Charlie Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Derek Martin. Charlie's first appearance is in the episode first broadcast in the United Kingdom on 4 September 2000. He was played by Jason McGregor in flashbacks broadcast in 2001 and Richie Daysh in a 2018 flashback. He also makes a cameo appearance in the second series of the spin-off EastEnders: E20. In April 2010, the character was axed among five others by new executive producer Bryan Kirkwood as part of a plan to "breathe new life into the show". The reaction to Charlie's axing was negative with Stuart Heritage from The Guardian saying that it "should be a national day of mourning" and Phil Daniels, who had previously played Kevin Wicks, also criticised the axings, stating that Charlie was a "good character". He departed from EastEnders on 13 January 2011. Martin returned for a two-episode stint in April; his return saw 10.31 million people watch on 19 April and 8.43 million on 21 April. On 3 November 2013, it was announced that Martin would return again, this time on 24 and 25 December 2013. It was announced in October 2015 that Charlie would make another guest appearance in 2016, appearing in five episodes from 4 to 7 January. It was confirmed that Charlie would die from a heart attack during this stint. The character very briefly appeared in a flashback on 25 December 2018.
Storylines
Charlie, a taxicab driver, who is widowed from Viv Slater (April Martin), arrives in Walford with Viv's mother Big Mo Harris (Laila Morse) and Charlie's four daughters: Lynne Slater (Elaine Lordan), Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace), Little Mo Morgan (Kacey Ainsworth), and Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan), plus Lynne's boyfriend, Garry Hobbs (Ricky Groves). It soon emerges that Kat is actually Zoe's mother and that it has been kept a family secret until Zoe finds out. Demanding to know the identity of her birth father, Zoe and Charlie are stunned to discover that it was Charlie's younger brother Harry Slater (Michael Elphick), who raped Kat when she was a teenager. Little Mo, now married to Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick), is raped by Graham Foster (Alex McSweeney). When Charlie finds out, he attacks Graham after locking him in his taxi. Charlie is arrested and remanded in custody for grievous bodily harm, to which he pleads guilty, but the family has to pay Graham £10,000 compensation. Charlie's cab license is revoked, but is later restored. Lynne, now married to Garry, leaves Walford after her baby, Vivienne, is stillborn. Charlie's great-niece Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) moves in, and Charlie becomes a father figure to her, helping her curb her rebellious and wayward attitude. At the same time, he comforts Zoe after she has an abortion. Zoe eventually leaves, soon followed by Kat, who is now married to Alfie Moon (Shane Richie). However, Stacey's mother Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) moves in with the family.