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Charlie Slater is a fictional character from the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

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soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...

EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a Television in the United Kingdom, British soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the Ea ...

'', played by

Derek Martin Derek Martin (born Derek William Rapp; 11 April 1933) is an English former actor. Beginning his career as a stuntman, he moved into acting and played many roles on UK television. One of his most widely known roles is Charlie Slater on the BBC ...

. Charlie's first appearance is in the episode first broadcast in the United Kingdom on 4 September 2000. He is played by Jason McGregor in flashbacks broadcast in 2001 and Richie Daysh in a 2018 flashback. He also makes a cameo appearance in the second series of the spin-off '' EastEnders: E20''. In April 2010, the character was axed among five others by new executive producer

Bryan Kirkwood Bryan Kirkwood (born 1976) is a British television producer. He was the producer of the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' from 2006 until 2009, and was the executive producer of the BBC soap ''EastEnders'' from 2010 until 2012. He returned as t ...

as part of a plan to "breathe new life into the show". The reaction to Charlie's axing was negative with Stuart Heritage from ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' saying that it "should be a national day of mourning" and

Phil Daniels Philip William Daniels (born 25 October 1958) is an English actor, musician and singer, most noted for film and television roles playing Londoners, such as the lead role of Jimmy Cooper in ''Quadrophenia'', Richards in '' Scum'', Stewart in ''Th ...

, who had previously played

Kevin Wicks Kevin Wicks is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Phil Daniels. Kevin made his first appearance on February 17, 2006, when he was introduced onto the show alongside his two children, Carly ( Kellie Shirley) ...

, also criticised the axings, stating that Charlie was a "good character". He departed from ''EastEnders'' on 13 January 2011. Martin returned for a two-episode stint in April; his return saw 10.31 million people watch on 19 April and 8.43 million on 21 April. On 3 November 2013, it was announced that Martin would return again, this time on 24 and 25 December 2013. It was announced in October 2015 that Charlie would make another guest appearance in 2016, appearing in five episodes from 4 to 7 January. It was confirmed that Charlie would die from a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...

during this stint. The character very briefly appeared in a flashback on 25 December 2018.

Storylines

Charlie, a taxicab driver, who is widowed from

Viv Slater The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' in 2001, by order of appearance. All characters were introduced by the show's executive producer, John Yorke. The first character to be introduced w ...

(April Martin), arrives in

Walford Walford is a fictional borough of east London in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. It is the primary setting for the soap. ''EastEnders'' is filmed at Borehamwood in Hertfordshire, towards the north-west of London. Much of the location work i ...

with Viv's mother Big Mo Harris (

Laila Morse Maureen Oldman (born 1 August 1945), known professionally as Laila Morse, is an English actress. Her roles include Janet in the drama film '' Nil by Mouth'' (1997) and Mo Harris in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Early life Laila Morse wa ...

) and Charlie's four daughters:

Lynne Slater Lynne Slater (previously Hobbs) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Elaine Lordan. The character appears between 18 September 2000 and 2 July 2004. Lynne is a fierce judge of right and wrong, although she ...

(

Elaine Lordan Elaine Bernadette Lordan (born 15 December 1966) is a British former actress, best known for her role as 'Sugar Walls' in the comedy series ''Gimme Gimme Gimme'' and playing Lynne Hobbs in ''EastEnders'' from 2000–2004. Following several tra ...

Kat Slater Kathleen "Kat" Slater (also Moon) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Jessie Wallace. She is also played by Kate Peck in a flashback in 2001 and Sumar-Elise Sandford in a flashback in 2018. Kat is the sec ...

(

Jessie Wallace Karen Jane Wallace (born 25 September 1971), known professionally as Jessie Wallace, is an English actress. She is known for portraying the role of Kat Slater on the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' since 2000. Her role as Kat won her the Natio ...

Little Mo Morgan Maureen "Little Mo" Slater (previously Morgan and Mitchell) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Kacey Ainsworth from 18 September 2000 to 26 May 2006. Little Mo originally appeared with a turbulent marria ...

(

Kacey Ainsworth Kacey Ainsworth (born 19 October 1968) is an English actress, best known for portraying the role of Little Mo in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' and Cathy Keating in ITV drama ''Grantchester''. Early life Ainsworth trained at the Royal Ce ...

