Adam Brinley Woodyatt (born 28 June 1968) is an English actor. He is known for his role as Ian Beale in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a role he has portrayed since the show's inception in 1985, making him the serial's longest-serving regular cast member.
Early life and education Woodyatt was born on 28 June 1968 in Walthamstow, and grew up in east London. He was educated at two independent schools: Forest School, on the edge of Epping Forest, in Walthamstow in north east London, where he shared classes with comedy writer Sharat Sardana and cricket captain Nasser Hussain; and the Sylvia Young Theatre School. He also attended Llanidloes High School in Llanidloes.
Career Aged 13, Woodyatt appeared on stage at the National Theatre in Tom Stoppard's play On the Razzle. Following the completion of his studies at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, Woodyatt appeared in the BBC's children's drama series The Baker Street Boys and the ITV fantasy series The Witches and the Grinnygog, both airing in 1983. He then put his acting career on hiatus and worked as a butcher in Wales for a brief period, before joining the cast of BBC soap opera EastEnders in the role of Ian Beale. Woodyatt has since become the longest-serving regular cast member in EastEnders. In 2013, his longevity on the show was honoured at the British Soap Awards, where he received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Woodyatt has also appeared as a guest personality on several BBC game shows and charity fundraisers, including A Question of Sport, Children in Need and Robot Wars, where he won a celebrity special. In 2015, Woodyatt played the henchman of the Wicked Queen in a pantomime production of Snow White at Swindon's Wyvern Theatre. Speaking about joining the production, Woodyatt commented: "I absolutely love performing in front of an audience as it's so different to camera – I love the reaction of the audience. I am very much looking forward to spending the Christmas season at the Wyvern Theatre, which I know has a reputation for staging outstanding pantomimes." In 2019, he appeared on Celebrity Masterchef.
In late 2020, it was announced Woodyatt would be taking an "extended break" from appearing in EastEnders. He initially stated he had no plans to return to the serial, wanting to pursue other projects. These included being one of two late entrants during the twenty-first series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, entering alongside Coronation Street actor Simon Gregson. He was the sixth campmate to be eliminated, ultimately finishing in sixth place. He also appeared in stage productions including Looking Good Dead and My Fair Lady. In December 2022, he made a brief return to EastEnders for the on-screen funeral of Dot Cotton (June Brown). He later returned on a permanent basis the following year, alongside the character's ex-wife, Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins), who was supposedly killed off 25 years prior.
Personal life On 8 April 1998, Woodyatt married dancer Beverley Sharp in a private ceremony at Disney World, Florida. The couple have two children. For many years, the family lived in Southam, Warwickshire, some 72 miles northwest of the BBC Elstree Studios in south Hertfordshire, where EastEnders is recorded. On 21 August 2020, it was reported that Woodyatt had decided to separate from Sharp the previous year, after more than twenty years of marriage.
Woodyatt is a supporter of Liverpool F.C. and has been described by Digital Spy as a "huge sci-fi fanatic". Woodyatt is also a photographer, a hobby he took up while performing On The Razzle at the National Theatre when he was 13 years old. In 2008, he won the Architectural Photographer of the Year Award of The Societies of Photographers with a picture he took at St Pancras, where he was filming EastEnders.
Charity Inspired by his father's death from cancer aged 58, Woodyatt has helped raise money for various cancer research initiatives, and broke his collarbone in June 2003 whilst training for a charity bicycle ride.
Woodyatt was also involved in launching an Aid for Haiti event at Coventry's Ricoh Arena in February 2010, with many of his actor colleagues posing for photographs, signing autographs, and providing items for an auction, which raised £30,000. Woodyatt is also a supporter of Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance and an Ambassador for the Children's Air Ambulance.
In January 2019, it was announced that he would be running the London Marathon with some of his EastEnders co-stars for a Dementia campaign in honour of former Eastenders actress Barbara Windsor.
