Derek Martin's son dead - days after EastEnders legend's death
BBB Talent agency announced that its booker, David Rapp - the son of EastEnders star Derek Martin - has died.
Derek Martin's son has died - days after the EastEnders legend's death.
David Rapp - who also worked in the entertainment industry - was with his dad when he passed away in hospital aged 92 on January 10.
A statement from BBB Talent Agency - for whom David served as a booker - read: "Devastating news today. Just after losing his father. David has also passed away.
"The gentle giant whose heart was as big as he was. I couldn’t have wished for a better friend or workmate.
"Rest in peace, David Rapp you will be missed! BBB HQ will never be the same."
David's cause of death has not yet been made public.
Derek - best known for playing London taxi driver Charlie Slater on EastEnders - passed away in hospital on January 10.
And in a statement issued through his agent, Sharon Henry, on January 11, 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."
Among the many people paying tribute to Derek was his EastEnders cast members, including his on-screen daughter Kacey Ainsworth - who played Little Mo on the BBC soap from 2000 until 2006.
She captioned 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, with: "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.
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".
Jake, 53, shared a photo of Derek as Charlie - whom he regularly played from 2000 until 2011 before making brief return appearances in 2013, and in 2016 when his character died of a heart attack - to Instagram.
He captioned it with: "RIP Derek. Absolute gentleman who will be missed by all who knew him."
