He didn’t start out on the Square. Before Britain knew him as Charlie Slater, Derek Martin had already lived the kind of life that sounded like a television script. Long before the cameras made his face familiar, he worked tough jobs, including time in the meat trade, before finding his way into entertainment.

His route to acting was anything but conventional. Martin worked as a stuntman, putting his body on the line in an industry where one mistake could have serious consequences. He also spoke openly over the years about gambling and the financial pressures that followed him. Success didn’t arrive neatly or quickly—it came after setbacks, risks and years of persistence.

Then, in 2000, everything changed when Martin joined EastEnders as Charlie Slater. As the father of the Slater sisters, Charlie became a familiar presence in millions of British homes. He wasn’t the loudest character on Albert Square, but his warmth, loyalty and complicated family relationships made him memorable.

Martin remained closely associated with the role for years, even returning after his regular departure. But behind Charlie Slater stood a man whose real journey had been every bit as unpredictable as the soap itself.

Derek Martin died in January 2024 at the age of 90, leaving behind decades of television work and an extraordinary path to fame.

From hard physical work to dangerous stunts and finally Albert Square, his story proved that sometimes the longest road leads to the role people remember forever.