The actor Derek Martin, best known to millions as the beloved London cab driver and family patriarch Charlie Slater in BBC One's EastEnders, has died at the age of 92 following a short illness.
From Albert Square Patriarch to TV Tough Guy
Martin portrayed Charlie Slater for over a decade, first arriving in Walford's Albert Square in the year 2000. His character, a widower, moved in with four of his five daughters – Lynne, Kat, Little Mo (Maureen), and Zoe – and his mother-in-law, Mo Harris. While typically the level-headed centre of the chaotic Slater clan, Charlie's fierce devotion to his family occasionally erupted in explosive anger.
One of his most memorable storylines saw him discover that his daughter Kat (Jessie Wallace) was in fact the biological mother of Zoe, having fallen pregnant at 13 after being raped by his brother, Harry (Michael Elphick). Upon learning this devastating secret, a furious Charlie confronted Harry in the Queen Vic pub, leading to a violent attack that required other locals to pull him away.
He also served a three-month prison sentence after twice snapping in defence of his vulnerable daughter, Little Mo (Kacey Ainsworth). Martin himself drew parallels with his character, telling The Sun in 2001: "We're both easygoing family men. But if anyone upsets me or mine I could be your worst nightmare."
A Life of Drama, On and Off Screen
Born Derek William Rapp in Bow, east London, in 1933, Martin's early life was far from the acting world. After leaving school, he worked as an apprentice surveyor and held a string of jobs where violence was never far away. He had his nose broken with a snooker cue, fought off a gang while wielding an axe, and was stabbed in the leg while working as a club bouncer.
Following National Service in the RAF Police, he worked for the Port of London Authority police and as a meat porter at Smithfield market. A pivotal moment came when he was acquitted of stealing meat at the Old Bailey. "When I got away with that, I realised I could act, and turned my back on crime," he later said.
Adopting Martin as his professional surname, he bluffed his way into work as a TV extra and stunt performer before a broken collarbone on the set of Elizabeth R in 1971 made him focus solely on acting roles.
A Prolific Career Defining British Television
Before finding soap fame, Martin was a familiar face playing tough guys and villains. His breakthrough came with the starring role of corrupt Detective Inspector Fred Pyall in the groundbreaking 1978 drama Law & Order. He told TV Times in 1986: "I've known a few coppers and villains over the years, and the dividing line is very fine."
His notable TV credits include:
- Detective Chief Inspector Berwick in The Chinese Detective (1981-82).
- Ronald King, the bent ex-copper in the ITV series King & Castle (1986-88).
- A corrupt deputy prison governor in The Governor (1995-96).
- A golf-playing mob boss in the short-lived BBC soap Eldorado (1993).
He was also considered for two other iconic EastEnders roles: Den Watts, which went to Leslie Grantham, and Frank Butcher, taken by Mike Reid.
On EastEnders, Charlie was written out in 2011 after a row with Kat, but returned for several brief stints. His final appearance was in 2016, when the character suffered a fatal heart attack. Martin published his autobiography, An East End Life: My Story, in 2010.
Derek Martin was married twice, first to Gloria Mitchell and then to Christine Rigg. He is survived by his twin sons, David and Jonathan, from his second marriage.
