Ian Beale
Encyclopedia
Ian Albert 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 2,000th episode in the show on 26 March 2007.
(Peter Dean) over his desire to become a caterer. He begins several business ventures, becoming the owner of a local café soon after graduating from catering college. Ian becomes engaged to Cindy Williams
(Michelle Collins
) in 1989, however a one-night-stand with her former lover Simon Wicks
(Nick Berry
) leaves her pregnant. Cindy marries Ian and pretends that her son, Steven
, is his, resulting in Ian attempting suicide upon learning the truth. He recovers and causes Simon to have a vehicular accident in revenge, prompting Simon, Cindy and Steven to leave Walford
together. Ian immerses himself in his catering business, though his exploitative working practices alienate his friends, employees and family. He and Cindy later reconcile, and Ian is overjoyed to become a father to twins, Peter
and Lucy
. After opening a fish and chip shop, Ian becomes so obsessed with building his business empire that he neglects Cindy, who decides to leave him for his half brother David
(Michael French). Ian wins custody of their children, and makes Cindy so miserable that she hires a hit man to kill him. Ian is shot, but is only clipped by the bullet and recovers. Cindy flees the country with Steven and Peter, and spends a year in Italy
before Ian traces them and retrieves the boys. Cindy returns to Walford and wins back custody of the children, but is implicated in Ian's shooting. She is jailed on remand and dies several months later in prison.
Ian's next serious romance is with Mel Healy (Tamzin Outhwaite
), manager of his bric-a-brac shop. Mel proposes to Ian, but later cheats on him with Steve Owen (Martin Kemp). Suspecting that she is planning to leave him, Ian manipulates Mel by falsely claiming that Lucy is dying from lymphoma
. They marry on New Year's Eve
1999, but Mel leaves Ian during their wedding reception after discovering that Lucy is fine. Ian then pursues a new business venture: development of high-market flats. He begins a casual relationship with his nanny, Laura Dunn (Hannah Waterman
), but only commits to her after being declared bankrupt. Laura buys back the fish and chip shop and, despite fearing that Ian is only interested an inheritance she has received, they marry in May 2001. Their marriage deteriorates when Ian attempts to kiss Mel. He refuses to have a child with Laura, who frequently belittles him. Steven learns that Ian has been visiting local prostitute Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks
), and tells Laura, before moving to New Zealand
to live with Simon. Laura forgives Ian on the condition that they have a baby. Although he agrees, Ian has a secret vasectomy
and throws Laura out when she becomes pregnant later that year, conning her into signing over control of their businesses. Laura's son Bobby requires a blood transfusion
shortly after his birth, leading Laura to realise that Ian must be his father, as her lover Garry Hobbs
(Ricky Groves
) is not a match. Laura dies in 2004, breaking her neck after falling down the stairs. Ian takes custody of Bobby, and later also takes in his half brother Ben, following the death of their mother. Ian fights Ben's father Phil
(Steve McFadden
) for custody, worsening their long-standing enmity which stems from Phil's disastrous marriage to Ian's mother Kathy (Gillian Taylforth
).
Ian meets a new romantic interest, Jane Collins
(Laurie Brett
), in 2004. He helps her to come to terms with the death of her husband David (Dan Milne
) from Huntington's disease
, and although their relationship is severely tested when Jane has a brief affair with Phil's brother Grant
(Ross Kemp
), they marry in July 2007. Steven returns to Walford and stalks Ian, escalating to holding him hostage for several weeks. He accidentally shoots Jane during an altercation, which results in her needing a hysterectomy
. Ian is able to forgive Steven, but banishes him from his life when he later helps Lucy to run away. Ian and Jane temporarily separate over Ian's reluctance to adopt a child. When Lucy becomes pregnant, Jane offers to raise the baby as her own. Ian agrees, but secretly assists Lucy in having an abortion, lying to Jane that she miscarried. Jane later learns the truth, and decides to steal Ian's money and leave him. Ian arranges for her to adopt Bobby, and is devastated to discover Jane's plans. Although she decides to remain with him, Ian begins an affair with Glenda Mitchell
(Glynis Barber
). He decides to end it for his family's sake but accidentally reveals the affair to Peter. Peter does not tell Jane, but leaves Walford to stay with Lucy (who has already decided to live with her aunt in Devon), disgusted at his father's behaviour.
