oh boy i cant wait for his leaving scenes as he has become borrriiingggg! and his storylines are crap
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oh boy i cant wait for his leaving scenes as he has become borrriiingggg! and his storylines are crap
I am getting a bit bored of him anyways. He did well...
Martin and Sonia became boring as soon as they hooked up and got married. I hope Martin kills Sonia and Naomi and leaves Walford then.
good luck to James Alexandrou will miss him
James Alexandrou has said that he is not ruling out a return to EastEnders.
The 28-year-old actor joined the BBC One soap as Martin Fowler in 1996, later leaving in 2007.
Despite Alexandrou's screen wife Sonia (Natalie Cassidy) returning to Albert Square this year, he has said that he will not be coming back to the show any time soon.
Speaking to What's On TV, Alexandrou said: "Natalie called me when she went back in it and she was so happy and it seems like there's a really nice atmosphere there, and I know that when Danny Dyer came in it really energised it and he's great for the show.
"For the first time in a long time, I was really going, 'Could I do it? Could I do it?' But I don't think the time's right for me right now. But it's never a no - it's just not right now."
Alexandrou, who is currently starring in a West End production of Othello as Iago, told Digital Spy in 2011 that he was not interested in returning to EastEnders in the foreseeable future.
Why don't EastEnders bring back Martin now we've got Sonia and Rebecca back. Ok if James Alexandrou doesn't want to do it, just recast him (wouldn't be the first time EastEnders have done this).
Agreed - it wouldnt be too hard to recast, I think it would be really good to bring him back.Quote:
Originally Posted by Timalay
Agreed - it wouldnt be too hard to recast, I think it would be really good to bring him back.Quote:
Originally Posted by Timalay
I think the way EE producers have Sonia at moment, it make very unbelievable they she really is back with Martin.
EastEnders bosses have recast Albert Square original Martin Fowler.
Jon Peyton Price and James Alexandrou have portrayed Martin Fowler on and off since 1985, but now James Bye will be taking on the role.
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James Bye
© Twitter / James Bye
James Bye is taking over the role of Martin Fowler
Bye announced that "it is an honour" for him to be joining the cast of EastEnders.
"It's a huge opportunity for me to put my own stamp on an iconic character and I can't wait to get started," he added.
EastEnders producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins said that the recasting had been undertaken with the endorsement of James Alexandrou, who played Martin from 1996 to 2007.
"With James Alexandrou's blessing - something which was very important to us - we have recast everyman Martin Fowler after extensive auditions," Treadwell-Collins said.
He added: "Martin is an EastEnders original - the first baby born on the Square and part of the show's roots - and, as we celebrate 30 years on Albert Square, it's important to look backwards as we move forwards."
Troubled Martin's most well-known storyline involved his marriage to Sonia (Natalie Cassidy), who recently returned to Albert Square when the couple's relationship hit a rough patch.
Martin will be attempting to repair his marriage when he shows up on the Square this winter.
New EastEnders cast addition Bye's previous screen credits include parts in The Great Train Robbery and The Hooligan Factory.
EastEnders insiders first tipped that a major character would be recast several weeks ago.
EastEnders bosses have recast Albert Square original Martin Fowler.
Jon Peyton Price and James Alexandrou have portrayed Martin Fowler on and off since 1985, but now James Bye will be taking on the role.
http://i1.cdnds.net/14/41/618x618/so...in-fowler.jpeg
James Bye as Martin Fowler in EastEnders
© BBC
James Bye as Martin Fowler in EastEnders
Bye announced that "it is an honour" for him to be joining the cast of EastEnders.
"It's a huge opportunity for me to put my own stamp on an iconic character and I can't wait to get started," he added.
EastEnders producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins said that the recasting had been undertaken with the endorsement of James Alexandrou, who played Martin from 1996 to 2007.
"With James Alexandrou's blessing - something which was very important to us - we have recast everyman Martin Fowler after extensive auditions," Treadwell-Collins said. "Martin is an EastEnders original - the first baby born on the Square and part of the show's roots - and, as we celebrate 30 years on Albert Square, it's important to look backwards as we move forwards.
