About the live episode's ending...

That was the biggest mistake in Eastenders history since killing off Ronnie and Roxy.

Martin was the first baby born on Eastenders. He was the first legacy character.

He has only been recast once and his actor gave no indication that he wanted to leave.

As a showrunner, you do your best to hold on to characters with as much importance as this, and OG actors who want to stay on the show for as long as possible.

Killing off Martin kills off a core history of the show. Aside from his kids, there are no more Fowlers left on the Square. Without Hope, Roman and Michelle, the Fowlers are now all dead as a family.

Also the writing of his death was really, really bad and Stacey's character will be hated for years for it.

"No Martin WE ARE NOT LEAVING UNTIL WE SORT THIS OUT!" is what got him killed.

Stacey refusing repeatedly to leave with Martin until he confessed his love to her is what got him killed.

His character was as important to the show as the likes of other OG characters like Ian and Sharon from the 1985 intake. You don't get rid of characters like that until the actors absolutely wanted to leave and there had been too many recasts.

This was a big mistake for the show. It hurts the show's history, future with there now being fewer OG characters still alive to carry it, and its going to make Stacey's character even more detested and hated.

Its a shame because Lacey Turner really carried the live episode. Her acting is phenomenal. But Stacey's character will never recover from this.