He played the role of Frank Butcher in the soap opera EastEnders and hosted the children's game show Runaround.

The part of Butcher earned Reid the public persona of being pessimistic, which he enjoyed acting against, such as in television adverts for the soft drink Oasis.

His departure was aired on 2 November 2000 when he famously departed after his affair with ex-wife Pat Evans was discovered by his current wife Peggy Mitchell.

That year, he appeared in the popular British gangster film Snatch playing crooked diamond trader Doug "The Head" Denovitz.

That month, Reid appeared on The Paul O'Grady Show and made it clear that he had no interest in any possible future re-appearances in EastEnders.

He returned to acting in early 2007, appearing in two episodes of the long-running ITV police drama series The Bill, in which he played the part of corrupt businessman Brian Stevens.

In 2006, his version of Adriano Celentano's nonsense song "Prisencolinensinainciusol" enjoyed a renaissance, spurred by a campaign group on social-networking website Facebook in 2010.

Reid coped by ploughing himself into work, but he said years later "People must see me on the TV or in cabaret laughing, singing, cracking gags and imagine that time has healed the pain and the scars.

"[7] Reid was known to be opposed to plans to introduce blasphemy laws, for the effect this would have on satire, comedy and free speech.

Reid's funeral was held on Tuesday 14 August 2007 at Little Easton Parish Church, Essex, and was attended by over 250 people, including his former EastEnders co-stars Pam St Clement, Sid Owen, Michael Greco, June Brown, Barbara Windsor, Sophie Lawrence, Bobby Davro and other members of the EastEnders cast.

[12] His body was cremated the following day at Chelmsford Crematorium, and his ashes were later buried in the graveyard of St Mary the Virgin Church at Little Easton, in Essex.

[13] In November 2007, just over three months after Reid's death, the BBC announced that his EastEnders character Frank Butcher would be killed off in April 2008.

[better source needed] In the episode in which Frank's funeral took place, Reid appeared in archive clips during flashbacks in Pat Butcher's head.