EastEnders created the Beale and Fowler family, drawing on his own background. His mother, Ethel Holland, was one of four sisters raised in Walthamstow. Her eldest sister, Lou, had married a man named Albert Beale and had two children, named Peter and Pauline. These family members were the basis for Lou Beale, Pete Beale and Pauline Fowler. Holland also created Pauline's unemployed husband Arthur Fowler, their children Mark Fowler and Michelle Fowler, Pete's wife Kathy Beale and their son Ian Beale. Smith used her personal memories of East End residents she met when researching Victorian squares. Ethel Skinner was based on
Martin Fowler (EastEnders) Martin Fowler (EastEnders) Martin Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera "EastEnders". The character was played by Jon Peyton-Price from the character's introduction 1985 until 1996, and by James Alexandrou from 1996 until 2007. In October 2014, it was announced that series producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins decided to reintroduce Martin, with the role being recast to James Bye and Martin returned on 5 December 2014. Martin's first stint on the show included a relationship with Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy), running over Jamie Mitchell (Jack Ryder), becoming a father to Bex Fowler and coping when his brother Mark Fowler