Phil blackmails Ian over his affair with Glenda but when Ian brings Phil the money, he walks in on Phil having a heart attack while with Glenda who calls an ambulance, but Ian takes revenge by sending the paramedics away, hoping that Phil will die. However, when he hears Ben asking where Phil is, he changes his mind and calls an ambulance for Phil. When Glenda reveals her affair with Phil, Ian worries that she will also reveals her affair with Ian to Jane. Ian asks Jane to renew their wedding vows, which she accepts. Glenda attempts to blackmail Ian but he gives her less than she wants. He then tells Jane about the affair and she is heartbroken. He proposes that they renew their wedding vows, but Jane says she is leaving him as she is no longer in love with him. Ian sees her kissing a man named Martin (Alasdair Harvey) so he hires an escort, Jeanette (Georgia Reece), saying she is his new girlfriend who he knew from his school days. However, Jane finds out the truth. She tells Ian she regrets ever meeting him, and Ian calls her a prostitute disguised as a wife, so she vows to take everything from him in their divorce. However, she decides against taking the house as it is Bobby's home, and instead gets the café. Afterwards, Ian reveals Jane's affair with Masood Ahmed
(Nitin Ganatra
) affair to his wife Zainab Masood
(Nina Wadia
). Jane leaves for Bobby's sake, as he is witnessing arguments, and Ian refuses to give up the café, but eventually realises that he has to.
Denise Fox
(Diane Parish
) starts helping Ian out with Bobby, and they become good friends, but people start to think there is something going on between them. Ian tells Denise that he sees her as nothing more than a friend and that he is not attracted to her. However, when Denise helps organise a birthday party for Bobby, Ian misreads her signals and tries to kiss her, but she leans away. He later tries to get Bobby into a play group, and asks Cheryl Matthews (Heather Craney
) to find him a place. She assumes that Jane has died, so Ian goes along with it and she takes pity and finds Bobby a place. They later meet again and Ian buys an urn and fills it with cigarette ash, introducing it to Cheryl as "Jane". He also meets women called Fiona Walker (Sarah Head) and Rebecca (Louise Breckon-Richards), allowing them to believe that Jane is dead. He tells Alfie Moon
(Shane Richie
) that Jane's death is the best thing that happened to him, which is overheard by Shenice Quinn (Lily Harvey), who tells Bobby that Jane is dead. Bobby is upset so Ian tells him she is still alive and calls her to prove it. When Ian realises he has feelings for Rebecca, he tells her the truth, but she rejects him, whilst the lie also ruins Ian's relationship with Bobby, who ignores him. Feeling dejected, Ian agrees to join Tyler Moon
(Tony Discipline
) and his brother Anthony
(Matt Lapinskas) in visiting a strip club, but Anthony is refused entry and they are forced to return home. Later, Ian returns to the strip club alone but, as he enters, he notices a man threatening a blonde woman nearby. He is stunned when she calls out to him and he realises it is former Walford resident Mandy Salter
(Nicola Stapleton
). Mandy comes to live with Ian, but when he hears that Peter and Lucy have been involved in a car crash, he takes Bobby to see them and tells Mandy to stay at a B&B, but she steals his house keys. Ian is angry when he returns to discover that Mandy has been staying there, but soon relents and they begin a relationship, though Alfie and his wife Kat Moon
(Jessie Wallace
) suspect she is only with Ian for his money. After Ian's divorce from Jane is finalised, he proposes to Mandy; she initially rejects him but then accepts after he purchases her a wedding ring. Jane returns to Walford after Bobby sneaks out to visit her. She is shocked to discover Ian is engaged to Mandy.
and Julia Smith
. Ian is a member of the first family of EastEnders, the Beales and Fowlers
, and Holland took the inspiration for some of the series' earliest characters from his own London family and background. Ian's original character outline as written by Smith and Holland appeared in an abridged form in their book, EastEnders: The Inside Story
.
Because the actress playing Ian's mother (Gillian Taylforth
) was fair-haired, they also wanted him to be fair, and because of Taylforth's age he also had to look very young. Ian was meant to be fourteen when the programme first aired, but because of licensing regulations, the actor cast was required to be a 16 year old who could 'play down'. Adam Woodyatt
, born in east London, had worked as an actor in his youth, but had given it up and relocated with his family to Wales
. He was recruited from his old agency and it was decided that he was perfect for the part and he was subsequently cast as Ian Beale. In 1990 Ian's age was increased
and he celebrated his twenty-first birthday two years after his eighteenth. The producers felt Ian needed to be a bit older and more mature for storylines planned for him later that year.
Author Dorothy Hobson has described Ian as a typical Thatcher's child, a term used to reference children who grew up in the premiership of UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
and who adopted the ideology of Thatcherism
, such as personal financial gain, self-sufficiency and disregard of the welfare of those who are less well-off. As a result Hobson suggests that Ian is "young, ambitious, rich and unhappy", which she claims is a perfect reflection of the spirit of the age.
In her book, Who's Who?, Kate Lock described Ian as "wimpy, perhaps not what you'd call a man's man [...] trying to turn Walford into the capital of Capitalism [...] Somewhere along the line, Ian evolved into an obsessive, obnoxious money-monster [...] Ian always pretended to be magnanimous, doing things for the community [...] but it's inspired by self-interest."