), and

Zoe Slater Zoe Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Michelle Ryan. She made her first appearance on 18 September 2000. Zoe arrives in Walford along with her father, Charlie (Derek Martin), sisters Kat (Jessi ...

(

Michelle Ryan Michelle Claire Ryan (born 22 April 1984) is an English actress. She played Zoe Slater on the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' (2000–2005). In 2007, she starred in the short-lived American television series ''Bionic Woman''. She appeared as th ...

), plus Lynne's boyfriend,

Garry Hobbs Garry Hobbs is a fictional character in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Ricky Groves. He made his first appearance on 18 September 2000. It was announced on 26 March 2009 that Groves and co-star Kara Tointon, who plays Dawn Swann ...

(

Ricky Groves Richard Groves (born 23 April 1968) is an English actor best known for playing Garry Hobbs in ''EastEnders'' from 2000–09. Before his role in ''EastEnders'' he appeared in the series '' Burnside'', a spin-off from ''The Bill''. He trained a ...

). It soon emerges that Kat is actually Zoe's mother and that it has been kept a family secret until Zoe finds out. Demanding to know the identity of her birth father, Zoe and Charlie are stunned to discover that it was Charlie's younger brother Harry Slater (

Michael Elphick Michael John Elphick (19 September 1946 – 7 September 2002) was an English film and television actor. He played the eponymous private investigator in the ITV series ''Boon'' and Harry Slater in BBC's ''EastEnders''. He was nominated for ...

), who raped Kat when she was a teenager. Little Mo, now married to

Billy Mitchell William Lendrum Mitchell (December 29, 1879 – February 19, 1936) was a United States Army officer who is regarded as the father of the United States Air Force. Mitchell served in France during World War I and, by the conflict's end, command ...

(

Perry Fenwick Perry Fenwick (born 29 May 1962) is an English actor. He is known for portraying the role of Billy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', a role which he has played since 1998. Career Television Fenwick's first regular television ro ...

), is raped by

Graham Foster Graham Foster may refer to: * Graham Foster (American football), American football player and coach * Graham Foster (''EastEnders''), a character from the British soap opera ''EastEnders'' * Graham Foster (''Emmerdale''), a character from the Br ...

(

Alex McSweeney Alex McSweeney is a British actor, best known for playing Graham Foster in '' EastEnders'' from 2003 to 2005. Other programmes he has appeared in include '' Silent Witness'' and '' Holby City''. He also appeared in ''Lewis'', in 2007. He has als ...

). When Charlie finds out, he attacks Graham after locking him in his taxi. Charlie is arrested and remanded in custody for

grievous bodily harm Grievous bodily harm (often abbreviated to GBH) is a term used in English criminal law to describe the severest forms of battery. It refers to two offences that are created by sections 18 and 20 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861. The ...

, to which he pleads guilty, but the family has to pay Graham £10,000 compensation. Charlie's cab license is revoked, but is later restored. Lynne, now married to Garry, leaves Walford after her baby, Vivienne, is stillborn. Charlie's great-niece

Stacey Slater Stacey Slater (also Branning and Fowler) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', portrayed by Lacey Turner. She first appears in episode 2826, originally broadcast on 1 November 2004. The character is introduced as a fe ...

(

Lacey Turner Lacey Amelia Turner (born 28 March 1988) is an English actress. She is known for portraying the role of Stacey Slater on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (2004–2010, 2014–present), for which she has won over thirty awards, including four ...

) moves in, and Charlie becomes a father figure to her, helping her curb her rebellious and wayward attitude. At the same time, he comforts Zoe after she has an abortion. Zoe eventually leaves, soon followed by Kat, who is now married to

Alfie Moon Alfie Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Shane Richie. He made his first appearance on 21 November 2002, and left on 25 December 2005. He returned to ''EastEnders'' on 21 September 2010, following th ...

(

Shane Richie Shane Patrick Paul Roche (born 11 March 1964), known as Shane Richie, is a British actor, comedian, television presenter and singer. Following initial success as a stage and screen performer, he became best known for his portrayal of the charac ...

