EastEnders fans said goodbye to icon Martin Fowler (James Bye) tonight as part of the 40th anniversary live episode.

On last night’s one hour long anniversary episode, fans saw Martin finally confess his love to Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) after initially rejecting her on Tuesday night. However, it wasn’t a happy ending for the pair, with Martin getting crushed in the Vic, after a metal beam landed on him.

The iconic character of Martin Fowler has been a part of the Square for 40 years, and was the first baby born in the soap. Martin was introduced to the Square in August 1985 to parents Pauline and Arthur Fowler. Actor James Bye took on the role in 2014, stepping down after just over a decade in the role.

Martin’s death came after Stacey refused to leave until they discussed their feelings for each other, despite him being in a relationship with Ruby Allen. After a tense conversation, the two went to exit the Vic. They didn’t get their happy ending however, when a beam fell from the ceiling. As he pushed Stacey out the way, his legs were crushed by the beam.

In tonight’s episode, viewers watched as Martin screaming in pain before passing out as firefighters made it into the collapsing pub. As Stacey and Martin declared their love for one another, Martin asked Stacey to marry him, telling her that he never wants to be apart from her.

However, paramedics soon broke the news to Stacey that Martin was at risk of cardiac arrest when they lifted the beam, as the toxins would start to flood the rest of his body and he might die. Stacey took a moment to tell Martin how much he means to him, while Martin spoke about their future together – unaware that he die as soon as he’s freed.

With Martin’s tragic exit confirmed, Stacey’s could also be on the way. In September 2024, actress Lacey Turner revealed she was pregnant with her third child. In a heart-warming Instagram post, the star posted a snap of herself, her husband Matt and their two children Dusty and Trilby as they held onto a pregnancy scan. In January, it was revealed she had given birth to daughter Gipsy Olive. It has confirmed that Stacey will be ‘written out’ in early 2025 – could it be due to her guilt over Martin’s death? Or is there more to the story?

However, it’s not only Stacey who will be hugely affected by Martin’s death. As he prepared to save Stacey before his tragic death, his partner Ruby told him to think about her and his son Roman. Ruby Allen made her return to the soap late last year, with Martin’s son Roman – who he knew nothing about.

The two went through emotional moments with Roman, who was in hospital with autoimmune hepatitis – as Martin became a liver donor. The pair then reignited their spark, although Ruby had always been wary of Stacey. Now Martin’s gone, after choosing Stacey there doesn’t seem to be anything left in the Square for Ruby and her son Roman. Could a triple exit be on the cards?

With the 40th ‘Ruby anniversary’ many fans had already predicted Louisa Lytton’s exit. However, speaking to RadioTimes, the actress said: “It’s really hard for me to say without giving the whole game away. I can’t really say too much but we’ve got some lovely stuff coming up. It’s great, and I love working with Lacey and James.”

Fans had been predicting Martin’s death for a while, with many claiming the programme had been foreshadowing his demise for weeks. While celebrating him getting his stall back, Honey ordered a round of death shots, as fans ears perked up.

Then, the whole Square gathered in the Vic to watch his late father Arthur’s appearance in a game show, which also showed his late mother Pauline in the crowd. Fans suspected it was a ‘send off’ for Martin, and it looks like they were right…

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.* Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Don’t miss out on the biggest soaps gossip! Get a daily email direct to your inbox with our newsletter