Young Arthur Fowler is overwhelmed with sorrow in EastEnders following the heartbreaking loss of Martin (James Bye).
As fans witnessed last week, Martin tragically passed away during a special live episode of the BBC One soap, marking its 40th anniversary. His final moments were spent with his true love, Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), by his side.
Disaster struck when The Queen Vic erupted into flames on the day of Honey and Billy Mitchell’s (Emma Barton and Perry Fenwick) wedding. The chaos unfolded after Reiss Colwell (Jonny Freeman) lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the pub.
In a heroic effort, Martin saved several lives, including Stacey’s, as he stayed behind to free her from the wreckage. Just as the former couple began to talk about rekindling their relationship, tragedy struck— a collapsing beam pinned Martin’s legs. Despite paramedics’ best efforts, he succumbed to his injuries in an emotional farewell.
The entire Square is mourning his loss, with Arthur, Hope, Roman, and Lily (Lilia Turner) devastated. Arthur, in particular, is struggling to process the tragedy, having already endured profound loss in his young life.
Named after Martin’s iconic father, Arthur is biologically the son of former market trader Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami). His conception occurred in 2015 when Stacey had a brief affair with Kush during his break from Shabnam (Rakhee Thakrar), just before she began her relationship with Martin.
Excited by the news of Stacey’s pregnancy, Martin believed he was the father. Stacey initially kept the truth hidden, eventually confiding in her best friend, Shabnam, while still concealing Kush’s paternity. Over time, Kush suspected the truth.
After Arthur’s birth, Martin, unaware of his true parentage, named the baby after his late father. Stacey, torn by guilt, struggled with the secret, which was further complicated by her battle with postpartum psychosis. During her hospitalization in a mother and baby unit, Martin remained by her side, supporting her through the difficult time.
