James Bye relished the “fear” of being killed off during ‘EastEnders’ live episode.

The 41-year-old actor bowed out of his role as Martin Fowler last month after being crushed by a steel beam, and he admitted it was a “helluva responsibility” to take such a pivotal role in the 40th anniversary special but he agreed when executive producer Chris Clenshaw pitched the idea in September.

James told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “It felt a helluva responsibility to die in that way, not only on the soap’s 40th anniversary but live in front of the nation. “

“I’m attracted to fear, so I agreed. I’d joined in 2014, so it had been 10 years, effectively all of my 30s, that I’d been on the show.

“It just felt the right time and there were a lot of other things I wanted to do as an actor. It was sad to say goodbye and in an incredibly special live episode, something I’ll never get to do again in my life.”

James thinks his departure was particularly “effective” because fans had expected either arsonist Reiss Colwell (Jonny Freeman) or Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) to perish.

He said: “Which is what made it so effective. The audience had always loved him and Stacey as a couple, through all their ups and downs. Suddenly, it looked like a happy-ever-after for them and then it was snatched away.”

James – who has Edward, 11, Louis, nine, Hugo, five, and 21-month-old Rufus with wife Victoria – still hasn’t watched the live episode back.

He said: “I just haven’t had the chance.”

And the actor is unsure he’ll tune in to Martin’s funeral because he thinks it would be “weird”.

He said: “I’m not sure I want to watch my own cremation, if that’s what it turns out to be. I won’t record it. But I might catch it when it’s on.

“If I’m honest, I’d find it a bit weird.”

James turned down a request from the show for his on-screen funeral.

He explained: “The art department were asking for pictures of me to put in the order of service. But I said no. I don’t want real photographs of me at my funeral, with my real family cut out.”