). However, Stacey's mother

Jean Slater Jean Slater (also Walters) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders'', played by Gillian Wright. Her first appearance is in the episode first broadcast in the United Kingdom on 16 December 2004. Having only been introduce ...

(

Gillian Wright Gillian Wright (born 5 May 1960) is an English actress, best known for portraying the role of Jean Slater on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' since 2004, for which she has won a number of awards. She was a teacher and theatre director before ...

) moves in with the family. Charlie puts an advertisement in a lonely hearts column and becomes a member of an internet dating website, meeting and falling for

Brenda Boyle The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' which aired in 2008 (by order of first appearance). All characters were introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer. Santer introduced four ...

( Carmel Cryan), a

Salvation Army Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...

member from Clacton. However, their romance begins to fizzle out. After not seeing each other for several weeks, Brenda ends the relationship, telling Charlie that she and her brother are moving to

Madeira ) , anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira") , song_type = Regional anthem , image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg , map_alt=Location of Madeira , map_caption=Location of Madeira , subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...

. Not wishing to end the relationship, Charlie gets approval from Stacey and Mo to go with her. He returns not long after with a Russian woman named

Orlenda ''EastEnders'' is a long-running BBC soap opera from the United Kingdom. This is a list of characters who first appeared on the programme during 2009, listed in order of their first appearance. They were all introduced by the show's executive p ...

(

Mary Tamm Mary Tamm (22 March 1950 – 26 July 2012) was a British actress, who appeared in many British TV drama series and serials, and is best known for her role as Romana I in the BBC's science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', starrin ...

). Mo is suspicious of her and follows her around. On seeing her with another man, Mo takes a photo to show Charlie. Charlie confronts Orlenda, who admits that she was using Charlie for his money and he asks her to leave. When Stacey stops taking medication for her

bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of depression and periods of abnormally elevated mood that last from days to weeks each. If the elevated mood is severe or associated with ...

, Charlie insists that she has to start again as she almost lost her baby

Lily ''Lilium'' () is a genus of Herbaceous plant, herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, all with large prominent flowers. They are the true lilies. Lilies are a group of flowering plants which are important in culture and literature in mu ...

. Charlie asks

Dot Branning Dorothy "Dot" Branning (also Cotton) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders'', played by June Brown. In a special episode entitled ''EastEnders: Dot's Story'' (2003) a young Dot was played by Tallulah Pitt-Brown in fl ...

(

June Brown June Muriel Brown (16 February 1927 – 3 April 2022) was an English actress and author. She was best known for her role as Dot Cotton on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (1985–1993; 1997–2020). In 2005, she won Best Actress at the ''In ...

) to speak to Stacey as he believes that Lily's father is Stacey's deceased husband

Bradley Bradley is an English surname derived from a place name meaning "broad wood" or "broad meadow" in Old English. Like many English surnames Bradley can also be used as a given name and as such has become popular. It is also an Anglicisation of t ...

(

Charlie Clements Charlie Clements (born 5 June 1987) is an English actor known for the role of Bradley Branning in the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'' from January 2006 to February 2010. He has won several soap and magazine awards for his performance. Biograph ...

), Dot's step-grandson. Dot then reveals that Lily is not Bradley's. Charlie asks Stacey why she has not told the truth and begs her to take her pills, trying to force one into her mouth. Stacey says she has already taken them and Charlie apologises, then walks out of the house in tears. He spends the night at

Patrick Trueman Patrick Trueman is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Rudolph Walker. He made his first appearance on 13 September 2001. His storylines include being the possible father of Denise Fox (Diane Parish), to whom ...

's (

Rudolph Walker Rudolph Malcolm Walker (born 28 September 1939) is a Trinidadian-British actor, known for his sitcom roles as Bill Reynolds in ''Love Thy Neighbour'' (1972–76) and Constable Frank Gladstone in '' The Thin Blue Line'' (1995–96). Since 2001, ...

) house, and invites Patrick and

Jim Branning Jim Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by John Bardon, first appearing on 29 April 1996 and became a regular character in 1999. He remained in the series until 2011. Jim was temporarily written out ...

(

John Bardon John Bardon (born John Michael Jones, 25 August 1939 – 12 September 2014) was an English stage and screen actor. He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 1988 (1987 season) for '' Kiss Me, Kate'', sharing the aw ...