Hobson suggests that Ian's saving grace is that he is a "passionately caring father" and Woodyatt has suggested that Ian is a chameleon
, a description he claims former Executive Producer Louise Berridge
used to describe the character. Woodyatt commented in 2010, "Whatever [Louise Berridge] wanted Ian to do, she'd find a way of justifying it. It's true. He can be nice to his family but he can be devious with them as well. He can stitch people up but can be very generous. You can get away with doing anything with Ian. It's probably why I'm still here."
in 1989. The storyline centred on Ian's discovery that the child he thought was his (Steven), was actually his best friend's. The climax of this revelation was known to script-writers as the "Devon cottage climax" and aired in September 1990. The episode saw an enraged Ian trace Cindy and Simon Wicks
to her parents' house in Devon, just after being released from hospital following a failed suicide bid. The script, written by Debbie Cook, led to a confrontation that EastEnders' writer Colin Brake
has suggested contained elements of tragedy and farce. Brake suggests that a particularly memorable scene included Ian furiously throwing bricks through the window of the house, followed by one of his crutches. The episode ended ominously with Ian finding Cindy's father's shotgun and stealing it. Directed by Matthew Evans, Brake suggests that these episodes not only brought the story to a shocking climax but also laid roots for the next three months' worth of storylines, building up to Cindy and Simon's departure, and Ian's spectacular fall from grace.
Author Dorothy Hobson has described Ian and Cindy's relationship as "one of the most tempestuous in any soap opera". The characters were reunited on-screen in 1992 but the relationship ended in adultery once again when Cindy began an affair with Simon's brother David Wicks
, which culminated in Cindy hiring an assassin to shoot Ian in 1996 after he discovered the affair. Michelle Collins who played Cindy commented in 1996, "[Cindy] was not thinking properly when she contacted the hitman, and she is being quite. Despite what she has done she never expected Ian to be so cruel to her. Now she cannot really see any other way out of the mess she is in. She has lost touch with reality - but in the end she can't see any other way of escaping Ian." More than 18 million viewers tuned in to see Ian gunned-down, which was more than sixty-four per cent of available viewers. The plot facilitated Collins' desire to leave the programme following the birth of her child, and Cindy, implicated in the shooting, fled the country with Ian's two sons.
poll in 2001. In 2009, Ian Beale came ninth in a poll by British men's magazine Loaded
for 'Top Soap Bloke'. Woodyatt has received a number of award nominations for his portrayal of Ian, including a best actor nomination at the British Soap Awards
In 2010.
Author Dorothy Hobson has stated that Ian Beale is a "major creation" capturing the personification of political attitudes taken up during Margaret Thatcher's premiership as Prime Minister in the 1980s. She suggests that Ian Beale is a "major representation of a young man" of that era, and that his sensitive portrayal by Adam Woodyatt is "perhaps unrecognised". Roz Paterson of the Daily Record
branded Ian "eminently unlovable" and stated that Melanie proposing to him represented a growing trend in women proposing. Holy Soap
said that Ian's most memorable moment was "His attempted murder in the Square".
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, played by Adam Woodyatt
Adam Woodyatt
Adam Brinley Woodyatt is an English actor and media personality, best known for his role as Ian Beale in the long-running BBC soap opera EastEnders...
. 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 2,000th episode in the show on 26 March 2007.
Storylines
As a teenager, Ian experiences conflict with his father PetePete Beale
Peter "Pete" Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Peter Dean. He made his first appearance in the programme's first episode, on 19 February 1985. The character was created by Tony Holland, one of the creators of EasEnders; he was based on a member of...
(Peter Dean) over his desire to become a caterer. He begins several business ventures, becoming the owner of a local café soon after graduating from catering college. Ian becomes engaged to Cindy Williams
Cindy Beale
Cindy Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michelle Collins.Cindy always had an eye for the lotharios of Walford and despite trying to settle down repeatedly with the more reliable Ian Beale, she was unable to remain faithful to him. She had a selfish...
(Michelle Collins
Michelle Collins
Michelle Danielle Collins is a British actress best known for her roles on television in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, as Cindy Beale, Coronation Street as Stella Price, and BBC dramas Sunburn and Two Thousand Acres of Sky...
) in 1989, however a one-night-stand with her former lover Simon Wicks
Simon Wicks
Simon "Wicksy" Wicks is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nick Berry between 1985 and 1990. Wicksy was introduced to take on some of the more adult storylines that had been scripted for another character, Mark Fowler; Mark's actor David Scarboro had left...
(Nick Berry
Nick Berry
Nicholas "Nick" Berry is a British television actor and musician. He is best known for his roles as Simon Wicks in the British soap opera EastEnders from 1985 to 1990 and as PC Nick Rowan in the British drama television series Heartbeat from 1992 to 1998.-Career:Berry started acting at the age of...
) leaves her pregnant. Cindy marries Ian and pretends that her son, Steven
Steven Beale
Steven Peter Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Edward Farrell from 1989 to 1990, Stuart Stevens from 1992 to 1996, Edward Savage from 1997 to 2002, and Aaron Sidwell from 2007 to 2008...
