EastEnders airs devastating aftermath of Martin Fowler's death in iPlayer release

In hospital, Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) was recovering from giving birth to baby Julia, but was forced to call her and Martin's daughter Bex (Jasmine Armfield) to tell her that her beloved dad had died.

Returning home, Sonia was visited by Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), and after Linda encouraged her not to be distant with her little girl just because she was in mourning, Sonia offered Linda and her family a place to stay in the wake of The Queen Vic being destroyed.

Meanwhile, Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) was also receiving medical care, and she couldn't bear the idea that she would never see the man she thought of as a brother again.

Sharon also relayed that Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) had called Martin's bereaved sister Michelle (Susan Tully, Jenna Russell).

Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) was broken by the loss of Martin, confiding in mum Jean (Gillian Wright) that before he passed away, she and Martin had reunited and he had even proposed to her.

These developments took place during the BBC soap's flawless live episode, which saw Bye and Turner deliver a masterclass series of two-handers in tribute to their 10-year on-screen partnership.

Stacey added that Jean wasn't to tell anyone, as Martin never had the chance to break things off with Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton), who was bitter over all the public support Stacey was receiving while she grieved for Martin alone.

Heartbroken at the prospect of telling the children, Stacey begged locals not to leave flowers by Martin's stall yet, and in touching scenes, Ian (Adam Woodyatt), and Martin's godmother Kathy Cotton (Gillian Taylforth), reached out to Stacey.

It was Sonia who urged Stacey to be honest with a devastated Lily (Lillia Turner), Arthur and Hope, as Stacey assured them that their father had known just how loved he was right until the end.

As sobbing Kathy recalled the first time she had ever seen Martin as a baby, Ian later gave Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) an ultimatum: he would keep quiet about the fact that Cindy's actions had led to Martin's death, if she agreed not to report Kathy for her attempted murder.

While Cindy mulls over her decision, fans will soon be expecting the arrival of Bex, and the surprise return of her cousin Vicki (now played by Alice Haig), as the Fowlers band together to say goodbye to Martin.

To say we're all still recovering from star Bye's moving final scenes would be an understatement, and EastEnders producer Chris Clenshaw has shared why Martin had to die during the show's 40th birthday week.

Read more:

• EastEnders airs tragic death as icon leaves soap after 40 years
• EastEnders confirms Bex Fowler to return for short stint in wake of dad Martin's death
• EastEnders confirms Vicki Fowler return for the first time in 20 years — and she's brought some new characters
• EastEnders reveals images of alternate Denise Fox and Ravi Gulati ending after audience vote
• EastEnders at 40: Best ever scandals from Pat and Frank to Sharongate
• EastEnders at 40: Best ever villains from Nick Cotton to Nish Panesar
• EastEnders at 40: Best ever whodunnits – From who shot Phil to who killed Archie?

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer.

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