He’s been a part of Eastenders since the very first year - but now fans fear this week might be the last for Martin Fowler. Last night's episode saw the iconic Queen Vic go up in flames, with nearly every Albert Square resident inside - including Martin. Martin, whose first appearance was in 1985, has been involved in a love triangle with his two ex-wives, Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton) and Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner).
Moments before the explosion, Stacey confessed her love to her ex-husband as the pair grew closer together during the previous months. Fans are now taking to social media to discuss whether this is the end for one of the soap’s most enduring characters.
But who is the actor who currently plays him, and what will life be like for him if he really does leave the square forever? James Bye, 40, is actually the third actor to play Martin Fowler, taking the role in 2013. The first was Jon Peyton-Price, but it was James Alexandrou who really made the role his own when he joined EastEnders aged 11.
Alexandrou played the role of the market stall holder between 1996 and 2007 and involved in some big storylines before he decided to leave to pursue different opportunities and Martin was written out of the soap by going travelling with wife Sonia. When they decided to bring Martin back, Bye stepped into his shoes. Born in Basingstoke, Hampshire, Bye appeared in The Bill and The Great Train Robbery before taking the EastEnders role in 2014. Since then, he's appeared on Strictly Come Dancing, Pointless Celebrities, Richard Osman's House of Games and The Wall.
Away from the small screen, he leads a bustling life with his wife Victoria and their four sons Edward, 10, Louis, eight, Hugo, five, and Rufus, one, in a beautiful home in Buckinghamshire, with their lively exploits regularly shared on social media. The couple's love story began in an unexpected location in a Sainsbury's car park 16 years ago, where James was handing out promotional items and "handed Victoria a fruit jelly," as reported by What to Watch. Their romance blossomed after he invited her for a date at the local pub.
In January 2023, the couple celebrated their enduring love by renewing their wedding vows in St Lucia, marking 10 years of marriage. The pair commemorated the occasion with a sunset photo shared on their family Instagram account, captioning it: "Happy 1 year anniversary to us.... (again).".
Victoria curates an Instagram blog titled Life With The Byes, offering followers a glimpse into their daily life as a bustling family of five. She once candidly discussed the challenges of parenting while in the public eye. In her words: "We finally settled in beautiful Bucks and the boys have grown up surrounded by countryside in our messy, noisy home and we've tried our best to keep things normal in the happy (and sometimes hectic) life we have. But it's still a worry..".
"When Louis comes home from school and anxiously asks me what 'famous' is. Or when Hugo thinks it's normal that everyone takes selfies with his dad.". Bye also has a close friendship with Lacey Turner, who plays his onscreen wife, who is also the godmother of their youngest son, Hugo. Five-year-old Hugo also enjoys playdates with Lacey's daughter, Dusty.
Recalling the moment he invited Lacey to become a godparent, the 38-year-old said: "I took Lacey out for lunch to ask her. I was quite nervous and I was getting choked up asking her. Bless her, she was really taken aback and said it was an honour.". James also extended the honour to another co-star, Davood Ghadami, who plays Kush Kazemi, having previously revealed the pair are "so close, like each other's shadows.".