, is his, resulting in Ian attempting suicide upon learning the truth. He recovers and causes Simon to have a vehicular accident in revenge, prompting Simon, Cindy and Steven to leave Walford
Walford
Walford is a fictional borough of east London in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The name Walford is both a street in Dalston where one of the series' creators, Tony Holland, lived and a blend of Walthamstow, where Holland was born, and Stratford. The suffix 'ford' is also found throughout East...
together. Ian immerses himself in his catering business, though his exploitative working practices alienate his friends, employees and family. He and Cindy later reconcile, and Ian is overjoyed to become a father to twins, Peter
Peter Beale
Peter Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. He was played by Thomas Law from 2006 until 2010. The character has previously been portrayed by James Martin, Joseph Shade, Alex Stevens and Francis Brittin-Snell. Law took over the role on 31 August 2006...
and Lucy
Lucy Beale
Lucy Katherine Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Eva Brittin-Snell from 1993 to 1996, Casey Anne Rothery from 1996 until 2004, Melissa Suffield from 2004 to 2010 and Hetti Bywater from 2012 onwards. Lucy was introduced in December 1993 as the newborn baby...
. After opening a fish and chip shop, Ian becomes so obsessed with building his business empire that he neglects Cindy, who decides to leave him for his half brother David
David Wicks
David Wicks is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michael French. He originally appeared between 1993 to 1996...
(Michael French). Ian wins custody of their children, and makes Cindy so miserable that she hires a hit man to kill him. Ian is shot, but is only clipped by the bullet and recovers. Cindy flees the country with Steven and Peter, and spends a year in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
before Ian traces them and retrieves the boys. Cindy returns to Walford and wins back custody of the children, but is implicated in Ian's shooting. She is jailed on remand and dies several months later in prison.
Ian's next serious romance is with Mel Healy (Tamzin Outhwaite
Tamzin Outhwaite
Tamzin Maria Outhwaite is an award-winning English actress. She became known for her role as Melanie Owen in the British soap opera EastEnders, whom she portrayed from 1998 until 2002.-Early career:...
), manager of his bric-a-brac shop. Mel proposes to Ian, but later cheats on him with Steve Owen (Martin Kemp). Suspecting that she is planning to leave him, Ian manipulates Mel by falsely claiming that Lucy is dying from lymphoma
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...
. They marry on New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
1999, but Mel leaves Ian during their wedding reception after discovering that Lucy is fine. Ian then pursues a new business venture: development of high-market flats. He begins a casual relationship with his nanny, Laura Dunn (Hannah Waterman
Hannah Waterman
Hannah Waterman-Groves is an English actress, daughter of Minder star Dennis Waterman and his second wife, actress Patricia Maynard.-Career:...
), but only commits to her after being declared bankrupt. Laura buys back the fish and chip shop and, despite fearing that Ian is only interested an inheritance she has received, they marry in May 2001. Their marriage deteriorates when Ian attempts to kiss Mel. He refuses to have a child with Laura, who frequently belittles him. Steven learns that Ian has been visiting local prostitute Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks
Charlie Brooks
Charlene "Charlie" Brooks is a Welsh actress, best known for playing Janine Butcher on the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Acting career:...
), and tells Laura, before moving to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
to live with Simon. Laura forgives Ian on the condition that they have a baby. Although he agrees, Ian has a secret vasectomy
Vasectomy
Vasectomy is a surgical procedure for male sterilization and/or permanent birth control. During the procedure, the vasa deferentia of a man are severed, and then tied/sealed in a manner such to prevent sperm from entering into the seminal stream...
and throws Laura out when she becomes pregnant later that year, conning her into signing over control of their businesses. Laura's son Bobby requires a blood transfusion
Blood transfusion
Blood transfusion is the process of receiving blood products into one's circulation intravenously. Transfusions are used in a variety of medical conditions to replace lost components of the blood...
shortly after his birth, leading Laura to realise that Ian must be his father, as her lover Garry Hobbs
Garry Hobbs
Garry Pelé Hobbs is a fictional character in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Ricky Groves. He made his first appearance on 18 September 2000...
(Ricky Groves
Ricky Groves
Richard "Ricky" Groves is an English actor best known for playing Garry Hobbs in EastEnders from 2000–09. Before his role in EastEnders he appeared in the series Burnside, a spin-off from The Bill.-Other TV work:...
) is not a match. Laura dies in 2004, breaking her neck after falling down the stairs. Ian takes custody of Bobby, and later also takes in his half brother Ben, following the death of their mother. Ian fights Ben's father Phil
Phil Mitchell
Philip James "Phil" Mitchell is a long-running fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Steve McFadden.Phil first arrived in Albert Square on 20 February 1990, and was soon joined by his brother, Grant, sister Sam and mother Peggy...
(Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden
Steve McFadden is an English actor, known for his role as Phil Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which he has played since1990.-Early life:...
) for custody, worsening their long-standing enmity which stems from Phil's disastrous marriage to Ian's mother Kathy (Gillian Taylforth
Gillian Taylforth
Gillian Taylforth is an English actress. She is best known for her roles as Kathy Mitchell on the BBC soap opera, EastEnders and as Jackie Pascoe-Webb on ITV's Footballers Wives , but more recently as Sgt. Nikki Wright in ITV's The Bill...
