The star was in the soap for nearly 18 years
Mike Reid played Frank Butcher in Albert Square for 18 years(Image: BBC)
EastEnders legend, Mike Reid, who played Frank Butcher was a household name during the 70s, 80s, 90s and early 2000s.
However, it appears all was not as it seemed in the star’s life, as by the time he died in 2007 at just 67 he had lost his fortune, suffered a family tragedy and in his own words lost “everything that mattered.”
Mike rose up through the ranks of the television industry, acting as a stuntman in films such as The Dirty Dozen and the James Bond spoof Casino Royale in the 1960s before turning to comedy.
His humour made him a success in the stand-up community, and by the early 1970s he was in the ITV series The Comedians.
Fast forward 17 years, and in 1987 the star landed his role as Frank Butcher in EastEnders. Frank was originally meant to be a semi-regular character, but he became a permanent fixture after buying the Queen Vic pub from Den Watts.
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With his trademark trilby, flashy suits, and fast-talking patter, Frank quickly became one of the soap’s most memorable characters.
Mike’s own personality often blended with that of his on-screen alter ego. He admitted that playing Frank’s nervous breakdown storyline in the mid-1990s took such a toll on him that he suffered stress himself and stepped away from the show for more than a year.
Despite this, he returned on several occasions, with Frank’s turbulent romances with Pat (Pam St Clement) and Peggy (Barbara Windsor) among the soap’s most-watched storylines.
Beyond EastEnders, Mike continued acting, appearing in Guy Ritchie’s Snatch as diamond dealer Doug “The Head” and in a string of low-budget films.
He also remained active on the cabaret circuit, where his roots in live comedy never left him, the Express reported.
While Reid’s professional life brought recognition and stability, his private life was marked by a succession of devastating blows.
In 1990, his younger son Mark, who had long struggled with severe mental health issues, killed a friend. He then set fire to himself and died from his injuries.
“It is my true and honest belief that Mark had gone to scare his mate by firing at the wall beside him but instead shot him point-blank in the heart,” Mike wrote on his autobiography T’riffic.
“The shooting might have been intentional but the end result wasn’t. I know Mark was clear-headed enough to ring his mum then go back to Ian to try to staunch the blood with towels. It was no good because the poor kid must have been dead before he hit the ground.
“As time went on after Ian’s death, it appeared Mark got it into his head that he’d caused so much suffering to others, he should inflict as much as possible on himself.”
He added: “Mark killed himself in the most horrible way you could imagine.”
Just months later, Reid’s granddaughter – Mark’s daughter – died from cot death. Years earlier, his first child had died just five days after birth.
Reid spoke candidly about how these losses shaped him, admitting that the grief never went away.: “People must see me on TV or in cabaret laughing, singing, cracking gags and imagine that time has healed the pain and the scars. If only they knew.
“My son is locked away inside – not forgotten, just hidden away in what part we keep our private grief. Otherwise I couldn’t function.”
Reid’s fortunes also faltered financially. A poor investment in Spain wiped out much of his savings and left not just him but members of his extended family in difficulty.
Despite health warnings, Reid was a heavy smoker for much of his life. In July 2007, while living in Marbella, Spain, he suffered a suspected heart attack and died aged 67.
Only weeks earlier, he had been given a clean bill of health following a full medical examination.
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Despite decades in showbusiness, including prime-time television roles and lucrative comedy tours, he died in 2007 with very little money to his name.
Reid’s funeral, held at Little Easton Parish Church in Essex, was attended by over 250 people, including many of his former EastEnders colleagues such as Pam St Clement, Barbara Windsor, June Brown, and Sid Owen. Fans were also invited to pay their respects, reflecting the affection in which he was held by the public.
The BBC dedicated an episode of EastEnders to his memory, a fitting tribute to the actor who gave so much to the soap.