David Rapp, the son of late EastEnders actor Derek Martin, has died just days after his father's passing. Martin, best known for playing Charlie Slater on the BBC soap, died last week at the age of 92.
David was with his father when he died, a family friend confirmed. Now, BBB Talent Agency has announced that David has also died. In a social media post, the agency wrote: 'Devastating news today. Just after losing his father. David has also passed away. The gentle giant whose heart was as big as he was.'
The news comes less than two weeks after EastEnders paid tribute to Martin, who played Charlie Slater from 2000 to 2011. A statement from the show said: 'We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Derek Martin. From the moment he arrived, Derek’s portrayal of Charlie Slater instantly cemented him in the hearts of the audience.'
Martin had previously spoken about his son's struggles with mental health, drawing parallels with his on-screen character's support for Stacey Slater, who also battled mental health issues. He said: 'I was going to work and Stacey in the storyline had bipolar and depression... and then I’d go home, and there was my son, who I’d been worried about during the day that he was okay, suffering from severe depression too.'