).
Ian meets a new romantic interest, Jane Collins
Jane Collins
Lesley Jane Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Laurie Brett since her first appearance on 22 June 2004. Brett took maternity leave in 2011 and departed on 19 May. Brett returned on 8 November the same year but on a temporary basis for three months. She...
(Laurie Brett
Laurie Brett
Laurie Brett is a Scottish actress, currently known for her role as Jane Beale in EastEnders, in which she has starred since 2004.-Personal life:...
), in 2004. He helps her to come to terms with the death of her husband David (Dan Milne
Dan Milne
Dan Milne is a British actor/director who is possibly best known for his role in EastEnders.-Career:He started his career in 1996 and made an appearance in Murder Most Horrid and as a pub poet in In a Land of Plenty...
) from Huntington's disease
Huntington's disease
Huntington's disease, chorea, or disorder , is a neurodegenerative genetic disorder that affects muscle coordination and leads to cognitive decline and dementia. It typically becomes noticeable in middle age. HD is the most common genetic cause of abnormal involuntary writhing movements called chorea...
, and although their relationship is severely tested when Jane has a brief affair with Phil's brother Grant
Grant Mitchell (EastEnders)
Grant Anthony Mitchell is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders, played by Ross Kemp. Grant first appeared in 1990, introduced by producer Michael Ferguson to revamp the show. Kemp remained until 1999 when he opted to leave...
(Ross Kemp
Ross Kemp
Ross James Kemp is a BAFTA award-winning British actor, author and journalist, who rose to prominence in the role of Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders...
), they marry in July 2007. Steven returns to Walford and stalks Ian, escalating to holding him hostage for several weeks. He accidentally shoots Jane during an altercation, which results in her needing a hysterectomy
Hysterectomy
A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus, usually performed by a gynecologist. Hysterectomy may be total or partial...
. Ian is able to forgive Steven, but banishes him from his life when he later helps Lucy to run away. Ian and Jane temporarily separate over Ian's reluctance to adopt a child. When Lucy becomes pregnant, Jane offers to raise the baby as her own. Ian agrees, but secretly assists Lucy in having an abortion, lying to Jane that she miscarried. Jane later learns the truth, and decides to steal Ian's money and leave him. Ian arranges for her to adopt Bobby, and is devastated to discover Jane's plans. Although she decides to remain with him, Ian begins an affair with Glenda Mitchell
Glenda Mitchell
The following is a list of characters who first appeared or are due to appear in the BBC soap opera EastEnders in 2010, by order of first appearance...
(Glynis Barber
Glynis Barber
Glynis Barber is a South African actress of Afrikaner descent, born and brought up in South Africa. She was born Glynis van der Riet. When she was five years old, her parents divorced, and she and her mother moved to Johannesburg. She is best known for her portrayal as Sgt...
). He decides to end it for his family's sake but accidentally reveals the affair to Peter. Peter does not tell Jane, but leaves Walford to stay with Lucy (who has already decided to live with her aunt in Devon), disgusted at his father's behaviour.
Phil blackmails Ian over his affair with Glenda but when Ian brings Phil the money, he walks in on Phil having a heart attack while with Glenda who calls an ambulance, but Ian takes revenge by sending the paramedics away, hoping that Phil will die. However, when he hears Ben asking where Phil is, he changes his mind and calls an ambulance for Phil. When Glenda reveals her affair with Phil, Ian worries that she will also reveals her affair with Ian to Jane. Ian asks Jane to renew their wedding vows, which she accepts. Glenda attempts to blackmail Ian but he gives her less than she wants. He then tells Jane about the affair and she is heartbroken. He proposes that they renew their wedding vows, but Jane says she is leaving him as she is no longer in love with him. Ian sees her kissing a man named Martin (Alasdair Harvey) so he hires an escort, Jeanette (Georgia Reece), saying she is his new girlfriend who he knew from his school days. However, Jane finds out the truth. She tells Ian she regrets ever meeting him, and Ian calls her a prostitute disguised as a wife, so she vows to take everything from him in their divorce. However, she decides against taking the house as it is Bobby's home, and instead gets the café. Afterwards, Ian reveals Jane's affair with Masood Ahmed
Masood Ahmed
Masood Ahmed is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nitin Ganatra.- Storylines :Masood moves to 41 Albert Square with Zainab, Shabnam and Tamwar in October 2007. Masood and Zainab are both active in the postal industry: Masood is a postman and Zainab the owner of a...
(Nitin Ganatra
Nitin Ganatra
Nitin Ganatra is a Kenyan born British actor. He is known internationally as Prince Pondicherry in the Tim Burton film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He also appears in the Gurinder Chada film Bride and Prejudice as Kholi Saab and The Mistress of Spices as Haroun...
) affair to his wife Zainab Masood
Zainab Masood
Zainab Masood is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by comedienne Nina Wadia. She made her first appearance on 16 July 2007.-Backstory:...