) for drinks. Later, Sam Mitchell (

Danniella Westbrook Danniella Westbrook (born 5 November 1973) is an English actress, best known for originally playing Sam Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' on and off from 1990 to 2000 and 2009 to 2016. Away from ''EastEnders'', she has presented var ...

) asks Charlie to take her to the hospital because she is worried her baby

Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Frankish language, Old Frankish and is a Compound (linguistics), compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language, Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' an ...

is unwell, however after driving part way, Charlie tells her the symptoms are normal. As he turns around, he reverses into some boxes in front of a van, and is then stopped by a police officer (Laurence Mitchell). The next day, Mo opens a letter for Charlie and learns he was caught driving over the limit. They argue as he could lose his driving licence, and Charlie later apologises to Stacey for forcing her to take her pills. Charlie is shocked when his daughter Kat returns to Albert Square. Kat is trying to avoid some thugs to whom she owes money. They catch up with her at Charlie's house, and Kat tries to escape. In the commotion, Charlie reminds Kat that she hasn't even asked about his life or anyone else's in Walford. Kat's estranged husband, Alfie, then arrives and chases the thugs away. However, Charlie is then dismayed to learn that Kat is pregnant, and Alfie is not the father. Alfie and Kat reopen The Queen Vic as landlords and give Charlie a job there as a potman. Kat gives birth to

Tommy Tommy may refer to: People * Tommy (given name) * Tommy Atkins, or just Tommy, a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Tommy'' (1931 film), a Soviet drama film * ''Tommy'' (1975 fil ...

, on the same day

Ronnie Branning Veronica "Ronnie" Branning (also Mitchell) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, '' EastEnders'', played by Samantha Womack. She and her younger sister Roxy Mitchell (played by Rita Simons) were introduced by executive producer Diede ...

(

Samantha Womack Samantha Zoe Womack ('' née'' Janus; born 2 November 1972) is an English actress, singer, model and director who has worked in film, television and stage. Womack initially planned a career in singing and she represented the United Kingdom i ...

) gives birth to her son,

James James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

. Kat is rushed to hospital, leaving Tommy in Charlie's care, but he joins the New Year's Eve party instead. James dies of

cot death Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden unexplained death of a child of less than one year of age. Diagnosis requires that the death remain unexplained even after a thorough autopsy and detailed death scene investigation. SIDS usual ...

, so Ronnie secretly swaps him with a perfectly healthy Tommy. Alfie and the rest of the family then discover the dead baby, believing it to be Tommy. Charlie admits to Kat that the baby was left alone as he was drinking, so Kat blames him for the baby's death. Charlie tries to make things right, but eventually realises it is best for him to leave. Mo begs him to stay but he refuses. Mo tells Kat and Alfie, and when Alfie says fathers have feelings too, they run to the tube station. Kat forgives Charlie and he leaves to stay with Lynne. When Kat and Alfie receive Tommy back, Charlie visits Kat and helps her bond with her son. Kat asks Charlie to return to Walford, but he refuses as he is in a relationship with a younger woman named Eileen, and they are getting married. Soon after, he returns to Lynne's. Off-screen, Charlie suffers a

stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

. Kat, Alfie, Tommy and Shenice Quinn (Lily Harvey) go to visit him in hospital and stay with him for a while. Soon after, Alfie returns with Shenice and reveals Kat and Tommy are staying with Charlie until he recovers. Kat later returns to Walford with Tommy. Charlie visits Kat and Alfie for Christmas to celebrate their last days in The Queen Vic, and is delighted to learn that Kat is pregnant again. Charlie returns, following the birth of Stacey's son

Arthur Fowler Arthur Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Bill Treacher from 1985 to 1996. The father of the Fowler family, Arthur was essentially a good man but made some foolish choices that he always ended ...

