An EastEnders legend looked completely unrecognisable as he celebrated the soap opera’s 40th anniversary – 15 years after he was killed off the show.
The BBC series marked its milestone anniversary this week with a special live episode which saw Martin Fowler (James Bye) killed off in a devastating turn of events.
And one former EastEnders actor was feeling nostalgic as he took to Instagram on the anniversary to fondly look back at his own days on the soap opera.
But sharing a photograph of himself with an award trophy, he looked completely unrecognisable from his soap opera days, sending fans into a frenzy.
He joined the programme back in 2006 and stayed for four years until he was famously killed off on the show in 2010.
But can you guess who he is?
An EastEnders legend looked completely unrecognisable as he celebrated the soap opera’s 40th anniversary – 15 years after he was killed off the show, but can you guess who it is?
That’s right, it’s Charlie Clements!
Charlie played Bradley Branning and was involved in one of the show’s most famous moments when his wife Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) cheated on him with his father Max Branning (Jake Wood).
He was killed off in 2010 as part of the show’s 25th anniversary, falling to his death from the roof of the Queen Victoria pub in a storyline which won Best Exit at the British Soap and Inside Soap Awards.
When he first joined the show in 2006, Charlie also won Most Popular Newcomer at the National Television Awards and posed with his trophy in his latest post.
He looked strikingly different from his EastEnders days as he flashed a smile while posing with the award in front of him to celebrate the show’s 40th anniversary.
In a lengthy caption, Charlie fondly looked back at his time on EastEnders and admitted he feels so ‘fortunate’ to have spent four years on the BBC show.
Sharing his ‘pride’, he penned: ‘Reminded today that ”I died” 15 years ago today which makes that little thing even older!!!
‘As EE turns 40 I remind myself how fortunate I was to work on such an institution at such a young age and will be forever thankful to those to who made it possible.
That’s right! It’s Charlie Clements, who played Bradley Branning from 2006 until 2010 – when he was killed off after falling from the roof of the Queen Vic pub
‘The BBC, Kate Harewood, John Yorke, Julia Crampsie and Diederick Santer. Thank you to Tony Jordan, @malarkeyphelps @dominictc, Alex lamb and the entire team of writers for some unbelievable scripts and for trusting me with their words.
‘To the many many directors and crew who work tirelessly to put the show together, the first in and the last out. @jamesalexandrou and @natcass1 for taking me under your wing and the entire cast who I had the privilege of working with.
‘My unbelievable family @dollyjj @madelinedugganxx , Lorna Fitzgerald @mrjakewood and of course @laceyturner.’
Charlie went on to pay tribute to EastEnders legends who have since passed away, including Peggy Mitchell actress Dame Barbara Windsor, whom he had a close bond with.
‘To those who are sadly no longer with us who made me feel instantly welcome, June Brown, John Bardon, Wendy Richard and Dame Barbara Windsor, thank you,’ he gushed.
‘And finally the biggest thanks goes to the entire team @thebwhagency who I will be forever indebted to, not once but twice. Happy birthday EE, I am immensely proud to have been a small part of you.’
Since leaving EastEnders, Charlie has worked as a ‘jobbing actor’ while taking on other work in garden centres and restaurants to supplement his income.
Bradley was involved in one of the show’s most famous storylines when his wife Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) cheated on him with his father Max Branning (Jake Wood)
Charlie appeared in Casualty as Jake O’Reilly in 2013 and also starred in Channel 5’s docu-drama Henry VIII and His Six Wives as the now-infamous British monarch.
In 2021, he revealed he was working in a plant section of a garden centre during lockdown when he was unable to act due to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.
‘Working there has increased my knowledge of everything plant related,’ he explained.
‘The acting stopped for everybody, it was way to support my family. At end of the day, I’ve never been afraid of work.’
‘I’ve never been work shy and it does get picked up by the media,’ he explained during his appearance on Loose Women.
‘There’s the mentality that if you had a job in the public eye, you can’t get a normal job. I’m a jobbing actor and I have to support my family.’
Charlie was furloughed during the UK’s first lockdown not long after picking up work in a kitchen and spend a period home-schooling his children.
Charlie and his wife Becky have two children – a son, seven and a daughter, five.
Since leaving EastEnders, Charlie has worked as a ‘jobbing actor’ while taking on jobs in garden centres and restaurants to supplement his income
Despite his fond memories of Walford, Charlie previously admitted he would never return to EastEnders even if they did resurrect his character from the dead.
He told The Sun: ‘I can’t say I’ve watched EastEnders since I left. I don’t miss it because if I hadn’t left I wouldn’t be doing other shows which I prefer doing.
‘They resurrect characters sometimes but even if they wanted Bradley back as a ghost I wouldn’t take up that offer.
‘I didn’t let them kill me off but before I started on the show I always said that I wanted to do four years and that was it. It was my decision to leave.’