(Nina Wadia
Nina Wadia
-Television and film:Wadia first came to prominence in BBC sketch show Goodness Gracious Me, playing characters such as Mrs "I can make it at home for nothing!" and one half of The Competitive Mothers...
). Jane leaves for Bobby's sake, as he is witnessing arguments, and Ian refuses to give up the café, but eventually realises that he has to.
Denise Fox
Denise Fox
Denise Celeste Fox is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Diane Parish. She made her first appearance on 11 May 2006. Parish temporarily left EastEnders in early 2008 to give birth to her second child...
(Diane Parish
Diane Parish
Diane Parish is a British actress best known for her role as Denise Johnson in the BBC Soap EastEnders and DC Eva Sharpe in The Bill.-Career:...
) starts helping Ian out with Bobby, and they become good friends, but people start to think there is something going on between them. Ian tells Denise that he sees her as nothing more than a friend and that he is not attracted to her. However, when Denise helps organise a birthday party for Bobby, Ian misreads her signals and tries to kiss her, but she leans away. He later tries to get Bobby into a play group, and asks Cheryl Matthews (Heather Craney
Heather Craney
Heather Craney is an English actress, known for portraying Joyce Drake in Vera Drake, Alison Weaver in Life of Riley and Emily Holroyd in Torchwood.-Background:...
) to find him a place. She assumes that Jane has died, so Ian goes along with it and she takes pity and finds Bobby a place. They later meet again and Ian buys an urn and fills it with cigarette ash, introducing it to Cheryl as "Jane". He also meets women called Fiona Walker (Sarah Head) and Rebecca (Louise Breckon-Richards), allowing them to believe that Jane is dead. He tells Alfie Moon
Alfie Moon
Alfred William "Alfie" Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Shane Richie. He made his first appearance on 21 November 2002, and left on 25 December 2005...
(Shane Richie
Shane Richie
Shane Richie is an English actor, comedian, singer and media personality, known for his portrayal of the character Alfie Moon in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders.-Early life and career beginnings:...
) that Jane's death is the best thing that happened to him, which is overheard by Shenice Quinn (Lily Harvey), who tells Bobby that Jane is dead. Bobby is upset so Ian tells him she is still alive and calls her to prove it. When Ian realises he has feelings for Rebecca, he tells her the truth, but she rejects him, whilst the lie also ruins Ian's relationship with Bobby, who ignores him. Feeling dejected, Ian agrees to join Tyler Moon
Tyler Moon
Tyler Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by actor Tony Discipline. Tyler is the son of Eddie Moon , half brother of Michael and Craig Moon , brother of Anthony Moon and cousin of Alfie Moon...
(Tony Discipline
Tony Discipline
Tony Discipline is an English actor. His best known role to date is the character of Tyler Moon, the youngest son of already established character Eddie Moon and on-screen brother of Anthony and Michael Moon .-Career:Discipline has had only one major role to date, Tyler Moon...
) and his brother Anthony
Anthony Moon
Anthony Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Matt Lapinskas. Anthony is the son of Eddie Moon , half brother of Michael Moon and Craig Moon , brother of Tyler Moon , and cousin of Alfie Moon...
(Matt Lapinskas) in visiting a strip club, but Anthony is refused entry and they are forced to return home. Later, Ian returns to the strip club alone but, as he enters, he notices a man threatening a blonde woman nearby. He is stunned when she calls out to him and he realises it is former Walford resident Mandy Salter
Mandy Salter
Mandy Salter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nicola Stapleton. Introduced on 12 March 1992, Mandy was portrayed as a teenage tearaway. She was featured in storylines about homelessness, child and drug abuse. Her relationship with Aidan Brosnan was one of the...
(Nicola Stapleton
Nicola Stapleton
Nicola Kathleen Stapleton is an English actress. Stapleton began her career at an early age. She is most famous for her work on British television, in particular her roles as Mandy Salter in BBC's EastEnders and Janine Nebeski in ITV's Bad Girls.-Early life:Stapleton grew up off East Street, which...
). Mandy comes to live with Ian, but when he hears that Peter and Lucy have been involved in a car crash, he takes Bobby to see them and tells Mandy to stay at a B&B, but she steals his house keys. Ian is angry when he returns to discover that Mandy has been staying there, but soon relents and they begin a relationship, though Alfie and his wife Kat Moon
Kat Moon
Kathleen "Kat" Moon is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jessie Wallace. She was also played by Kate Peck in a flashback in 2001. She appeared in the show from September 2000 to November 2004, then returned in May 2005...
(Jessie Wallace
Jessie Wallace
Jessie Wallace is an English actress best known for her portrayal as Kat Moon in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Early life:...
) suspect she is only with Ian for his money. After Ian's divorce from Jane is finalised, he proposes to Mandy; she initially rejects him but then accepts after he purchases her a wedding ring. Jane returns to Walford after Bobby sneaks out to visit her. She is shocked to discover Ian is engaged to Mandy.
