Ian Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders,
played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the longest-serving character and the
only remaining original character to have appeared continuously since
the first episode on 19 February 1985. The character appeared in his
2000th episode in the show on 26 March 2007, and his 3000th on 27 May
2016. Woodyatt took a four month break from the show in 2019,
departing on 11 February and returning on 24 June. He will take
another break in 2020 lasting at least 10 weeks as part of his
storyline .Ian is the son of Pete (Peter Dean) and Kathy Beale
(Gillian Taylforth), nephew of Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard) and
cousin of Mark (David Scarboro/Todd Carty), Michelle Fowler (Sue
Tully/Jenna Russell) and Martin Fowler (James Alexandrou/James Bye).
He has fathered three children (Peter Beale, Lucy Beale and Bobby
Beale), and acted as a father figure to Peter and Lucy's half-brother
and half-sister, Steven Beale and Cindy Williams, respectively. Ian is
also the most-married character in EastEnders history, with five
marriages to four women (Cindy Williams, Mel Healy, Laura Dunn, and
twice to Jane Collins) and two aborted engagements (to Mandy Salter
and Denise Fox). As of 2020, Ian is also the current owner of 45
Albert Square, traditionally represented within the series as the
family home of the Beale and Fowler family, and has also been on the
show for 35 years. In 2020, Ian bought The Queen Victoria Public House
for Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean).As a teenager, Ian argues with his
father Pete Beale (Peter Dean) over his desire to become a caterer but
his grandmother Lou Beale (Anna Wing) encourages him. He starts
several businesses and buys a local café soon after graduating from
catering college. Ian has several failed romances, including with his
childhood friend, Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean). Sharon becomes
interested in Simon Wicks (Nick Berry), who was believed to be Ian's
half-brother, but they remain close friends. When his cousin Michelle
falls pregnant, he is initially suspected to be the father by Pete and
Kathy. He starts a relationship with Tina Hopkins (Eleanor Rhodes) and
the pair decide to move in together, renting one of Kelvin Carpenter's
(Paul J. Medford) father Tony Carpenter's (Oscar James) flats. Ian
eventually loses his virginity to her, to his glee. Ian and Tina break
up when Tina's parents make an unannounced visit and are unhappy with
their living conditions, so they take Tina to Ilford. Ian's uncle
Kenny Beale (Michael Attwell) and cousin Elizabeth Beale (Lucy Bayler)
visit from New Zealand and Ian and Elizabeth taking a liking to each
other, but they break up when Elizabeth constantly flirts with men and
she returns home. Ian begins to develop a relationship with Donna
Ludlow (Matilda Ziegler), not knowing she is his half-sister until his
mother Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) tells him she was raped as a
teenager and gave Donna up for adoption.
played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the longest-serving character and the
only remaining original character to have appeared continuously since
the first episode on 19 February 1985. The character appeared in his
2000th episode in the show on 26 March 2007, and his 3000th on 27 May
2016. Woodyatt took a four month break from the show in 2019,
departing on 11 February and returning on 24 June. He will take
another break in 2020 lasting at least 10 weeks as part of his
storyline .Ian is the son of Pete (Peter Dean) and Kathy Beale
(Gillian Taylforth), nephew of Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard) and
cousin of Mark (David Scarboro/Todd Carty), Michelle Fowler (Sue
Tully/Jenna Russell) and Martin Fowler (James Alexandrou/James Bye).
He has fathered three children (Peter Beale, Lucy Beale and Bobby
Beale), and acted as a father figure to Peter and Lucy's half-brother
and half-sister, Steven Beale and Cindy Williams, respectively. Ian is
also the most-married character in EastEnders history, with five
marriages to four women (Cindy Williams, Mel Healy, Laura Dunn, and
twice to Jane Collins) and two aborted engagements (to Mandy Salter
and Denise Fox). As of 2020, Ian is also the current owner of 45
Albert Square, traditionally represented within the series as the
family home of the Beale and Fowler family, and has also been on the
show for 35 years. In 2020, Ian bought The Queen Victoria Public House
for Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean).As a teenager, Ian argues with his
father Pete Beale (Peter Dean) over his desire to become a caterer but
his grandmother Lou Beale (Anna Wing) encourages him. He starts
several businesses and buys a local café soon after graduating from
catering college. Ian has several failed romances, including with his
childhood friend, Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean). Sharon becomes
interested in Simon Wicks (Nick Berry), who was believed to be Ian's
half-brother, but they remain close friends. When his cousin Michelle
falls pregnant, he is initially suspected to be the father by Pete and
Kathy. He starts a relationship with Tina Hopkins (Eleanor Rhodes) and
the pair decide to move in together, renting one of Kelvin Carpenter's
(Paul J. Medford) father Tony Carpenter's (Oscar James) flats. Ian
eventually loses his virginity to her, to his glee. Ian and Tina break
up when Tina's parents make an unannounced visit and are unhappy with
their living conditions, so they take Tina to Ilford. Ian's uncle
Kenny Beale (Michael Attwell) and cousin Elizabeth Beale (Lucy Bayler)
visit from New Zealand and Ian and Elizabeth taking a liking to each
other, but they break up when Elizabeth constantly flirts with men and
she returns home. Ian begins to develop a relationship with Donna
Ludlow (Matilda Ziegler), not knowing she is his half-sister until his
mother Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) tells him she was raped as a
teenager and gave Donna up for adoption.
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