Derek Martin, the veteran actor best known for his role as Charlie Slater in EastEnders, has died at the age of 92. Martin portrayed the devoted taxi-driver father of the Slater family on the BBC One soap from 2000 to 2011, with guest appearances continuing until 2016. His portrayal of the warm, steadfast patriarch made Charlie Slater one of the show’s most beloved characters.

In a statement, his sons David and Jonathan said: “Derek wasn’t just a dad to us. He was a friend and supported us through our highs and lows. He never stopped learning, he loved meeting people and was always generous with his time. We both miss him terribly.” The family has requested privacy.

Born in Bow, east London, in April 1933, Martin had an unconventional path into acting. A former butcher at Smithfield Meat Market, he left the job in 1962 to pursue acting without formal training. He had previously served in the Royal Air Force and worked in various jobs, including factory work, road digging, motor racing, and professional gambling.

Martin began as a stuntman, appearing in Doctor Who, before transitioning fully into acting after breaking his collarbone during the filming of Elizabeth R in 1971. He went on to appear in numerous British television series, including Z-Cars, Softly Softly, The Sweeney, Minder, Bergerac, and The Bill. He credited his role as Detective Inspector Fred Pyle in the 1977 BBC series Law & Order as a major turning point in his career.

His most iconic role remained Charlie Slater, who arrived in Walford in 2000 with his four daughters and mother-in-law, Mo Harris. As the heart of the Slater family, Charlie was central to many major storylines, including a romance with Peggy Mitchell, a prison sentence for attacking Little Mo’s rapist, and the controversial 2011 baby-swap storyline. The character died off-screen from a heart attack in 2016.

Away from acting, Martin was passionate about golf and football and was a dedicated member of the Grand Order of Water Rats, serving as “King Rat” from 2010 to 2011. Fellow members remembered him as warm, humorous, and deeply charitable. He was married twice and is survived by his two sons.

In later years, Martin remained engaged with the industry, celebrating his 90th birthday in 2023. He spoke openly about his son David’s struggles with depression and criticised EastEnders in 2022, saying the show needed to rediscover its humour and stop focusing exclusively on younger audiences.