Beloved soap legend Mike Reid’s life was marked by heartbreak and money troubles and he died with “nothing left”…

He was amongst Britain’s most cherished soap actors – but beneath the trademark trilby hat and cheeky smile of EastEnders villain Frank Butcher, Mike Reid’s real life proved far more chaotic than his on-screen persona.

The comedian -turned-actor climbed from East End club venues to achieve national fame, yet a series of personal disasters and devastating financial troubles left him shattered.

When he died in 2007, at just 67 years old, Reid had lost both his wealth and, by his own words, “everything that mattered.”

Reid was born in 1940 in Hackney, East London, emerging from humble beginnings and left education early. Before establishing himself in entertainment, he lived a vibrant life that allegedly involved minor criminal activities and, most notably, associations with East End figures such as the Kray twins, the Mirror reports.

Initially, he worked as a stuntman on productions such as The Dirty Dozen and the James Bond parody Casino Royale throughout the 1960s before transitioning into comedy. His razor-sharp wit and rapid-fire presentation quickly won over crowds on the stand-up scene.

During the early 1970s, he had become a household name nationwide, appearing on the ITV programme The Comedians. During the programme’s peak popularity, it brought him countrywide recognition and established his reputation as a no-nonsense performer with his characteristic cockney style.

In 1987, Reid secured the part that would shape his entire career – Frank Butcher in EastEnders. Originally brought in as a part-time role, Frank secured his permanent place the following year after buying the Queen Vic from Den Watts.

With his signature trilby hat, garish outfits and rapid-fire speech patterns, Butcher swiftly established himself as one of the show’s most unforgettable characters.

Reid’s own personality often blended with his on-screen alter ego. He confessed that portraying Frank’s mental breakdown storyline during the mid-1990s proved so demanding that he experienced his own anxiety issues and left the programme for over twelve months.

However, he made serval come backs, with Frank’s stormy relationships with Pat (Pam St Clement) and Peggy (Barbara Windsor) being among the soap’s most-watched scenes.

Outside of EastEnders, Reid pursued his acting career further, featuring in Guy Ritchie’s Snatch as gem trader Doug “The Head” and in various smaller-budget films.

He also kept his ties to the cabaret scene, where his stand-up comedy background remained part of his performances.

Though Reid’s profession delivered fame and financial security, his personal circumstances were plagued by a series of devastating tragedies. In 1990, his youngest child Mark, who had been battling serious mental health problems for years, fatally shot a companion.

He then doused himself in petrol and succumbed to 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,” Reid wrote in 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 lad 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 continued: “Mark killed himself in the most horrible way you could imagine.”

Months later, Reid’s granddaughter – Mark’s daughter – tragically died from cot death. Years before, his first child had died just five days after being born.

Reid spoke openly about how these devastating losses affected him, confessing that the pain never disappears. He said: “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 financial situation also plummeted dramatically. A disastrous investment in Spain wiped out a substantial portion of his fortune, leaving not only him but members of his family in financial difficulty.

This shocking event came just weeks after he had been given an all-clear following a thorough medical check-up.

Despite a long-standing career in the entertainment industry, which included prime-time television roles and profitable comedy tours, he sadly passed away in 2007 with very little money remaining.

Reid’s funeral was held at Little Easton Parish Church in Essex and saw over 250 attendees, including many of his former EastEnders colleagues such as Pam St Clement, Barbara Windsor, June Brown and Sid Owen. Fans were also welcomed to pay their respects, reflecting the public’s affection for him.

The BBC honoured him by dedicating an episode of EastEnders to his memory, a fitting tribute to the star who contributed so much to the soap.