Creation
Ian Beale is one of the original twenty-three characters invented by the creators of EastEnders, Tony HollandTony Holland
Anthony John "Tony" Holland was an English television screenwriter best known as a writer and co-creator of the BBC soap opera EastEnders.-Early career:...
and Julia Smith
Julia Smith
Julia Smith was an English television director and producer.- Early career :London-born Smith became involved in television production when she directed the series Suspense in 1962...
. Ian is a member of the first family of EastEnders, the Beales and Fowlers
The Beale/Fowler family
The Beale/Fowler family is a fictional family in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.For many years before the show began, the Beale family consisted of head of the family, Albert, his wife, Lou Beale, and their three children, Kenny and twins Pauline and Pete...
, and Holland took the inspiration for some of the series' earliest characters from his own London family and background. Ian's original character outline as written by Smith and Holland appeared in an abridged form in their book, EastEnders: The Inside Story
EastEnders books
This is a list of books about or relating to the British soap opera EastEnders.-Non-fiction books:* EastEnders: The Inside Story* Public Secrets: EastEnders and its Audience* EastEnders Special...
.
- "There is a pressure from home to do well at school and he may be a bit worried that he's not doing as well as they hope. The shadow of his father (however fictional the image is) and the pressure to be a man's man and a chip off the old block might cause trouble in the future. A point is going to be reached when Ian is going to have to assert himself as himself. He can't allow his father to live his life, by proxy, through him. Or, maybe he can...?" (page 56)
Because the actress playing Ian's mother (Gillian Taylforth
Gillian Taylforth
Gillian Taylforth is an English actress. She is best known for her roles as Kathy Mitchell on the BBC soap opera, EastEnders and as Jackie Pascoe-Webb on ITV's Footballers Wives , but more recently as Sgt. Nikki Wright in ITV's The Bill...
) was fair-haired, they also wanted him to be fair, and because of Taylforth's age he also had to look very young. Ian was meant to be fourteen when the programme first aired, but because of licensing regulations, the actor cast was required to be a 16 year old who could 'play down'. Adam Woodyatt
Adam Woodyatt
Adam Brinley Woodyatt is an English actor and media personality, best known for his role as Ian Beale in the long-running BBC soap opera EastEnders...
, born in east London, had worked as an actor in his youth, but had given it up and relocated with his family to Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. He was recruited from his old agency and it was decided that he was perfect for the part and he was subsequently cast as Ian Beale. In 1990 Ian's age was increased
Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome
Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome is a term used to describe the practice of accelerating the age of a television character in conflict with the timeline of a series and/or the real-world progression of time. Characters unseen on screen for a time might reappear portrayed by an actor several years...
and he celebrated his twenty-first birthday two years after his eighteenth. The producers felt Ian needed to be a bit older and more mature for storylines planned for him later that year.
Longevity
Ian Beale has gone on to be the longest running character in the soap's history, and is the only remaining original character. Woodyatt confirmed his desire to remain with the show in 2010, during the show's 25th anniversary: "Why would I want to leave when I'm not going to get the chance to portray even half the range of emotions I get to here in a one-off drama or a six-part series? And you're not going to get the same viewing figures either. You have your moments when things go wrong and you perhaps don't want to work with a certain person. In any office there are going to be people who don't get along but you get on with it and on the whole I enjoy it. Over the last couple of years we've had a really tight crew and it's the best atmosphere I can remember. There have been peaks and troughs, like with any show, but right now things are good."Characterisation
Ian has been described as a character viewers love to hate. His initial storylines portrayed him as a sensitive young boy with professional aspirations that went against his father's wishes. Not content to follow in his father's footsteps and take over the family fruit and veg stall, Ian wanted to become a chef and this caused a certain amount of hostility between him and his father, who viewed the occupation as effeminate. Ian's keenness to succeed in his business ventures continued as the character grew, so much so that he started using underhand methods in order to get what he wanted and became one of the soap's most renowned "slimeballs". The character is regularly referred to as a "weasel" in the British press.Author Dorothy Hobson has described Ian as a typical Thatcher's child, a term used to reference children who grew up in the premiership of UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
and who adopted the ideology of Thatcherism
Thatcherism
Thatcherism describes the conviction politics, economic and social policy, and political style of the British Conservative politician Margaret Thatcher, who was leader of her party from 1975 to 1990...
, such as personal financial gain, self-sufficiency and disregard of the welfare of those who are less well-off. As a result Hobson suggests that Ian is "young, ambitious, rich and unhappy", which she claims is a perfect reflection of the spirit of the age.
In her book, Who's Who?, Kate Lock described Ian as "wimpy, perhaps not what you'd call a man's man [...] trying to turn Walford into the capital of Capitalism [...] Somewhere along the line, Ian evolved into an obsessive, obnoxious money-monster [...] Ian always pretended to be magnanimous, doing things for the community [...] but it's inspired by self-interest."
