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Summers
Martin Summers
Series: Ashes to Ashes
Rank: Detective Inspector (2008)
Police Constable (1982)
Aliases: Boris Johnson
Doctor Death
Actor: Adrian Dunbar
Gwilym Lee (young)

Detective Inspector Martin Summers had been, in 1982, a corrupt police constable of Fenchurch East police station. In 2008, due to an illness, he fell into a coma and awoke in Gene Hunt's World in 1982, where he assisted in the planning and execution of the bullion robbery Operation Rose, alongside Superintendent Mackintosh and several other corrupt police officers.

Biography[]

Early Life[]

Summers 1982

PC Martin Summers in 1982 (played by Gwilym Lee).

In November 1982, as a young police officer Summers was a witness to Operation Rose who discovered the corruption of the Metropolitan Police after being bribed. Following the operation, he lost his faith in the Metropolitan Police, but continued to be a police officer despite his dismay.

Later life[]

In 1997, Summers restrained the mourning crowds at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales on 6 September and at some time in the late 1990s/early 2000s, he retired from the Metropolitan Police as a Detective Inspector, in disgrace. In the year 2008, he began to slowly and painfully die in the same London hospital as DI Alex Drake, who at this point was in a comatose state. While dying, Summers entered a coma like state, waking up in 1982, similar to Alex Drake and DI Sam Tyler.

Time travel[]

Whilst in 1982, he became self-involved in Operation Rose; a gold bullion robbery that would be conducted by him and six corrupt police officers. He began to take notice of DI Alex Drake who had appeared a year before him. Summers began to send roses to Drake hinting the upcoming operation. Shortly after he meeting his younger self in the presence of Drake, he shot him and abandoned them, forcing Alex to hide the body in the wet concrete.

Operation Rose and death[]

See main article: Operation Rose#Altered Timeline

In November 1982, the operation was carried out but was foiled by DCI Hunt and his team which forced Summer to flee the area but was followed by Alex. When he took Alex by surprise, he was shot dead by Gene Hunt shortly after.

Post Mortem[]

When Alex woke up in 2008, she witnessed the body of a deceased man being wheeled out of the ward, who the woman wheeling him away described as "angry but peaceful in the end". This was supposedly Summers, who died in his comatose state.

Personality[]

Summers marital status is unknown, although it is heavily implied he is a lonely man in the real world, due to the guilt.

Appearance[]

When Summers appeared in Fenchurch East police station under the alias "Boris Johnson" to give Viv James an invitation to give to Alex Drake, Sgt James described him as "mid-50s, smart suit and about the same height as the guv".

Behind the Scenes[]

Martin Summers is a fictional character of BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama Ashes to Ashes. The character is portrayed by Adrian Dunbar and as a younger adult by Gwilym Lee.

Key Life Events[]

  • Born in Wicklow, Ireland to unnamed parents.
  • Joins the Fenchurch East Division of the Metropolitan Police Service some time in the late 1970s.
  • Witnesses Operation Rose and is bribed by corrupt police officers.
  • Eventually promoted to Detective Inspector.
  • Holds grieving crowds back at funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997.
  • Retires from the Metropolitan Police Service in disgrace.
  • Begins to die of unknown causes in 2008.
  • Wakes up in 1982.
  • Becomes involved in Operation Rose.
  • Takes notice of DI Alex Drake and attempts to persuade her to work with him.
  • Kills his 1982 counterpart.
  • Takes part in Operation Rose. (Series 2: Episode 8)
  • Killed by DCI Gene Hunt following the failure of the operation.


Characters of Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes
Sam tyler thumb  Gene hunt thumb  Cartwright thumb  Ray carling thumb  Skelton thumb   Alex drake thumb   Sharon granger thumb
Sam Tyler / Gene Hunt / Annie Cartwright / Ray Carling / Chris Skelton / Alex Drake / Sharon Granger
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