Jane falls for Ian again and proposes to him at the Christmas Eve carol concert. They plan their wedding for next February. Ian and Jane get married in the restaurant with their friends and family as witnesses. After Lauren tells Peter that she believes Lucy was murdered by a member of the family, he accuses them of killing Lucy. Jane admits that Bobby accidentally killed Lucy by hitting her over the head with a jewellery box. Though Bobby believed that Lucy was still alive, Jane realised she was dead and covered up her murder by faking a mugging. Ian, Jane and Cindy decide to cover up Lucy's murder however Peter does not agree to do this. Ian, Jane, Bobby and Beth go on holiday for Ian and Jane's honeymoon, and Peter leaves Walford along with Lauren. How am I going to look after them [Peter, Bobby, and Cindy Jr.]? I've got nothing left. I've got nothing left!" (To Phil, in the aftermath of Lucy's murder) Tutton, Charlotte (15 August 2020). "EastEnders' Ian Beale written out of soap as actor Adam Woodyatt takes 'extended break' ". Mirror. Archived from the original on 15 August 2020 . Retrieved 16 August 2020. |Frank | Freddie Mercury | Freida | Genghis | Gilbert | Gloria | Gumbo | Heathcliff | Hercules | Jasper | Joey | Joey | Lady Di | Lionel | Lovebirds | Mandoo | Marge | Marge (II) | Marilyn | Musty | Neville  Sara Wallis; Ian Hyland (12 June 2020). "100 Best EastEnders characters ever". Daily Mirror . Retrieved 20 October 2023.

In 2003, Laura's son Bobby is born. She later discovers that Bobby requires a blood transfusion following his birth, thus making her realise that Ian is the child's father. Ian and Garry later discover the truth as the latter attempts to raise the baby with Laura without Ian finding out. Ian is the most-married character in EastEnders history, with six marriages to five women: Cindy Williams ( Michelle Collins), Mel Healy ( Tamzin Outhwaite), Laura Dunn ( Hannah Waterman), twice to Jane Collins ( Laurie Brett), and Sharon Watts ( Letitia Dean), and two aborted engagements to Mandy Salter ( Nicola Stapleton) and Denise Fox ( Diane Parish). Ian is the owner of 45 Albert Square, traditionally represented within the series as the family home of the Beale and Fowler family, and in 2020, he bought The Queen Victoria public house for Sharon.

When his cousin Michelle falls pregnant, Ian is initially suspected to be the father and gets confronted by his mother Kathy as well as Pete about it. He starts a relationship with Tina Hopkins and the pair decide to move in together, renting one of Kelvin Carpenter's father Tony Carpenter's 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 Walford. a b c d Neil, Beth (12 February 2010). "EASTENDERS EXCLUSIVE ADAM WOODYATT ON BEING IAN BEALE". The Mirror. Trinity Mirror. Archived from the original on 11 January 2016 . Retrieved 15 December 2010. Speaking about those scenes, soap boss Chris Clenshaw previously said: "I called Adam and told him our plans and said Ian had to be there, and he agreed. It was kind of as simple as that. Ian didn’t make it into the church, but he said his own private goodbye to Dot. So that’s how it came about. Adam wanted to be there for June and he knew that Ian should be there for Dot." How did Ian and Cindy reunite? Ian Beale is one of the original twenty-three characters written by the creators of EastEnders, Tony Holland and Julia Smith. He has gone on to be the longest-running character in the soap's history.

