Mike Reid Actor: Death, Wife, Children & Cause of Death

If you’ve ever searched for “Mike Reid” online, you’ve probably landed on a biography that reads like a game of musical chairs—actor, comedian, chef, DJ. The confusion is understandable: three different public figures share the name “Mike Reid” (or a near-identical one), so this article focuses on the Mike Reid who played Frank Butcher on EastEnders and explains why his story deserves a clearer headline.

Born: 19 January 1940, Hackney, London ·
Died: 29 July 2007, Spain (heart attack) ·
Known for: Frank Butcher in EastEnders (1985–2000) ·
Other roles: Comedian, actor, author, TV presenter ·
Film appearance: Snatch (2000)

Seven key facts, one pattern: the public record on Mike Reid is consistent on the major milestones but frayed at the edges—especially around his family tree and cause-of-death wording.

What happened to Mike Reid?

Mike Reid’s death: cause and location

• Mike Reid died on 29 July 2007 in Marbella, Spain, at the age of 67 (Wikipedia).
• Multiple reports state the cause of death as a heart attack, with some wording it as “massive heart attack” (Evening Standard) and others as “suspected heart attack” (Alamy).
• IMDb lists the cause of death as heart attack (IMDb).
• NNDB, however, records the cause as “heart failure,” a different clinical term (NNDB).

Tributes and aftermath

• His widow Shirley was at his side when he died (Evening Standard).
• The funeral was held at Little Easton Parish Church in Little Easton, Essex, on 14 August 2007, attended by EastEnders cast members including Barbara Windsor, Pam St Clement, Sid Owen, June Brown, and Michael Greco (Evening Standard).

The implication: the discrepancy between “heart attack” and “heart failure” is minor in everyday language but significant for medical records. Most obituaries go with “heart attack,” making that the safe default for casual reference.

Did Mike Reid ever marry?

Mike Reid’s first wife

• Mike Reid married Shirley Ann Holton in 1961 (Wikipedia).
• They separated in the 1970s (Wikipedia).
• NNDB states his first wife was Sheila A. Axe, married in 1958 and divorced in 1967, with one daughter named Jane (NNDB).
• IMDb also lists a first marriage to Sheila A. Axe with two children (IMDb).

Later relationships

• He had a long-term partner named Carol, but details remain unclear.
• At the time of his death, he was married to Shirley Collins, whom he married on 5 August 1971 according to IMDb (IMDb).
• The Telegraph obituary says he was survived by his wife, their son Michael, and a daughter from his first marriage (The Telegraph).

The pattern: the confusion stems from a mix of obituaries, Wikipedia, and fan databases. The safest assertion is that Reid married Shirley Ann Holton in 1961 and later had a long-term relationship with Carol.

How many children did Mike Reid have?

Children from his marriage

• He had two children: a daughter named Paulene and a son named Michael (Wikipedia).
• A 2007 Evening Standard report says Reid had three children: a daughter and two sons (Evening Standard).
• Wikipedia states Reid and his second wife Shirley had two sons, Mark and Michael (Wikipedia).
• IMDb, under the bio section, says he had two children from his first marriage to Sheila A. Axe (IMDb).

Family life

• Despite the conflicting counts, his daughter Paulene is consistently mentioned in obituaries.
• His son Michael attended the funeral in 2007.

The catch: the discrepancy between the Evening Standard’s three children and Wikipedia’s two suggests that one source may have counted a stepchild or a child from a previous marriage. The majority of obituaries mention two children.

Where is Mike Reid buried?

Grave location

• Mike Reid is buried at the Church of St Mary in Little Easton, Essex (Evening Standard).
• The grave is marked with a headstone.

Memorial details

• The funeral service was held at Little Easton Parish Church, which is part of the Church of St Mary.
• Fans and family gathered there on 14 August 2007.

The trade-off: the location is well-documented, but the exact plot within the churchyard is not publicly listed, so visitors should check with the church office.

What does Mike Reid do now?

Clarifying the confusion: Mike Reid the actor vs. Mike Reid the chef

• Mike Reid the actor died in 2007. He is no longer active.
• Mike Reid the chef is alive and owns restaurants in the UK. He is often confused with the actor.
• The chef is not the same person who played Frank Butcher.

Mike Read the DJ

• Mike Read (born 1947) is a BBC Radio 1 DJ and a completely different public figure.
• The three are frequently mixed up in online searches.

The implication: for anyone looking up “Mike Reid net worth,” “Mike Reid restaurants,” or “Mike Reid wife,” the search results will likely mix the three figures. The most reliable way to differentiate is to include the profession (actor, chef, DJ) in the query.

For fans of British television, the legacy of Mike Reid the actor is secure: Frank Butcher remains a touchstone of 1980s and 1990s soap opera. The confusion with the chef and the DJ will persist, but the facts are clear when you know where to look. For anyone searching “Mike Reid actor EastEnders cause of death,” the answer is a heart attack in Spain at age 67. For most readers, the real Mike Reid is the actor who played Frank Butcher and died in 2007, though the name continues to cause confusion with the chef and the DJ.