Bruno di Marco

Name: Bruno di Marco
First Appeared: 29th January 1998
Last Appeared: 14th December 1998
Played by: Leon Lissek

Bruno di Marco made his entrance in Albert Square alongside his wife, Luisa, at the heart-wrenching funeral of their son, Giuseppe di Marco. Devastated by the loss, they moved in with Giuseppe’s widow, Rosa di Marco, and her family. Proud of their Italian heritage, despite having spent most of their lives in London, Bruno and Luisa brought a touch of Mediterranean flair to Walford, albeit with a limited understanding of their ancestral homeland.

Bruno, like his father before him, had been the proud owner of an Italian restaurant in Soho, which he later gifted to Giuseppe as a wedding present. Unfortunately, the restaurant struggled financially, and after Giuseppe’s untimely death in 1998, the di Marcos were forced to close it down. Fortunately, Giuseppe’s friend George Palmer stepped in, bailing out the family and recruiting them to run his new Italian restaurant in Walford, aptly named Giuseppe’s.

The di Marco family affectionately referred to Bruno and Luisa as Nonno and Nonna, Italian for grandfather and grandmother. Bruno’s health took a hit due to years of heavy smoking, leading to bronchitis, which prevented him from actively working in the restaurant. Nonetheless, he remained a beloved figure, enjoying drinks, playing cards, and holding family meetings at his favourite table, adding a lively, authentic Italian touch to the community. When he visit Italy to see Luisa, they decided to stay there.