"Our casting executive Julia Crampsie has found a genuine relatable London bloke in the talented James Bye - and we are sure that viewers old and new will soon warm to Martin Fowler's charms as he returns home to Walford."
Troubled Martin's most well-known storyline involved his marriage to Sonia (Natalie Cassidy), who recently returned to Albert Square when the couple's relationship hit a rough patch.
Martin will be attempting to repair his marriage when he shows up on the Square this winter.
New EastEnders cast addition Bye's previous screen credits include parts in The Great Train Robbery and The Hooligan Factory.
EastEnders insiders first tipped that a major character would be recast last week.
He does look quite like James Alexandrou :D
Is he coming back full time or was it an once off appearance, I thought with a recast he would be around full time
I saw him in a cast photo when they were shooting the Lucy Murder trailer so I am confident its not the last we'll see of him.Quote:
Originally Posted by tammyy2j
https://scontent-a-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/...22&oe=556BF5C5
.
he will be at ian's wedding
Looks like he is back in live week from the trailer as I think its him that breaks down the door of where Nicks body is.
Oh yes, nice touch as Arthur Fowler was one of those who broke down the door to find Reg Cox in the first episode. Sharon should be with him.Quote:
Originally Posted by xx_Dan_xx
Had a feeling he may reappear.
Funnily enough James Alexandrou has been on our screens a bit recently, Silent Witness and Casualty in the last few weeks.
It looks like Kush and Stacey to me that join him.
he could be stacey's new fellaQuote:
Originally Posted by xx_Dan_xx
he could be stacey's new fellaQuote:
Originally Posted by xx_Dan_xx
Did they ever meet before?Quote:
Originally Posted by lizann
They should have done .. Stacey joined around 2004 and Martin left a couple of years later
she didn't know him last night but he has a different head now too :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Perdita
she didn't know him last night but he has a different head now too :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Perdita
Easy to never see or meet your neighbours on Albert Square, I guess :lol:
a bit of chatter on twitter of him and cindy getting very close, liam losing a gf to uncle marty
I doubt it to be honest. Although Cindy is 16 now, Martin is nearly twice her age. There are some weird theories online sometimes, such as a fixation with Sharon and every new blonde female casting being Lola's mum.Quote:
Originally Posted by lizann
Wow, that would be extremely distasteful and would ruin Martin's character, so I can't see it happening either.Quote:
Originally Posted by lizann
Never expected a newly married Molly falling head over heels for Kevin Webster in Coronation Street but that happened ... so potentially this could happen but I would rather it did not :nono:
EastEnders star James Bye has asked fans to give him a chance in the role of Martin Fowler.
Martin was played by James Alexandrou from 1996 to 2007, with Bye taking over the role last year.
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James Bye as Martin Fowler in EastEnders
© BBC / Kieron McCarron
James Bye as Martin Fowler
Speaking about the recast on This Morning today (March 20), Bye said: "They are enormous shoes as James Alexandrou, who played Martin previously, did such a great job.
"Obviously he was on it for quite a long time, so fans who watch EastEnders are going to still see him and say, 'That's Martin Fowler'.
"I still see him as Martin Fowler. So I can understand that people are maybe upset, although that is probably a bit strong. All I ask is that they give me a chance."
Bye also heaped praise upon actress Lindsey Coulson, who plays Martin's mother-in-law Carol Jackson.
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Martin tells Rebecca she should live with Sonia.
© BBC
Martin tells Rebecca she should live with Sonia
He said: "All of the actors on EastEnders are great but some of them are amazing. I was saying before that one of my favourite actresses away from EastEnders, and in it, is Lindsey Coulson. I get to do quite a lot of stuff with her and she is brilliant."
Speaking about Martin's secret, which viewers will see revealed on screen next week, Bye added: "He does have a big secret and that definitely affects the Sonia and Rebecca situation.
"He is just a family man. He goes off the rails but he just wants to be back with Rebecca and have that 2.4 children relationship."
EastEnders' Martin Fowler is given fresh hope for a romance with Stacey Branning when he moves in with her next week.
The pair have struck up a friendship in recent weeks but Stacey (Lacey Turner) has made it clear that she isn't interested in anything more.
