Actor Joe Absolom is a familiar face to millions. The star of stage and screen is best known for playing plumber-turned-restaurateur Al Large in the iconic ITV’s Cornish-based drama, Doc Martin, which ran from 2004 to 2022. But Joe has been on our screens for a lot longer than that.
After starting out his career as the cheeky-faced kid in a string of TV adverts, Joe’s big break came in 1997 when he was offered the role of Matthew Rose in EastEnders. His character hit the headlines when he was wrongly imprisoned for murder and fans across the country campaigned for Matthew’s release.
After saying so long to Soapland at the start of the millennium, dad-of-three Joe’s proven himself to be a versatile talent. He’s starred in several prime-time series, playing everything from a cold-blooded killer to a volleyball coach. And he's even tried his hand at theatre, starring in the touring production of 2:22 A Ghost Story.
Here are a few facts you may not know about the actor…
His first job was a peanut butter commercial
Joe Absolom was born on 16th December 1978 and raised in Lewisham, London. His mum Kate and dad Tom were both teachers, and he has an older brother Dan and younger sister called Cassie. A former pupil of Forest Hill school, Joe got into the acting game at the tender age of nine when he landed the lead in a TV advert for Sun-Pat Peanut Butter.
In an interview with Metro, Joe reveals it was his parents who put him forward for the gig, saying: “It was the late 80s and the interest rate had just gone up to 16 per cent on my mum and dad’s mortgage. I didn’t know this at the time, but they were skint, so they went, ‘Well, let’s get the kids to work!’ My dad sent off a picture of me and my sister and we suddenly had an agent and then I got called in for the advert. At one point I was doing adverts every week.”
EastEnders made him a household name
In 1997, 18-year-old Joe was just about to start studying for his A-levels when he got the call to join the cast of BBC’s EastEnders. After wowing the soap’s producers in his audition, the character of Matthew Rose was created specifically for Joe. Not much excitement happened during Matthew’s first year on Albert Square, but that all changed on Valentine’s Day 1999 when club boss Steve Owen (played by Martin Kemp) framed him for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Saskia Duncan.
Matthew was subsequently put on trial and sent to prison, sparking nationwide campaigns for the character’s release. Eventually, justice was served and Matthew returned to Walford one last time to exact his revenge on Steve. The explosive scenes, which aired in February 2000 were Joe’s last on the show and earned him the Best Actor gong at the British Soap Awards that same year.
He enjoys being a jobbing actor
Pre-soap, Joe had bit parts in The Bill, Casualty and Silent Witness, and since making the decision to leave EastEnders over twenty years ago, his career has continued to flourish. Clearly a fan of gritty roles, Joe has played a criminal in the thriller Girl Number Nine, starred as Ivan in horror flick I Spit on Your Grave 2, and received a BAFTA nomination for his portrayal of real-life murderer Christopher Halliwell in A Confession.
In 2015, Joe spent two weeks in the Caribbean shooting a guest role as a volleyball coach for Death in Paradise and more recently he starred in the second series of ITV’s crime drama, The Bay. They say variety is the spice of life, and Joe admits he gets a buzz from being a jobbing actor, finding it interesting and good fun.
He moved his family to Cornwall
Nowadays Joe is probably best known for his role as Al Large in the long-running ITV drama Doc Martin. Set in the fictional Cornish town of Portwenn, filming largely takes place in the beautiful Port Isaac. Joe, who’s been a series regular since 2004, fell in love with Cornwall so much that he and his family decided to relocate from London to the county of cream teas and pasties.
Discussing the move, he said: “Basically when we film each series of Doc Martin we are in Cornwall for four months, which is really nice. After the last series, we really thought about it and then spent six months making it happen.” However, Joe admits there is one slight drawback. “The only problem is after filming everyone goes back to the pub in the village, and I live quite a way out. I don’t get to have quite the same fun as before because I have to go home, make dinner and put the kids to sleep.”
He got married twice in one month
Joe tied the knot with his long-term partner Liz Brown in 2019, a whole 17 years after their eyes first met across a crowded bar. The couple, who are parents to Lyla, Casper and Daisy celebrated their big day at the beautiful Pencarrow House in Bodmin, and guests included Joe’s Doc Martin co-stars Martin Clunes and Ian McNeice.
Then, just four weeks after his real-life nuptials, Joe was saying ‘I do’ again when his character Al Large got hitched to doctor’s receptionist Morwenna. In a sweet touch, Joe’s three children were extras for their dad’s on-screen wedding.
He's a Total Wipeout celebrity champion
Who remembers Total Wipeout? You know, the extreme obstacle course where contestants had to make it across those Big Red Balls then tried to defeat Crash Mountain? Well not only did Joe take part in the celebrity version of the BBC show back in 2010, he also won it. The actor’s agile performance earned him a trophy and a rather handsome £10,000 cheque for the charity of his choice. Way to go, Joe!
He's trodden the boards
Joe's most recent acting gigs have taken him to the theatre.
In autumn 2023, the actor joined the cast of a touring production, 2:22 A Ghost Story. The popular play is a modern ghost story and set at a dinner party involving two sets of friends.
Joe played Ben, a builder with a keen interest in the supernatural. And starring alongside him was another member of the EastEnders' alumni, Louisa Lytton.
Discussing the role with Brighton Magazine, Joe said: "I like that it's a modern play and something new and relatable. I was drawn to the genre as being scared at the theatre is such a novel experience."
Joe admits he's experienced the supernatural in his 250-year-old home, revealing:
"The day we moved in, we found this little Victorian child's shoe that was moved and one day I was hoovering and became very aware that I was being watched. So Liz (his wife) burnt sage and we returned the shoe to where we found it. I think that settled the energy down as there was definitely a strange energy in the house."
Spooky stuff!
Joe Absolom’s fact file
Frequently asked questions about the actor...
How old is Joe Absolom?
Joe Absolom is 45, he was born on 16th December 1978.
Is Joe Absolom married?
Yes. Joe married his long-time partner Liz Brown in 2019 after being together for 17 years.
Does Joe Absolom have any children?
Joe and Liz are proud parents to three children – Lyla, Casper and Daisy.
Where was Joe Absolom born?
Joe Absolom was born in Lewisham, London.
How tall is Joe Absolom?
Joe is 5 foot 11.
We work hard to ensure that all information is correct. Facts that change over time, such as age, will be correct, to the best of our knowledge, at the time of the last article update.
