From underage pregnancy to a stint in prison, Martin Fowler had his fair share of drama in Albert Square.
James Alexandrou, 36, took over the role from actor Joe Peyton Price in 1996 and certainly made his mark on the show.
But after more than a decade on the BBC soap, Martin left 'Enders in classic Walford style - and James never looked back.
End of an era
In typical 'Enders style, Martin left Albert Square with his wife Sonia Fowler, played by Natalie Cassidy, to go travelling around the world.
As the character hadn’t been killed off, fans thought he may return.
Martin did come back in 2014, but he was played by James Bye after James Alexandrou ruled out the possibility.
He said at the time: “They were talking for a while about me going back.
"They made it very clear that they were bringing the character back and they would really like me to go back, but it just wasn't right for me at the time."
"The attraction in it would be to see some of my old mates and have a bit of nostalgia, and that wasn't enough at the time to do it."
"I've decided to leave the show to experience other aspects of my industry. Having turned 21, I felt it was a good time to leave. I owe everything to the show and would love to come back one day - that's if EastEnders would have me."
Co-star break up
James was in a real-life relationship with co-star Kara Tointon when he left EastEnders - but it didn't last.
He started dating the actress, who played Dawn Swan in April 2006.
Speaking to the Sunday Mirror at the time, he said: "Kara and I are very much together. Yes, we are dating and seeing how things develop between us.
"It’s early days, but I’ve been seeing Kara for a couple of months now. And we are really enjoying each other’s company."
"I’m not the kind of celebrity who flaunts my relationships. As far as I’m concerned it’s just between me and Kara."
However the pair called it quits in 2007 having realised they had drifted apart James left the soap.
Theatre and film
After leaving EastEnders in 2007, James, who has a twin sister, made a name for himself as a theatre actor.
He starred in a flurry of plays across and country, including Romeo & Juliet at London's Globe Theatre in which he played the titular character.
He also appeared in the play The Homecoming opposite Harold Pinter for BBC Radio 3.
In 2010, James made the break into films, starring in Semper Fidel in Cuba, which was released in 2014.
Of course the actor didn't forget his soap roots completely, starring in BBC Raw Words in 2009, alongside EastEnders colleagues, Natalie Cassidy and Nina Wadia, who played Zainab Masood.
James also popped up in Silent Witness in 2015, playing Carl Parry.
Career change
After an impressive career in the acting industry, James now prefers to be behind the camera.
He describes himself as a director, actor and writer on his Instagram bio and produced a music video -Karate, for Perfect To Me singer Ann Marie in 2015.
In 2018, James founded Actors East, an acting studio in London’s East-End, to help students gain access to the arts.
The talented star graduated with an MA in Directing Fiction at the National Film and Television School in 2021.
So maybe James will return to EastEnders after all - but this time he'll be behind the camera.