With Kat and Alfie Moon no longer around, Stacey has a spare room in her flat and propositions Martin (James Bye), who is keen to move out of Ian's house.
However, Stacey immediately regrets the offer when Martin gets the wrong end of the stick and takes her kind actions to mean something more.
After Martin apologises for his flirtatious behaviour, Stacey agrees to let him move in, but makes it clear that they will only ever be friends.
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Martin gets the wrong idea with Stacey
© ITV
Martin gets the wrong idea with Stacey
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Stacey accepts Martin's apology
© ITV
Stacey accepts Martin's apology
Despite agreeing to Stacey's conditions, it is evident that Martin has other ideas and he later tells Kush that he will be marrying Stacey within the year.
Later in the week, an optimistic Martin moves in with Stacey, but does she share the same feelings as him?
EastEnders airs these scenes on Monday, May 25 and Tuesday, May 26 at 7.30pm on BBC One.
James Bye has said that the current love square involving his character Martin Fowler will change dramatically over the coming weeks.
Upcoming episodes will see Martin rekindle his tenuous relationship with his flatmate Stacey Branning, but he is currently unaware of her feelings for his best friend Kush Kazemi.
Last night's episode of the soap saw Shabnam Masood learn that she was expecting Kush's baby, and a future storyline will also see Stacey fall pregnant as well.
Speaking about what is coming up next in the complicated storyline, Bye said to Digital Spy: "The Shabnam, Kush, Stacey and Martin love square changes so dramatically over the next few weeks.
"The viewer reaction will shift as the weeks go on. When I go on Twitter, the reactions change from night to night depending on what happens."
He also added: "There is more stuff coming up for Martin and Stacey and also for Martin and Kush. You find out more about Kush and Martin's friendship and just how far back they have been and how close they are.
"Hopefully, down the line, you will see it all come to a head and they will have a scrap. Martin has absolutely no idea at the moment how Stacey feels about Kush."
Bye also admitted that he would like to see a tougher side to Martin if and when the truth about Stacey and Kush eventually comes out.
He said: "The beauty of playing Martin is that even though he is the mundane guy, when he has a drink, anything can happen.
"I would like to see that side of Martin. He has come back a bit soppy and I don't know why he is being like that. He is a hopeless romantic and he does just want to be in a family, have a wife and be happy."
For 30 years Martin Fowler has been one of soap's most tragic characters - and there'll be no respite for him in 2016. But Martin's woes are great news for the man currently playing him, James Bye.
Martin, the first baby born in the soap in 1985, has lost his mother, father and brother, killed Jamie Mitchell, been stabbed, and seen his daughter abducted and his wife have a lesbian affair. Now his partner Stacey is having mental health problems after giving birth to the son Martin wrongly believes is his.
And James, who joined EastEnders a year ago, is delighted. 'It's incredible to think Martin's been on the Square so long. I think the emotional torment he's going through with girlfriend Stacey's declining mental health, which will inevitably worsen when he finds out his new son is not actually his, is a fitting way to mark it.'
Christmas saw Stacey, played by Lacey Turner, give birth to Arthur - named after Martin's father - during her daughter Lily's Nativity play, with Martin and the baby's real dad Kush Kazemi by her side.
Since then, market trader Martin's struggled to deal with Stacey's psychotic episodes. At first he put them down to her exhaustion after giving birth. But this week he realises it's serious when he finds her on the roof of the Queen Vic claiming Arthur's the Son of God. 'Martin then assures her he'll protect the three of them,' says James, 'which is nice, as he might have been expected to walk away.'
James researched Stacey's condition - known as postpartum psychosis - and spoke to sufferers. He discovered the anguish of fathers left home alone with their children while their loved ones are cared for in hospital. 'Martin is living through that, so learning about the condition and thinking what would be going through his head was important for me,' says James.
Coping with Stacey's mental health issues has been especially hard for Martin, says James, as 'he's been overjoyed about becoming a dad. He's desperate to have a family of his own, and to call the baby Arthur was important for him to continue his dad's legacy.'
James says it's only a matter of time before Martin faces the misery of discovering Arthur isn't his. 'I don't know when Martin will find out, but it's EastEnders so they won't be able to keep it hidden forever.'