. Kat then learns that she had given birth to a boy, along with Zoe. Charlie admits to Kat that he knew about Stacey's father, Brian's, other family and that he did nothing to stop him. When an angry Kat demands the truth from Mo about her son, Charlie suffers a heart attack. Charlie manages to tell Kat that he loves her, before going into cardiac arrest. The paramedics arrive minutes later, but are unable to save Charlie and he is pronounced dead. Alone, Kat says her final goodbyes to her father before kissing him goodnight on the forehead. Shortly afterwards, Stacey runs away from Walford, however, she has an hallucination of Charlie (a symptom of her

postpartum psychosis Postpartum psychosis, also known as puerperal psychosis, involves the abrupt onset of severe mental illness shortly following childbirth. While symptoms of postpartum psychosis have long been observed in mothers, the phenomenon eventually came t ...

), in the form of a taxi driver, who convinces her to return home.

Creation and development

Derek Martin had previously auditioned for the roles of

Den Watts Dennis "Den" Watts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by actor Leslie Grantham. He became well known for his tabloid nickname, "Dirty Den". Den was the original landlord of The Queen Victoria public house ...

and

Frank Butcher Frank Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Mike Reid (actor), Mike Reid. Frank makes his first appearance on-screen as a guest character in 1987, but due to a positive viewer reception, he is reintr ...

in the 1980s and was shortlisted for both roles, but was ultimately unsuccessful. He requested to screen-test for the role of Charlie in 2000. He was successful and offered a contract with the soap for a minimum of three years, with potential for longer. Martin described playing Charlie as "comfortable", like putting on an "old coat" and stated in 2002 that he would like to stay with ''EastEnders'' until he dies. He described Charlie as an easy-going family man. The ''EastEnders'' website calls Charlie "mild mannered" and the rock that keeps the

Slater family The Slater family is an American philanthropic, political, and manufacturing family from England, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut whose members include the "Father of the American Industrial Revolution," Samuel Slater, a prominent ...

together, as well as "positive as long as his family's round him." He was also described as a 'devoted dad'. In 2009 it was announced that Martin would take a break from the series. His temporary departure storyline saw Charlie run away with his new love interest,

( Carmel Cryan), however BBC confirmed that he would return in a "few weeks time". The storyline involved Charlie jumping in front of a bus to stop her from emigrating to

. A spokesperson said, "Charlie's move is only temporary and that he will return soon. His heart remains in Walford." It was reported in February 2010 that Martin's real-life knee surgery would be scripted into the show. He said, "My operation will probably be in the middle of May and then hopefully you'll see Charlie on crutches". Martin's operation was in April 2010 and Martin revealed, "I went back to ''EastEnders'' at that point and a runner followed me round with a chair and my sticks." Although Charlie was never seen on crutches, he had a limp in episodes broadcast in April 2011.

Departure and 2011 return

Charlie left ''EastEnders'' on 13 January 2011. Martin opined that his favourite storyline to film was finding out that Kat was raped by Harry, on which he stated "I shared some emotional scenes with Kat during that storyline." He later stated that the storyline was "very strong". In October 2010, a last minute scene was filmed involving Charlie and Patrick, focusing on

George Osborne George Gideon Oliver Osborne (born Gideon Oliver Osborne; 23 May 1971) is a former British politician and newspaper editor who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2010 to 2016 and as First Secretary of State from 2015 to 2016 in the ...

spending review A spending review, or occasionally a comprehensive spending review, is a governmental process in the United Kingdom carried out by HM Treasury to set firm expenditure limits and, through public service agreements, define the key improvements that t ...

, in which the characters discuss the impact of the Chancellor's plans. Talking about the baby swap storyline involving Kat, Alfie,

(

) and

Jack Branning Jack Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Scott Maslen. He made his first appearance on 29 October 2007. He is the youngest child of Jim (John Bardon) and Reenie Branning (Joy Graham) and the brot ...

(

Scott Maslen Scott Alexander Maslen (born 25 June 1971) is an English actor and model, best known for his portrayal as DS Phil Hunter in ITV's ''The Bill'' and Jack Branning on the BBC's flagship soap ''EastEnders'' since 2007. He also took part in the 20 ...

