EastEnders character Pastor Clayton at first appeared to be a kind-natured man of the church, but his character was hiding terrible secrets that surfaced during an horrifying incident with trusted friend Yolande Trueman
Pastor Clayton quickly became a villain on EastEnders after he sexually assaulted Yolande Trueman (played by Angela Wynter), with other victims stepping forward. Earlier this year, Yolande was left distraught when she discovered that her fellow church-goer Agatha had been spreading rumours about her and Pastor Clayton.
Despite the drama, Pastor Clayton reassured Yolande that he would put an end to the gossip. But in a horrific twist, he sexually assaulted Yolande while they were running an event at the church. The incident has caused Yolande unbearable heartache and stress sparking doubt in her faith.
Yolande mustered enough strength to tell the police about the vile pastor with other victims also stepping forward. But in forthcoming scenes, Pastor Clayton rocks up to Walford demanding Yolande change her statement in a tense showdown, and when she declines – he leaves.
At the end of the evening, Patrick (Rudolph Walker) and Yolande call it a night after a long day at the harvest celebrations. But they are soon interrupted when the police arrive and reveal that Pastor Clayton has died by suicide.
As actor Howard Saddler bows out of his soap role as Pastor Clayton, let’s take a look at the actor’s life away from Walford. Saddler’s acting journey began in the nineties, with a brief appearance as Detective Chambers in the cult classic children’s show Grange Hill.
His career spans nearly three decades, with early roles in The Bill, Footballer’s Wives, and Doctors, reports MyLondon. Saddler landed more significant parts in Family Affairs as Lesley ‘Les’ Boulter between 2003 and 2005.
Devoted viewers might recall that Howard’s portrayal of Pastor Clayton isn’t his first appearance in the BBC soap as he previously graced the screen in 2002 as Doctor Daniel Rodford for a single episode.
The doctor played a minor role in one of the most unforgettable Christmas storylines of the BBC soap, providing medical care to Jamie Mitchell after he was hit by Martin Fowler’s car.
Sitcom enthusiasts will recognise Howard from his stint as Oliver in The Office during 2002 and 2003. The Wernham Hogg employee is a good-natured chap from Swindon who tolerates David Brent’s (Ricky Gervais) ‘jokes’ with an air of indifference.
Brent initiates his relationship with this Swindon transferee by making racially insensitive jokes but easy-going Oliver dismisses the poor-taste humour. Among all the “Swindon slugs”, he is the only one who makes any effort to gel with his new boss.
The only time a co-worker seems to ruffle Oliver’s feathers is when Sheila confesses her feelings for him. His acting credits also include roles in Judge John Deed, Rockface, Waking the Dead, and Black Cake.
Before taking on the role of Pastor Clayton in EastEnders, Howard featured in Netflix’s The Witcher for a single episode, portraying Herald in 2023. You can see Howard Saddler as Pastor Clayton in EastEnders next week.
EastEnders airs Monday – Thursday, on BBC One at 7:30pm
