Joe Absolom

Joe Absolom is an English actor who was born in Lewisham, London, and first appeared on screen in a series of peanut butter commercials before his acting debut in the 1991 film Antonia and Jane. He became known through the BBC soap opera EastEnders, where he played Matthew Rose from 1997 to 2000 and drew wide attention during a murder storyline that began in 1999; he was named Best Actor at the British Soap Awards in 2000. He took the lead in the horror film Long Time Dead (2002) and later played Al Large, son of Bert, in the comedy drama Doc Martin. Other credits include guest roles in The Bill and Casualty, the internet thriller Girl Number Nine, a part in I Spit on Your Grave 2 (2013), The Bay in 2021, and Emmerdale from 2025. He has also worked as a radio actor.