Though as a married father of a two-year-old himself, James, 31, admits that finding out his son wasn't his 'would probably be the worst discovery I could ever make. I think Martin will implode. Or he might explode - it could go either way. I don't think he'll be able to deal with it.'
But when the eventual happens James will relish every moment. 'I feel blessed to have been given such a great storyline with an iconic character like Stacey,' he says. 'And Lacey Turner is a phenomenal actor. What she's been doing with this challenging plotline is amazing. If she doesn't win every award going I'll be so upset.'
JAMES BYE'S TV FAVOURITES
Comedy I'm a big fan of Ricky Gervais and The Office. Working with him on the film Cemetery Junction was a wish fulfilled.
Drama Luther is brilliant. It's breathed new life into the crime-drama format. And it's British!
Sport I'm a golf nut.
Documentary Anything with animals. Blackfish, about how SeaWorld in the US treats its killer whales, made me feel guilty about going there as a kid.
Game show Michael Barrymore's Strike It Rich is my all-time favourite. It was very funny.
Reality show MasterChef. Gregg Wallace is my guilty pleasure! I love cooking but I don't know if I'd be good enough to compete.
FUNNIEST MOMENT
'There was one scene we shot on my fruit and veg stall where I was offering items at £2 each or three for a fiver. I made a mistake and shouted, “£1 each or three for a fiver!” and I got all these tweets saying, “No wonder you don't make any money!”'
dailymail.co.uk
EastEnders star James Bye has teased a very turbulent time ahead for his character Martin Fowler.
Martin's life has been thrown into jeopardy since his partner Stacey Branning gave birth to baby Arthur over the Christmas period and immediately started suffering from postpartum psychosis.
Martin remains torn over how to best support both her and their son in coming episodes, but, of course, viewers know that his best friend Kush Kazemi is actually the biological father of the newborn.
Appearing on This Morning today (January 19), Bye discussed the challenging psychosis storyline and also hinted at more twists ahead for Martin.
Speaking about the baby plot, he said: "It's EastEnders so it is going to come out. I can't say whether we have filmed it or not because I will get an enormous slap on my wrists.
"It gets layered on quite thick for Martin and it just keeps going and going. More things happen to him until the reveal.
"I am interested to see how they are going to do it. I've said this before but it will be a sink or swim moment for him."
Bye also praised the enormous amount of research that went into ensuring that Stacey's storyline was handled sensitively.
He said: "The research team at EastEnders have been incredible. We have managed to work with some of the charities like Mind and met these two incredible women who opened their stories up to me and Lacey [Turner].
"We had a long chat and they are just so brave to be able to do that and to tell us some really personal stuff.
"When you get stories like this, I think Dom sat me and Lacey down and said, 'So you're going to have a child and he's going to be the son of God'.
"You wonder how you are going to make it work and then you meet these women and they have been through so much more. It really helps to bring it to life."
I know it's unfortunate and not anyone's fault but I can't somehow come to grips with the fact that this Martin is the same one that was born at the beginning of the soap and grew up in the Square and has a lot of history with residents there. As I said it's not James Bye's fault, but he's jut not James Alexandrou and he seems like someone new to me. I find it easy to forget that he grew up knowing Ian, Sharon, Dot, etc.etc.
I am enjoying James as MartinQuote:
Originally Posted by parkerman
I'm not saying he's not a good actor, just that he is different and "new" and I find it hard to get my head round the fact that he grew up with and knew all the old timers very well and was part of all the lives and stories that went on.Quote:
Originally Posted by tammyy2j
I agree.Quote:
Originally Posted by parkerman
I like James Bye and think he plays Martin very well, but is he Pauline and Arthur's Martin or just another character who happens to have the same name? I don't think the writing or acting is at fault, it's just that he's never shared any scenes with Pauline, Arthur, Mark or Michelle. Therefore, it's sometimes hard to reconcile the two Martins as the same character.
I know they're the same person but they don't necessarily feel like the same person. It might help if he spent more time reminiscing with Ian, Sharon and Dot.
Yes the other Martin was quite villainous, a bad boy, a different personality