ALEX Jones was left red-faced after she got EastEnders legend James Bye’s name WRONG live on air on The One Show.
James, 41, played beloved Martin Fowler from 2014 until he was killed off in the BBC soap’s live 40th anniversary episode.
Alex Jones was left red-faced after got EastEnders’ James Bye’s name wrong live on air[/caption]
The actor pretended to storm out of the studio when the host called him Martin[/caption]
The actor joined Alex and co-host Roman Kemp on the BBC show on Monday.
After showing a clip of the emotional moment Martin tragically died, Roman said: “It feels weird applauding it but it was great.”
James quipped: “I haven’t watched it yet, I can’t wait to see what happens.”
Alex then made an accidental slip-up when she called James by his character’s name, saying: “Martin… Martin, I called you Martin,” before she screeched: “James!”
The soap star then got up from the sofa and pretended to storm out as he said: “That’s it then,” but the sat back down.
Quickly moving on, Alex said: “It is a lot of pressure, not only having to die on screen but dying live.”
James went on to praise his co-star Lacey Turner, who played his on/off girlfriend Stacey Slater.
James explained: “I was incredibly lucky because I got to do it with my best friend, Lacey Turner.
“We’ve worked together so much, we sort of knew every little tic that each one of us had.
“We sort of talked about if one of us went wrong, I was literally holding her hand throughout the whole live and I can definitely say I would not have been able to do it without her, teamwork.”
James then saw the tearful reaction of EastEnders fans watching the live episode at Boxpark in Wembley.
The actor said he was “sworn to secrecy” after he was told his character was being killed off.
He said: “I told the exec producers after we made the decision, ‘you have to let me tell Lacey’.
“Everyone else you can tell. That was the most difficult conversation… other than telling my wife, she wasn’t over the moon with it to be fair.
“Telling Lacey was tough.
“It has been a really emotional couple of months, but to do it on an episode like that on such a special night, I’ll never forget it. I’ll probably never get the chance to do something like that again.
“The response from the audience has blown my mind.”
Soap star’s next move
The actor’s next move after leaving Albert Square behind has now been revealed.
He will play iconic Jane Austen hero Mr Darcy in the theatrical world premiere of Death Comes To Pemberley.
Addressing his new role, James said: “I am leaving EastEnders on an absolute high after the explosive live 40th anniversary episode.
“After a decade of gritty storylines it’s going to be quite a switch to put on period clothes as one of literature’s romantic leading men, but I can’t wait for this new chapter to begin.”
Written by P.D. James, the 2011 novel is a murder-mystery continuation to Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
This stage adaptation was adapted by Duncan Abel and Rachel Wagstaff, while it is directed by Joe Harmston.
It also includes Endeavour star Sean Rigby as Colonel Fitzwilliam among the cast.
Viewers watched as Martin died heroically following an explosion tearing through the Queen Vic.
The fruit-and-veg stall holder stayed behind to rescue his beloved ex-wife Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner).
As the two made their exit, a steel beam fell and crushed Martin’s legs.
Much of the live episode focused on paramedics’ attempts to help the legacy character.
Despite administering morphine, it soon became clear that Martin’s injuries were catastrophic.
As he lay trapped, he used his final moments to propose to Stacey, declaring his undying love for her.
But after the emergency services began to lift the beam, Martin succumbed to his injuries, leaving Stacey screaming in devastation.
EastEnders’ 40th anniversary cameos so far
With the 40th anniversary of EastEnders coming up, fans are looking forward to some more incredible cameos from iconic faces of Walford’s past. But who have we had so far?
Tracy-Ann Oberman – Oberman returned as Chrissie Watts, a character she last played nearly two decades ago.
Paul Bradley – Bradley returned as Nigel Bates, a character he last played over 25 years ago.
Micheal French – French returned as David Wicks, a character he last played two decades ago.
Patsy Palmer – Palmer returned as Bianca Jackson, a character she last played in 2019.
Ricky Groves – Groves returned as Garry Hobbs, a character who has not been seen since 2009.
Cliff Parisi – Parisi returned as Minty Peterson, a character who was last seen on the square in 2010.
Ross Kemp – Kemp has returned to play Grant Mitchell, a character he first played in 1990. The BBC has described Kemp’s storyline as “explosive”. Kemp said it was an “absolute honour” to return to the show.
Other aspects of the EastEnders 40th anniversary celebration include: A wedding between fan favorites, A huge explosion at the Queen Vic, and A live interactive episode.