), Martin explained that he only read his own parts of the script, so thought that Charlie simply leaves his grandson alone, gets drunk and the baby dies. On Charlie's part in the story, he said " at's terrible guilt obviously—because efeel as though it's isfault that he's died. I was surprised when I saw the story come out ..that it was a baby swap." In his autobiography, released in 2013, Martin revealed that the storyline originally planned for Charlie's exit was that he have a heart attack and die. He also spoke about his shock to be axed, "You know it's part and parcel of the profession to be in and out of work but after thinking Charlie was part of the future of the show, I was shocked. I simply didn't see it coming." Martin revealed that he immediately called former executive producer, John Yorke, who had introduced the character to the show, and told him of his impending on-screen death. Martin then revealed that he had received a call from current producers who said Charlie was not to be

killed off The killing off of a character is a device in fiction, whereby a character dies, but the story continues. The term, frequently applied to television, film, video game, anime, manga and chronological series, often denotes an untimely or unexpect ...

and would simply go to live with eldest daughter, Lynne. On 2 March 2011, it was announced that Martin had recently returned to film two episodes. An ''EastEnders'' source told

Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...

, "Although they've had their ups and downs, Kat deeply regrets pushing Charlie away. The pair have a tearful reunion and there won't be a dry eye in the house."

who plays Charlie's daughter

Kat Moon Kathleen "Kat" Slater (also Moon) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Jessie Wallace. She is also played by Kate Peck in a flashback in 2001 and Sumar-Elise Sandford in a flashback in 2018. Kat is the seco ...

, said that Charlie would help Kat come to terms with the fact that her baby is still alive, "With what happened the night they thought Tommy died, things were still unresolved for them. Although they cleared the air before he left, things weren't right between them, so to have him back with her now makes it all the more special. It's also Charlie that makes Kat realise that she needs to bond with Tommy. He makes her see that she can do this." Martin returned for two episode's on 19 and 21 April 2011, with his return bringing in 10.31 million people to watch on 19 April and 8.43 million on 21 April.

2013 and 2016 returns

It was announced on 3 November 2013 that Charlie would be making a brief return to screens over the Christmas period. Martin was revealed to have already filmed his return and would appear in one episode in December. Details surrounding Charlie's reason to return was being kept secret from the public, but was tipped to involve his daughter, Kat. A show spokesperson confirmed Martin's return. Speaking of his return, Martin said: "It was wonderful to go back after all this time. I got a call saying they wanted me to do an episode for Christmas. I walked into the Queen Vic on my first day and it was like I'd never left."EastEnders Derek Martin: "I hope Charlie Slater return is permanent" - EastEnders News , Soaps , Digital Spy
/ref> Spoiler pictures showing Charlie's return was released on 8 December. The pictures showed Kat and her husband, Alfie, celebrating their final day in charge of

The Queen Victoria The Queen Victoria (more often referred to as The Queen Vic or The Vic) is the Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders''. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20. Appearance and developmen ...

, with Mo joining them alongside Charlie. On 22 December 2013, Martin revealed that he wants a permanent return to ''EastEnders'' following his guest return at Christmas, which was said to last two episodes, "Who knows, if Charlie goes down well this Christmas, maybe it will all become more permanent. Nothing's been said but I can't help hoping." Charlie's return scenes aired on 24 and 25 December 2013, with 7.65 million tuning in to watch on 24 December and 8.60 million on 25 December.

, who plays Charlie's great niece

Stacey Branning Stacey Slater (also Branning and Fowler) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', portrayed by Lacey Turner. She first appears in episode 2826, originally broadcast on 1 November 2004. The character is introduced as a fe ...

, expressed an interest in Charlie and her on-screen mother,

Jean Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * Jea ...

(

) returning, "Having scenes with the Slaters is my favourite thing, though. It would be great if we could get Derek Martin and Gillian Wright back." In April 2014, Martin revealed that cast members, including

(Kat) and

(Alfie), have asked producers on various occasions whether Martin can return to the soap on a permanent basis. He commented, "Everyone, including Shane and Jessie, have been asking them upstairs, 'When can we have Derek?' and Dominic readwell-Collinshas said he will see how it goes." In October 2014, it was announced that there was a possibility Martin would be returning to the show in early 2015. Despite Martin telling the '' Daily Star'' that he would be returning for a handful of episodes for an unknown storyline, an ''EastEnders'' spokesperson said the return was to be finalised. The spokesperson said: "It hasn't been confirmed if Derek will be returning, as it is still a little while off yet as we are still at the planning stages." Martin did not return to the show as previously rumoured. In October 2015, it was announced that Martin would be returning to the show for a guest appearance over the Christmas period. The announcement that Charlie would returning on-screen came only a day following the announcement Kat and Alfie would make a brief return over the Christmas period. The show released no further information surrounding Charlie's return, but said the return of Charlie, Kat and Alfie would lead to the latter's 2016 six-part drama. Speaking of his return, Martin said: "I'm so excited to be coming back into such a big and important storyline and I can't wait to get stuck in and be back with the family again." The character was killed off. Martin said of his on-screen death, "I spoke to Dominic, the executive producer, and he explained

he storyline He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...

and said he'd give me a good send off. In a way its closure, after 11 years, which for an actor is wonderful."

