EastEnders pays tribute to actor Bill Treacher, who played show legend Arthur Fowler

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EastEnders fans joined the tributes to Bill, who has passed away aged 92

Bill Treacher as Arthur Fowler and Wendy Richard as Pauline Fowler on set in EastEnders
(Image credit: Getty)

EastEnders has paid tribute to actor Bill Treacher, who passed away on Saturday aged 92.

Bill played Arthur Fowler in EastEnders and was one of the first actors to be cast when the show began back in 1985.

He played Arthur from 1985 until 1996, and his character is still remembered in the show thanks to his memorial bench in the Square. 

 

Bill Treacher as Arthur Fowler and Wendy Richard as Pauline Fowler on set in EastEnders

The Fowlers were one of the original families in Albert Square. (Image credit: Getty)

Bill's family issued a statement confirming the star's death.

They said: "Bill was a brilliant actor and wonderful husband and father, plus a very fine human being. He will be hugely missed."

And they added that he was "much loved" by his wife Kate, son Jamie and daughter Sophie.

Bill Treacher smiling wearing a suit and red tie with a white shirt

Bill was devoted to his family (Image credit: Alamy)

A spokesperson for EastEnders said: "It is with great sadness that we learnt of the passing of Bill Treacher. As one of our original cast members, Bill created a much loved character in Arthur Fowler and, alongside Wendy Richard, created an iconic family in the Fowlers who still remain at the heart of the show.

"Bill left EastEnders in 1996 so it is a true testament to both him, and the character that he created in Arthur, that he is still thought of so fondly. Bill will always be remembered for his charm, sense of humour - with a smile that lit up the room - and more importantly as a family man who was devoted to his wife and children."

After the episode of EastEnders that aired on Wednesday, there was a post-credit tribute to the star.

EastEnders tribute to Bill Treacher in the credits on November 9 2022

EastEnders paid tribute to Bill after the episode aired on Wednesday  (Image credit: BBC)

And viewers also took to social media to share their tributes to Bill.

Even presenter Victoria Coren Mitchell added her voice to the tributes being shared for the EastEnders legend, acknowledging that some of the storylines Arthur was involved with were "grim" but adding: "RIP Bill Treacher."

EastEnders usually airs from Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One.

Kerry Barrett
Kerry Barrett
Freelance writer

Kerry is a writer, author and editor with a lifelong love of the soaps, a passion for TV drama of all kinds, and an obsessive devotion to Strictly Come Dancing. 

She was features editor of All About Soap magazine for more than a decade, covering every bit of excitement from all the UK soaps and the Aussies and still writes about all the juiciest gossip from the Street, the Square and the Dales whenever she can.

Kerry’s also an author of historical fiction, and her two jobs collided when she got the chance to write two novels based on Emmerdale, and the Sugden, Tate and Dingle families, during WW2.