The popular character lost his life in a live episode following an explosion at the Queen Vic
EastEnders star James Bye’s wife has told fans that Martin Fowler will ‘never be forgotten’ as she shared some behind-the-scenes secrets from his death scene.
Everyone’s favourite furit and vegetable salesman Martin lost his life during a dramatic live episode last Thursday (February 20) after having a steel beam fall on him following an explosion at the Queen Vic pub.
With viewers of the BBC soap still processing the loss of the first baby born on the show, Martin’s wife Victoria took to Instagram on Monday (February 24) with a video showing how the devastating moment was brought to life
Sharing a video on her and James’ “Life with the Byes” account, Victoria admitted an hour before the episode went live that she was “absoloutely bricking it” due a decade of James being on the soap and the episode being “an end of an era”.
Videoing the moment the cameras stopped rolling, James exclaimed that he was “alive” as the cast and crew around him erupted into a chorus of applause.
Branding the EastEnders team a “wonderful little family”, Victoria found James and Lacey Turner, who plays Stacey Slater, enjoying a well-earned-drink after concluding the episode. Joking that Martin was okay and fans had “nothing to worry about”, James teased that they “haven’t cast the next James Bond” as he weighs his future projects.
Returning to his dressing room to get ready for an after-party, James revealed that Dot Cotton is “always with” him as he was given the late June Brown’s dressing room. James then showed off the four layers of pants he had to wear in order for the effects of his character’s fatal accident to be visible.
Martin died in heartbreaking scenes during EastEnders’ live episode(Image: BBC)
Once at the after-party with the rest of the EastEnders family, James and Lacey were both wearing #Startin t-shirts, which read “Todd & Winnie 4 eva”, in honour of the fake names given to their characters to avoid spoilers leaking from the script.
Captioning the post, Victoria said: “Where to begin, what to say? You know I love a good waffle but to sum up 10 years on Eastenders in just a few words seems an impossible task. Because it’s been everything & more. Life changing in every way you could imagine.
“I remember so clearly the week before he got the role. We were living up north & we went for a walk, pushing our first baby in his pram as we talked. Wondering what the future would hold. Wondering if things would change.”We had no idea. To be a part of a show that the nation has grown up with, to play a character that people were going to take to their hearts, to grow both on & off screen into the family man we all know & love, surrounded by children (wild wife & all). It’s been a lot & we wouldn’t have had it any other way.”A rollercoaster of ‘duff duffs’. Friendships, laughter & tears… (ooh Martin did love a good cry) We’ll take them with us always. What a wonderful thing to have been a part of… We’ve been so lucky.
James Bye and Lacey Turner together following Martin Fowler’s death. Photo: @lifewiththebyes(Image: Photo: @lifewiththebyes)
“To James – Watching you on LIVE television with your partner in crime – the amazing @laceyturner was nothing short of incredible. What you’ve shown your boys you can do when you put your heart & soul into something is something they’ll never forget.She added: “You were a professional to the end. Smiling through yours tears. Taking your final bow. And we’re all just so bloomin’ proud. To everyone watching. Thank you. We’ve read every message. Every word of support. And your kindness means the world, truly.”Martin may be gone… but he’ll never be forgotten… (& who knows – maybe we’ll see him again – this is Enders – anything is possible!) But for now, it’s goodbye to the nation’s favourite fruit & veg man. So long to The Square. Farewell to our Eastenders family… And from us… well, it’s not goodbye – it’s see you later. For James, me, our 2 little blind dogs & our 4 lovely boys, it’s the end of one era – & the start of a new one.”We can’t wait to share the journey with you x Ps. Can’t wait to fill you in on our next adventure… trust me, it’s quite possibly the most exciting (& daunting) thing we’ve ever done… but for now… here it is – the behind the scenes story… Enjoy.”
James and Victoria have been married since 2012 after meeting over 20 years ago, theloved-up couple renwed their wedding vows in January, 2023, in St Lucia. Together they share four children together: Edward, ten, Louis eight, Hugo, five and one-year-old Rufus.
