Former EastEnders star Joe Absolom looks almost unrecognisable in his latest role, 25 years after leaving Walford.
The actor played Matthew Rose on the BBC soap from 1997 to 2000 and was involved in one of the biggest soap storylines of the 90s.
In February 1999, Steve Owen (Martin Kemp) killed his girlfriend, Saskia Duncan (Deborah Sheridan-Taylor), after he smacked her over the head with an ashtray.
After Saskia’s body was discovered months later, it was Matthew who was framed for the cold-blooded crime, as club owner Steve got away with murder.
The storyline captivated public interest with media outlets kicking off nationwide campaigns for Matthew’s release as he was sentenced to prison for manslaughter. The character has never returned to Albert Square.
Joe, originally from South East London, left EastEnders in 2000, going on to carve out a successful acting career, appearing in British horror film Long Time Dead, and a supporting role in the ITV series Vincent. But it was his role as Bert Large’s son, Al, in Doc Martin, in which he felt most at home.
Joe, who played plumber-turned-restaurateur Al in the ITV comedy-drama series for 18 years, took the decision to quit his native London when his eldest daughter, Lyla, was five.
Joe Absolom is currently portraying Braden Moore in new ITV series Code of Silence (Image: MAMMOTH
“Alison’s life becomes even more complicated when she meets and forms an “unexpected and dangerous bond” with recently recruited gang member, Liam Barlow (Kieron Moore).
“Recruited for a covert operation, Alison is tasked with surveying a dangerous gang as they plot a high-stakes heist, thrusting her into a world of crime, deception, and risk like never before.”
