He became first known as Kev, a gay roofer in
Tipyn O Stad, shown on Welsh-language channel
S4C. He was a regular in several series (52 episodes) of this popular gritty Welsh television programme; he also appeared in
S4C's
Treflan as character Bob Lewis. In 2009 he guested as Harri in the second series of
Y Pris and as violent loan shark Craig Turner in
Pobol Y Cwm (one episode, broadcast 11 September 2009; he appeared in a similar guest role in the show in August and in October 2012). Owen's first appearance on English-language UK television came in 2001, when he appeared as Buster Edwards in the episode
Dog Dago Afternoon of series
Fun at the Funeral Parlour. In 2003 he guested in an episode of
BBC One television series
Casualty In 2005 he played the character of Dave 'Shiner' Owen in all six episodes of the series
Rocket Man, a BBC One television series about a man trying to launch his dead wife's ashes into space. 2006 saw Owen cast as recurring character
Rhys Williams in
Torchwood, a spin-off from the science fiction television series
Doctor Who, a role for which he has become most renowned. He was elevated to star billing for the third series, broadcast on BBC One in summer 2009, reflecting his growing role in the series. In 2011, Owen appeared in the first episode of the third series of
Being Human as Bob, leader of a dogging pack. He appears in the 14th episode of the
seventh series of long running BBC school drama
Waterloo Road as former rugby pro Ken Watling. He appeared in an episode of the 2012
Kay Mellor drama
The Syndicate, broadcast on
BBC One. In 2015, Owen joined the cast of the Channel 4 soap opera
Hollyoaks playing
Pete Buchanan, the ex-partner of
Reenie McQueen (
Zöe Lucker) and a perpetrator of child abuse. In preparation for the role, he liaised with the
NSPCC. After portraying the role until a year later, he made a brief return in 2018. He is also set to reprise the role in April 2021. ==Filmography==