Hobson suggests that Ian's saving grace is that he is a "passionately caring father" and Woodyatt has suggested that Ian is a chameleon
Chameleon
Chameleons are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of lizards. They are distinguished by their parrot-like zygodactylous feet, their separately mobile and stereoscopic eyes, their very long, highly modified, and rapidly extrudable tongues, their swaying gait, the possession by many of a...
, a description he claims former Executive Producer Louise Berridge
Louise Berridge
Louise Berridge is a British writer of historical fiction. Before she became a novelist, she was best known as a television producer and script editor. The most famous post being the executive producer of BBC's EastEnders between 2002 and 2004...
used to describe the character. Woodyatt commented in 2010, "Whatever [Louise Berridge] wanted Ian to do, she'd find a way of justifying it. It's true. He can be nice to his family but he can be devious with them as well. He can stitch people up but can be very generous. You can get away with doing anything with Ian. It's probably why I'm still here."
Relationship with Cindy
Obsession with success has been an underlying theme with the character for almost the entire duration of the show, but the acceleration of Ian's nasty side can be traced back to his disastrous first marriage to one of EastEnders' most renowned bitches, Cindy BealeCindy Beale
Cindy Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michelle Collins.Cindy always had an eye for the lotharios of Walford and despite trying to settle down repeatedly with the more reliable Ian Beale, she was unable to remain faithful to him. She had a selfish...
in 1989. The storyline centred on Ian's discovery that the child he thought was his (Steven), was actually his best friend's. The climax of this revelation was known to script-writers as the "Devon cottage climax" and aired in September 1990. The episode saw an enraged Ian trace Cindy and Simon Wicks
Simon Wicks
Simon "Wicksy" Wicks is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nick Berry between 1985 and 1990. Wicksy was introduced to take on some of the more adult storylines that had been scripted for another character, Mark Fowler; Mark's actor David Scarboro had left...
to her parents' house in Devon, just after being released from hospital following a failed suicide bid. The script, written by Debbie Cook, led to a confrontation that EastEnders' writer Colin Brake
Colin Brake
Colin Brake is an English television writer and script editor best known for his work for the BBC on programs such as Bugs and EastEnders. He has also written spin-offs from the BBC series Doctor Who...
has suggested contained elements of tragedy and farce. Brake suggests that a particularly memorable scene included Ian furiously throwing bricks through the window of the house, followed by one of his crutches. The episode ended ominously with Ian finding Cindy's father's shotgun and stealing it. Directed by Matthew Evans, Brake suggests that these episodes not only brought the story to a shocking climax but also laid roots for the next three months' worth of storylines, building up to Cindy and Simon's departure, and Ian's spectacular fall from grace.
Author Dorothy Hobson has described Ian and Cindy's relationship as "one of the most tempestuous in any soap opera". The characters were reunited on-screen in 1992 but the relationship ended in adultery once again when Cindy began an affair with Simon's brother David Wicks
David Wicks
David Wicks is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michael French. He originally appeared between 1993 to 1996...
, which culminated in Cindy hiring an assassin to shoot Ian in 1996 after he discovered the affair. Michelle Collins who played Cindy commented in 1996, "[Cindy] was not thinking properly when she contacted the hitman, and she is being quite. Despite what she has done she never expected Ian to be so cruel to her. Now she cannot really see any other way out of the mess she is in. She has lost touch with reality - but in the end she can't see any other way of escaping Ian." More than 18 million viewers tuned in to see Ian gunned-down, which was more than sixty-four per cent of available viewers. The plot facilitated Collins' desire to leave the programme following the birth of her child, and Cindy, implicated in the shooting, fled the country with Ian's two sons.
Reception
Ian was voted one of the top five television characters "we most love to hate" in a Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
poll in 2001. In 2009, Ian Beale came ninth in a poll by British men's magazine Loaded
Loaded (magazine)
Loaded, first published in 1994, is a British magazine for men that is considered to be the "original lads' mag". Its motto is "For men who should know better".-History:...
for 'Top Soap Bloke'. Woodyatt has received a number of award nominations for his portrayal of Ian, including a best actor nomination at the British Soap Awards
British Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards is an annual awards ceremony to honour the best of British soap operas.The first event took place in 1999 and takes place in May each year. Although it is an ITV production, the events were held at the BBC Television Centre, in London until 2010. The 2011 awards relocated to...
In 2010.
Author Dorothy Hobson has stated that Ian Beale is a "major creation" capturing the personification of political attitudes taken up during Margaret Thatcher's premiership as Prime Minister in the 1980s. She suggests that Ian Beale is a "major representation of a young man" of that era, and that his sensitive portrayal by Adam Woodyatt is "perhaps unrecognised". Roz Paterson of the Daily Record
Daily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
branded Ian "eminently unlovable" and stated that Melanie proposing to him represented a growing trend in women proposing. Holy Soap
Holy Soap
Holy Soap is a UK television and entertainment website founded in June 2009 by the British television company Channel 5. The website is the official UK home of the Australian soap operas Home and Away and Neighbours, which are broadcast on the channel...
said that Ian's most memorable moment was "His attempted murder in the Square".