EastEnders legend Martin Fowler has been killed off after 40 years. Actor James Bye played the popular character since 2014 after taking over the role from Jon Peyton-Price (1985-1986) and James Alexandrou (1996-2007). During Thursday’s (February 20) live episdoe to mark the soap’s 40th anniversary, Martin had his legs crushed by a steel beam moments after confessing his love to his ex-wife Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner). Large portions of the live special focused on the rescue crew’s attempts to lift the beam off of him, with Stacey sitting by his side through the ordeal. Why did Martin Fowler die? and what is Crush syndrome?
James Bye played the popular character since 2014
(Image: BBC/Firebird/Natalie Seery)
Sadly, the medics attempting to help Martin informed Stacey that he was likely to suffer from Crush syndrome and the toxins as a result of his legs being crushed would lead to kidney failure or a cardiac arrest when the beam was lifted. Crush syndrome is a life-threatening condition that occurs when skeletal muscle is crushed, causing major shock and kidney failure. It’s also known as traumatic rhabdomyolysis. Jame Bye’s TV projects away from EastEnders
Amy Dowden wept as James delivered an emotional tribute to her on It Takes Two in 2022
(Image: (Image: BBC2))
Before he became the well-known Martin in EastEnders back in 2014, James had stints on The Bill and starred in The Great Train Robbery. Besides his soap persona, he’s graced our screens on Strictly Come Dancing, Pointless Celebrities, Richard Osman’s House of Games, and The Wall. Away from the limelight, the Basingstoke-born actor keeps busy with his wife and their four kiddos, sharing snippets of their family life online. In 2022, James partnered with professional dancer Amy Dowden for a spin on Strictly Come Dancing. Still, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for James who revealed to Digital Spy the behind-the-scenes blunders: “I’ve dropped her, I’ve spun her into the ground,” not to mention “I kneed her [and] gave her a proper dead leg. I took the wrong step and I just kneed her right on the inside of the leg, and she was hobbling on.”, reports the Express. Chatting with Rylan Clark on the Strictly companion show It Takes Two, James dished out a funny yet painful anecdote: “I was trying to show Amy in rehearsal how strong I was by doing pull ups on a girder and I ripped my finger open.” He then humorously added about his injury, “It is only my wedding ring keeping my finger on at the moment” before quipping, “Let’s see how we get on with that one! ” James Bye, along with Amy Dowden, waved goodbye as the fifth couple to exit the glitzy dance floor of Strictly Come Dancing. James Bye’s family life and children
James and his wife Victoria live in Buckinghamshire with their four children
(Image: (Image: Getty))
Unlike his character Martin’s tumultuous love life in EastEnders, actor James leads a blissful family life off-screen. He has been happily married to his wife Victoria for over a decade. The couple first crossed paths 16 years ago in a Sainsbury’s car park when James was working a promotional job and “handed Victoria a fruit jelly”, as reported by What to Watch. This sweet act led to a pub date and the start of their blossoming romance. The pair now reside in Buckinghamshire with their four energetic sons – Edward,, Louis,, Hugo and Rufus. In January 2023, they marked their 10th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows in the picturesque location of St Lucia. They commemorated the occasion with a beautiful sunset photo on their family Instagram account, captioned: “Happy 1 year anniversary to us…. (again).” Victoria manages an Instagram blog named Life With The Byes, offering fans a glimpse into their daily family life. She once opened up about the challenges of raising children with a famous father. In a heartfelt post, she wrote: “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..” Co-star bond with Lacey Turner
James and Lacey Turner have a bond that extends beyond Albert Square.
(Image: (Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron))
Off-screen, James and Lacey, who plays his on-screen ex-wife Stacey, have a bond that extends beyond Albert Square. It’s so strong that James chose Lacey to be the godmother of his third child, Hugo. Recalling the moment he asked her, he told OK!: “I took Lacey out for lunch to ask her. I was quite nervous and I was getting choked up asking her.” Lacey was clearly moved, as she responded: “it was an honour.” In 2019, Lacey welcomed her daughter Dusty with husband Matt Kay, whom she married in 2017. Meanwhile, James’ wife Victoria expressed her excitement to OK! Magazine about Dusty and Hugo growing up together due to their close ages. In a further testament to his EastEnders family ties, James also asked Davood Ghadami, who played Kush Kazemi until his character’s departure in 2021, to be godfather to Hugo. EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and available to stream on BBC iPlayer from 6am
