Matthew Rose

Matthew Rose is a fictional character from the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Joe Absolom.

Life in the Square
When Matthew arrived in August 1997, he started out as a sulky teenager. His father, Michael Rose, was a market inspector in Albert Square and his mother, Susan Rose, arrived later. She and Michael were divorced but he and Matthew took care of her because she had multiple sclerosis. Matthew eventually started his own market stall, selling CDs.

In early 1998, he got engaged to Sarah Hills so he could sleep with her and later broke off the engagement. He also had a brief relationship with Mary Flaherty.

Accessory to murder
In 1999, Matthew started working as a DJ for new e20 club owner Steve Owen. Steve Owen's past soon caught up with him when his obsessive ex-girlfriend Saskia Duncan arrived in the Square and started stalking him. Steve got Matthew involved and told him to keep an eye out for Saskia and not let her into the club.

On 14 February 1999, Saskia sneaked into Steve's office and tried to strangle him with his tie, angry because he had dumped her. Matthew came in and tried to pull Saskia away but she pushed him away and continued strangling Steve. Steve reached for the nearest object, an ashtray, and hit her over the head and she was killed instantly from the brutal blow.

Matthew witnessed it and tried to run away from the scene but Steve threatened him and told him he was already involved and couldn't run now or he would go to prison too. Steve and Matthew dumped Saskia's body in Epping Forest. Matthew was worried someone would find out about Saskia but Steve assured him nothing would happen. Over the next few months, Matthew continued to be paranoid and was worried he would go to prison for Saskia's murder. Unknown to Steve, he kept the CCTV tape showing Saskia's attack on Steve and subsequent death, but did not dare destroy it. When his flat was burgled and the rucksack in which he had hidden the tape was stolen, his fear and paranoia was heightened. Steve tried to keep him in control. The tape was subsequently recovered but was rendered useless as it was wiped by the magnetic forces of the stereo speaker Matthew had hidden it in.

In June 1999, Saskia's body was discovered and Matthew tried running away from Walford with girlfriend Teresa di Marco so he wouldn't go to prison. He and Teresa went to Nottingham to hide, using Steve's credit card to pay their expenses. He planned to go to Italy from there. Steve was hot on their trail and found them in a hotel. Matthew and Teresa managed to escape but Matthew was arrested on the way to the airport because Steve told the police Matthew had killed Saskia. Steve was arrested too for helping to dispose of Saskia's body. Matthew found life tough in prison but his cellmate toughened him up and told him he must never be scared of anyone.

Prison
At the trial in October 1999, Matthew pleaded not guilty. Steve, meanwhile, put up an act and told lies about how Matthew was obsessed with Saskia and killed her. In a cruel twist of fate, Matthew was found guilty of Saskia's manslaughter, and Steve walked away. Matthew's dad, Michael, shouted in court, "He's innocent, my son is innocent!"

Revenge and departure
Matthew was released from prison in December 1999 after the police found the ashtray with Steve's fingerprints on and planned revenge on Steve. During January 2000, he stalked Steve - trashing his flat, blocking the toilets in his e20 club and spraying graffiti on his door saying, "DEAD MAN WALKING". Steve tried investigating who has responsible and hired a detective to find out. The detective was unable to find out if Matthew was doing all this.

On 3 February 2000, Matthew finally confronted Steve. He came for a final showdown with Steve in the club where it all began with Saskia's murder a year earlier. Matthew revealed that he had been in the Square for weeks and that the detective Steve had hired was useless. He demanded £10,000 but Steve tried to bully him and throw him out but Matthew wanted to show him something. Matthew showed him a video of him planting light bulbs in Steve's flat. He made him realise that if his sister, Jackie, arrived home and turned on the lights they would explode. Steve wasn't buying it and taunted Matthew about how stupid he was and that's what got him into prison.

He pulled a gun on Matthew to try and scare him off. Matthew was one step ahead and had the gun emptied beforehand. Steve was shocked and after a struggle, Matthew hit him with a glass bottle, knocking him unconscious. He tied Steve to a chair and threatened to set the club on fire. Steve was reduced to a helpless and emotional wreck which is what Matthew wanted. He revealed that the video was fake and the petrol he used to threaten Steve was actually water. He got his revenge, which was to see Steve beg for mercy. He left the Square for good and was not seen again.

When Steve died in a car crash two years later, flowers from Matthew saying "Dear Steve, rot in hell" were left on his grave.