EastEnders has k.i.l.l.e.d off a TV legend in the live episode, 40 years after the character made their debut in the show as the first ever baby born.
In tragic scenes, Martin Fowler, played by James Bye, d.i.e.d with Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) by his side.
It spells the end of a legacy character and also technically of the Fowler clan as a whole.
Martin had been the hero of the hour in the Queen Vic explosion and collapse, lifting debris so a number of people could make their getaway.
As Lily (Lillia Turner) left, she told him that she loved him, which was a poignantly worrying sign of what was to come.
He then freed a trapped Stacey, who earlier had declared her love for her ex.
While Martin is still with Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton), Stacey grabbed the bull by the horns and told him her feelings, which he rejected.
In the Vic, Stacey again confronted him over this, and under the pressure of the situation, he gave in and told her it has and had always been her.
As the pair shared a kiss, a metal beam crashed down, leaving Martin in agony.
As he fought for life, they even made plans to marry, complete with tearful speech and loving kiss, making it all the more devastating.
Stacey begged him not to leave her but it eventually wasn’t to be, with the live episode seeing a devastating end to one of the most amiable characters.
Child actor Jon Peyton-Price played Martin, son of Pauline and Arthur, from his birth in 1985 to 1996, with James Alexandrou then taking over until his exit in 2007.
James then made the role his own from 2014, marking just over a dramatic decade in the role.
He paid tribute to the soap in a recent Instagram post, gushing: ‘A decade ago, I was welcomed into the EastEnders family at Elstree—and that’s exactly what we are.
‘No doubt, it’s a madhouse most days, but it’s also a place filled with people, both on and off screen, who pour their hearts into this show every single day.
‘It’s truly special, and I feel incredibly lucky to be part of it, surrounded by the amazing people who make EastEnders what it is. Happy 40th @bbceastenders.’
