Peter Martin: most memorable moments from actor's career - from Royle Family and Brassed Off to Emmerdale

Peter Martin, known for his role as Joe Carroll on BBC sitcom The Royle Family, has died at the age of 82. The actor had passed away on 19 April and tributes from his former colleagues poured in after the sad news was announced.

Martin was born in Gainsborough in 1941 - his family were from Hull but moved out of the city during the Second World War due to Nazi bombing raids focused on the port. Since those tough beginnings, Martin carved out an an impressive television career, appearing in some of the most popular shows in the UK of the 1980s and '90s.

Having become a well known face on Jewson adverts of the 1980s, he landed roles on ITV soap opera Emmerdale, drama series All Creatures Great and Small, and BBC sitcom The Royle Family. He also starred alongside Ewan McGregor in the drama film Brassed Off, whilst his last screen role was in the 2018 sports comedy film Walk Like a Panther.

Peter Martin’s best moments

Joe Carroll sings I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen - The Royle Family

Although The Royle Family is first and foremost a comedy, the 1999 episode Antony's Birthday featured a particularly heartfelt scene, led by Martin as the Royle's neighbour Joe Carroll. Normally a quiet and insular character, Joe sings a sentimental rendition of I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen. The song causes Norma to cry because her late husband used to sing it to her.

Len Reynolds’ arrival - Emmerdale

Martin had previously had a small role on Emmerdale, playing a character Jolly Makepeace in two episodes in 1981. However, 20 years later, he arrived in the village as Len Reynolds. Len came to Emmerdale to visit his only son Sean following the death of his wife and Sean's mother, Eileen. Len’s arrival came at the right time for his family, as Sean and his wife Angie were having marriage problems and Len was able to help counsel them. Martin would remain on the soap for six years, appearing in nearly 200 episodes.

Len and Tom King fight, Emmerdale

A 2006 storyline involved Tom King blackmailing his secretary Edna, who Len was secretly in love with, causing her to become isolated and depressed. When Len learnt that Tom was the cause of Edna’s troubles, he sought him out for a scrap. Both men landed one solid punch before they were pulled away from each other. The scene demonstrated the strength of Len’s character and his loyalty to those he loved. 

Len’s death, Emmerdale

The death of a longstanding soap character is always a heart-wrenching moment, and Len’s death in 2007 also hit hard. In the episode, the villagers are celebrating Emmerdale’s 500th birthday. After hearing that Edna has been left out of the activities, Len, true to form, checks up on her to make sure she is okay. He returned to the church hall where he died of a heart attack. His friends, including Edna, were devastated at the loss.

Country yokel - ChuckleVision

Martin played the role of a farmer in Caravan Capers, a 1992 episode of ChuckleVision, alongside Paul and Barry. In a scene stealing role, Martin tries to warn the brothers to turn their caravan around, though he speaks in unintelligible gibberish. Of course, Paul and Barry pay him no mind, though he keeps popping up during their caravaning holiday to offer more advice which is lost in translation.

Brass band scene, Brassed Off

Brassed off is Martin’s biggest film role - he plays Ernie, a member of a miners’ brass band, who worries that if the local mine closes, the band will also fold. In a stand-out moment from the film, the miners strike up the band once again, though Eddie, who is half cut from a heavy drinking session, plays out of time with the others, and to make matters worse, a trombone player sees his instrument fall apart in his hands.