Warner, Sam (15 August 2020). "EastEnders' Ian Beale to take break from soap as part of big storyline". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021 . Retrieved 17 May 2021. In five years’ time, Ian Beale might just be a soft-edged dad again, alarmed to discover he has a sixth or seventh lovechild, a full-grown adult who has never texted him once before today who then turns up fully formed to shout at him in a launderette. Or: after a series of dodgy dealings, with Phil holding the keys and waving at him from the shore, Ian Beale pounds on the windows as his Escort bubbles to the bottom of the Thames. Hard to ever tell. It is out of our control. Hughes, Chris (5 October 1996). "CINDY FIRED UP FOR ACTION". The Mirror. Trinity Mirror. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014 . Retrieved 15 December 2010.By then, Ian and Jane find their marriage in trouble; Jane wants to adopt a child for her and Ian to have, but his reluctance to agree with her suggestion results in the pair breaking up with each other. Soon Ian manages to convince Jane to give him another chance, and she agrees after adopting Bobby. The pair first began dating just to make Simon jealous, but soon they ended up getting in a real relationship. They married, with Ian believing he was Steven's real dad, with it later being revealed that he was in fact Simon's. EastEnders' Adam Woodyatt says that Ian Beale may not return". Digitalspy.com. 2 July 2021 . Retrieved 10 January 2022.

British Soap Awards: EastEnders' nominees". BBC Online. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original on 5 March 2010 . Retrieved 1 March 2010.Because the actress playing Ian's mother Kathy 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 years old when the programme first aired, but because of licensing regulations, the actor cast was required to be a sixteen-year-old who could "play down". Hobson suggests that Ian's saving grace is that he is a "passionately caring father" [9] and Woodyatt has suggested that Ian is a chameleon, a description he claims former Executive Producer Louise Berridge used to describe the character. [6] 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." [6] Cindy Beale [ edit ] I'm A Celeb's Adam Woodyatt announces he's not returning to EastEnders after ITV show". Daily Mirror. 24 November 2021 . Retrieved 20 December 2021. Ian has gone on to be the longest running character in the soap's history. 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." [6] Characterisation [ edit ] Before 1989, Ian meets a woman named Cindy Williams and soon they get engaged in the following year; however, Cindy has a one-night stand with Simon beforehand and she ends up getting pregnant as a result of this. Cindy marries Ian and claims that the baby she is expecting, Steven Beale, is his, resulting in Ian attempting suicide when he learns the truth. He recovers and causes Simon to have a car accident in revenge so Simon, Cindy and Steven leave Walford together.

Soon Laura finds blood stains in Ian's clothes that he wore on the night Phil was shot. She confronts him and he admits to seeing Phil lying unconscious after the shooting, but chose to leave Phil for dead over their animosity towards one another. Laura is angry that Ian lied to her, but she forgives him after Ian insists that he didn't shoot Phil; this later turns out to be true when the shooter is revealed to be Phil's ex-girlfriend, Lisa Shaw. Author Dorothy Hobson has described Ian as a typical Thatcher's child, a term used to reference children who grew up under the Conservative government of the 1980s and who adopted an ideology, 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. [9]Good year, bad year– Good year: Jane Beale". Virgin Media. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014 . Retrieved 27 March 2012. McGarry, Lisa (4 April 2007). "Eastenders: Ian Beale Chalks Up 2000 Episodes!". Unreality TV. Archived from the original on 20 August 2008 . Retrieved 3 August 2009. It was reported on 19 May 2023 that Woodyatt would be returning to the show on a permanent basis in a storyline accommodating the return of Cindy, who was to make a return after 25 years, resurrecting her character from the dead. [22] It was confirmed by the BBC on 21 June 2023, following the airing of Cindy's return that, Woodyatt would indeed return on a permanent basis later in the summer alongside Collins. [23] A day later, Ian made his onscreen return. [24] Reception [ edit ] Enders' hitman pulls in 18m for Beeb". The Mirror. Trinity Mirror. 9 October 1996. Archived from the original on 11 January 2016 . Retrieved 15 December 2010. In 1999, Ian has a serious romance with the manager of his bric-a-brac shop: Mel Healy. Eventually she proposes to Ian but ends up developing platonic feelings with gangster Steve Owen in the process; soon Mel and Steve sleep together in the build-up to her wedding with Ian.