EastEnders' Kacey Ainsworth pays tribute to on-screen dad Derek Martin
Kacey Ainsworth has remembered her EastEnders dad Derek Martin, who died at the age of 92 on Saturday (10.01.26) evening.
EastEnders' Kacey Ainsworth has paid tribute to her on-screen dad Derek Martin.
The 57-year-old actress played Little Mo - the daughter of London taxi driver Charlie Slater - on the BBC soap from 2000 until 2006, and she took to Instagram on Monday (12.01.26) to remember working with the actor, who died in hospital at the age of 92 on Saturday (10.01.26) evening.
Captioning a photo of the Slater clan - Little Mo, Charlie, his other daughters Kat (Jessie Wallace), Lynne (Elaine Lordan), granddaughter Zoe (Michelle Ryan), and his mother-in-law, Mo Harris (Laila Morse) - on a magazine cover, Kacey penned: "How I remember us.
"And Derek trying to wrangle a bag of polecats into some kindof order. He was a lovely TV dad, with lots of stories from a long career doing everything from stunt man to our dad and everything else inbetween.
"My love and thoughts to his family and friends #restinpeace #charlieslater #derekmartin xxx (sic)"
Michelle - whose character was initially raised as Charlie's daughter after he and his wife Viv legally adopted Zoe to protect Kat after Charlie's brother Harry Slater raped her, resulting in Kat falling pregnant with Zoe - also paid tribute to Derek on the social media platform on Monday.
The 41-year-old star captioned a downcast selfie with: "So sad to hear the news that Derek Martin has passed away. He was a such a friendly man, always ready with a story and practical advice, for example how weak tea is good for shock.
"RIP Derek. Condolences to his friends and family. (sic)"
Meanwhile, Jake Wood - who plays Max Branning, the former lover of Charlie's niece Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) on EastEnders - remembered Derek as an "absolute gentleman".
Captioning a photo of Derek as Charlie, shared to Instagram on Sunday (11.01.26), Jake, 53, typed: "RIP Derek. Absolute gentleman who will be missed by all who knew him".
Born in Bow, London, on April 11, 1933, Derek's career in entertainment began as a stunt double on shows such as Doctor Who, but that career came to an end after he suffered a broken collarbone while filming a drama in 1971.
He then moved into acting, where he appeared in programmes such as Law and Order and The Chinese Detective.
Derek also took on the role of Detective Inspector Jack Frost in a BBC radio adaptation of A Touch of Frost.
Other TV credits included Minder, The Bill and Only Fools and Horses.
However, his most famous role was as Charlie in EastEnders - in which he was a regular cast member from 2000 until 2011 before making brief return appearances in 2013, and in 2016 when his character died of a heart attack.
On Sunday, an EastEnders spokesperson said: "We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Derek Martin.
"From the moment he arrived, Derek’s portrayal of Charlie Slater instantly cemented him in the hearts of the audience, as the head of one of EastEnders’ most iconic families.
"Charlie would do anything for his family, and much like his character, Derek would do the same for those around him.
"Derek was deeply loved by all those that worked with him at EastEnders and will always be remembered with great fondness.
"Our love and thoughts are with his family and friends."
Derek passed away in hospital on Saturday (10.01.26) evening.
In a statement issued through his agent, Sharon Henry, on Sunday, Derek's family said that they would "miss him terribly".
It read: "Derek wasn’t just a dad to us, he was a friend and supported us through our highs and lows.
"He never stopped learning, he loved meeting people and was always generous with his time. We both miss him terribly.
"The family ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult time."
Sharon also described her time working with Derek as a "privilege".
She said: "It is with great sadness that I can confirm that our beloved client Derek Martin passed away on 10th January 2026.
"For over 50 years, Derek was a truly authentic working-class voice in British television and film.
"It was a privilege to be a part of his creative journey in a career which included highlights such as Law And Order for the BBC and two series of The Governor produced by La Plante Productions.
"He is best known for his role on EastEnders, where he cherished his time portraying Charlie Slater.
"Derek was a devoted father, a generous member of the charitable Water Rats, avid golfer and all-around good man who will be greatly missed."
