EastEnders star Derek Martin dies at 92

Veteran actor Derek Martin, widely recognised for his role as Charlie Slater in EastEnders, has died at the age of 92.
Martin joined the BBC soap in 2000 as the Slater family patriarch, arriving in Albert Square alongside his four daughters Lynne, Kat, Little Mo and Zoe. He remained a regular cast member until 2011 and later returned for guest appearances before his character died from a heart attack in 2016.
His death was confirmed in a statement released on Sunday by his agent, Sharon Henry, who shared words from Martin’s family. They described him as a devoted father and loyal friend who stood by them through life’s challenges and said he would be “missed terribly”.
Born in Bow in east London, Martin passed away on Saturday. His family said he spent more than five decades bringing an authentic working-class voice to British television and film.
Henry said it had been “a privilege” to represent Martin and noted how much he valued his time playing Charlie Slater. She added that he was a committed family man, a proud member of the charitable Water Rats, a keen golfer and a kind, generous individual.
Martin began his acting career in the 1960s after working in factories and as a butcher at Smithfield Market. Despite having no formal training, he built a long television career with appearances in shows including Doctor Who, Z-Cars, The Sweeney, Eldorado, Law & Order and Hart to Hart, before achieving widespread recognition on EastEnders.
Paying tribute, an EastEnders spokesperson said the production team was deeply saddened by the news. They praised Martin’s portrayal of Charlie Slater, calling him the heart of one of the soap’s most memorable families.
The statement added that, like his on-screen character, Martin was fiercely loyal to those he cared about and was greatly loved by colleagues, who will remember him with lasting affection.