In popular culture

The character of Charlie Slater has been

spoof Spoof, spoofs, spoofer, or spoofing may refer to: * Forgery of goods or documents * Semen, in Australian slang * Spoof (game), a guessing game * Spoofing (finance), a disruptive algorithmic-trading tactic designed to manipulate markets __NOTOC__ ...

ed in the

cartoon A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently animated, in an unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved over time, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or series of images ...

sketch show Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. The form developed and became popular in vaudeville, and is ...

'' 2DTV''. It was revealed that in July 2005 Derek Martin would appear as a guest star on the third series of '' Little Britain''. He played himself and was constantly referred to by the character of

Marjorie Dawes This is a list of characters for the British television and radio sketch show '' Little Britain'' (and its American spin-off, ''Little Britain USA''). Overview ;Key : Characters that appear for only one sketch are not listed in the table A ...

as "Charlie Slater".

Other appearances

Charlie makes a cameo appearance in episode 6 of '' EastEnders: E20'', where he is eating dinner in front of the television when there is a power cut, caused by

Sol Levi Solomon "Sol" Levi is a fictional character from '' EastEnders: E20'', an Internet spin-off of the BBC soap opera '' EastEnders'', played by Tosin Cole. Sol is a main character in series 2, where he is joined by his older brother Asher Levi (He ...

(

Tosin Cole Tosin Cole (born 23 July 1992) is an American-born British actor. He is known for various roles in British television series and films. He began his on-screen career starring in '' The Cut'' and '' EastEnders: E20'', later securing a regular ro ...

) and Stevie Dickinson (Amanda Fairbank-Hynes).

Reception

James Donaghy from ''

'' called Charlie "a lovely bloke" and "the embodiment of salt-of-the-earth decency and stupidity", saying one of his favourite moments in Charlie's time in ''EastEnders'' was his attack on Trevor.

Grace Dent Grace Dent (born 3 October 1973) is an English columnist, broadcaster and author. She is a restaurant critic for ''The Guardian'' and from 2011 to 2017 wrote a restaurant column for the ''Evening Standard''. She is a regular critic on the BBC' ...

, also from ''The Guardian'', said that one of her favourite soap opera moments of 2008 was when an escaped tarantula crawled up Charlie's leg. The episode in which he left following the aftermath of the baby swap storyline attracted 10 million viewers according to Digital Spy. His two episode return saw on 19 April, 10.31 million people watch and 8.43 million on 21 April. Christopher Hooton from the ''

Metro Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to: Geography * Metro (city), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...

'' newspaper negatively reviewed Charlie's exit scenes, saying, "Unfortunately the long-time cast member's exit felt a little rushed. ..As ''EastEnders'' characters' last hurrahs go, Charlie Slater's will not be going down in TV history." Stuart Heritage from ''The Guardian'' criticised Kirkwood's axings saying, By rights, this should be a national day of mourning. ''EastEnders'' has got a new executive producer – Bryan Kirkwood – and, as executive producers so often do, he's decided to spend his first few days hiding in a bush, taking out several characters with a poisoned blowpipe. This weekend it emerged that six EastEnders characters are to get the chop. Some of them are long-standing and beloved, like Charlie Slater and Minty. He said that it was 'a tremendously bad idea'.

who played

in the soap, criticised the axing of Charlie along with five other axings, as they were "good characters". A reporter writing for the '' Inside Soap Yearbook 2017'' (released in November 2016) described Charlie's death as "tragic".

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Slater, Charlie EastEnders characters Fictional taxi drivers Television characters introduced in 2000 Male characters in television Fictional prisoners and detainees