday). RIP."

Farmer found fame on the school-based children's drama as Gary Hargreaves, which he played between 1979 to 1981. He then went on to star in 1983 children's coming-of-age series Johnny Jarvis, in which he played the title character, and comedy drama Minder, where he played Justin James, the protege George Cole's lead role Arthur Daley, between 1984 and 1989.

Farmer also had parts in sitcom Relative Strangers and TV film Mister Corbett's Ghost in the 1980s. He scored no other acting parts between 1989 and 2008, his last role, in comedy HottieBoombaLottie.

During that time, Farmer pursued a music career with his band Littlehouse. The trio released an EP before splitting up in 2000.