EastEnders actor James Bye has hinted that he made a mistake in last week’s 40th anniversary live episode.

Bye gave his final performance as Martin Fowler in the live broadcast, as paramedics were unable to save him from a build-up of toxins in his body after one of the Queen Vic’s beams fell on him.

In an Instagram video, Bye thanked EastEnders fans, his friends and family, his fellow cast members and the “hell of a team” who worked behind the camera.

He also praised Lacey Turner, who plays Martin’s ex-wife Stacey Slater, and revealed that he made a slip-up during the live episode that she saved him from.

“I obviously have to thank the one person that without her I wouldn’t have been able to get through that,” he said. “We laughed, we cried, all the way from the readthrough that we did a few weeks ago.

“She is an absolute warrior. She has had her baby, let’s not forget, weeks ago. I’m not talking months, I’m talking weeks, and she came back and delivered that performance on Thursday night.

“She saved my skin on one occasion. I’m sure she’ll tell you. So yeah, Lacey Turner, she knows how much I love her.”

While Bye didn’t tell fans what the little mistake was, he did give “a huge thank you” to everyone for their support.

“The reaction has blown me away honestly, it meant a lot to a lot of people,” he said.

“It was an incredibly special night. I’ve never done anything like it and I probably won’t ever do anything like it ever again.”

Bye said that playing Martin was a life-changing experience for him and reiterated that it had been “very very difficult to say goodbye” to EastEnders – but shared his excitement for “the next chapter” in his career.

Martin’s funeral scenes are coming up and the BBC has confirmed another returning character for the storyline, after announcing that Vicki Fowler would be coming back.