Filmography Film Year Title Role 1990 Happy Birthday, Coronation Street! Himself1998 Reasonably Scary Monsters 1999 An Audience with Tom Jones 2000 A Question of EastEnders 2001 An Audience with Des O'ConnorWendy Richard: A Life on the Box2002Test the Nation: The National IQ Test 20022003EastEnders: Slaters in DetentionIan BealeTest the Nation: The National Relationship TestHimself2004How Soaps Changed the World2007EastEnders Feuds: The Beales vs. The Mitchells2008Happy Birthday Brucie!2009The British Soap Awards 2009: After PartyDonny & Marie: Las Vegas Live2010Coronation Street: The Big 50EastEnders: Last Tango in WalfordIan Beale2011EastEnders: Greatest Exits2012The Walford Apprentice2014The Ghosts of Ian Beale2015EastEnders: Backstage with Zoe Ball & Joe SwashHimselfNeighbours 30th Anniversary Tribute: Ramsay SquareIan Beale2016Bobby Beale: The Story So Far2017June Brown at 90: A Walford LegendHimself2018The Best of EastEnders2022'Allo 'Allo! Forty Years of LaughterIan BealeQueens for the NightHimself
Television Year Title Role Notes 1983 The Baker Street Boys Shiner 8 episodes The Witches and the Grinnygog Dave Firkettle 6 episodes 1985–present EastEnders Ian Beale Regular role 1987 First ClassHimself Episode: "Celebrity First Class 1987" 1988–1989, 1992 Going Live! 3 episodes1990–1991Motormouth2 episodes1991Family FortunesEpisode: "Series 11, episode 5"1992, 1994Noel's House Party2 episodes1993The Main EventEpisode: "Series 1, episode 4"Dimensions in TimeIan BealeCharity crossover between Doctor Who and EastEnders1994You Bet!Himself2 episodesLive & KickingEpisode: "Series 2, episode 11"1995The James Whale ShowEpisode: "Series 1, episode 35"1995–1996That's Showbusiness2 episodes1998Computers Don't Byte: The Beginner's GuideEpisode: "Series 2, episode 1"1998, 2000, 2003This Is Your Life4 episodes1999EastEnders: Fighting Fit5 episodesThe Other HalfEpisode: "Celebrity Special"2000Robot WarsEpisode: "Celebrity Robot Wars"2000–2001Auntie's BloomersIan Beale2 episodes2000–2001, 2010The Weakest LinkHimself3 episodes2001The Generation GameEpisode: "Series 22, episode 15"Celebrity Ready, Steady, CookEpisode: "6 May 2001"A Question of TV2 episodesThe Big ImpressionIan BealeEpisode: "Christmas Special 2001"2002The Kumars at No. 42HimselfEpisode: "Series 2, episode 4"2002, 2008–2009EastEnders Revealed5 episodes2003A Question of SportEpisode: "Series 32, episode 29"2003, 2011, 2023Children in NeedIan Beale2 episodesFreddie MercuryEpisode: "2011"Bet Lynch2003–2004EastEnders: Christmas PartyHimself2 episodes2004Celebrity MastermindEpisode: "2004 Episode 3"They Think It's All OverEpisode: "Series 18, episode 1"2005Dick & Dom in da BungalowEpisode: "Series 5, episode 15"Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes TwoEpisode: "Series 2, episode 25"2005, 2014Strictly Come Dancing2 episodes2006Charlie Brooker's ScreenwipeIan BealeEpisode: "Series 2, episode 1"School's OutHimselfEpisode: "Series 1, episode 2"2007Would I Lie to You?Ian BealeHimselfEpisode: "Series 10, episode 8"Doctor Who ConfidentialEpisode: "Meet Martha Jones"2007, 2009, 2013–2016The British Soap Awards6 episodes2008The Podge and Rodge ShowEpisode: "Series 4, episode 18"2009The 4th TV Now AwardsEpisode: "2009"2010EastEnders: The Greatest CliffhangersEpisode: "Series 1, episode 2"Ian BealeEpisode: "Series 1, episode 2"EastEnders: E20Dancing on IceHimselfEpisode: "Series 5, episode 2"2010, 2023Breakfast2 episodes2010, 2015, 2023–2024National Television Awards201124 Hour Panel PeopleHimselfEpisode: "Series 1, episode 5"2015GoggleboxIan BealeEpisode: "Series 5, episode 2"EastEnders: Back to OursHimselfEpisode: "Adam Woodyatt & Laurie Brett"The Graham Norton ShowEpisode: "EastEnders Special"2016British Academy Television AwardsEpisode: "2016"2016, 2020The One ShowIan BealeEpisode: "Peggy Mitchell Special"HimselfEpisode: "17 February 2020"2017All Round to Mrs. Brown'sEpisode: "Series 1, episode 2"James Martin's Saturday MorningEpisode: "At Christmas – Adam Woodyatt & Paul Rankin"2017–2018Sunday Brunch2 episodes2017, 2023Good Morning Britain2018Loose WomenEpisode: "Series 23, episode 30"2018, 2021This MorningIan BealeEpisode: "Series 30, episode 237"Himself2 episodes2019LorraineEpisode: "16 January 2019"Celebrity MasterchefEpisode: "Series 14, episode 10"2020EastEnders: Secrets from the SquareIan Beale2 episodesHimselfThe NoughtiesIan BealeWhat We Were WatchingEpisode: "Christmas 1995"2021I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!HimselfRegular role, 16 episodes2024Tracey: A Day in the LifeIan Beale1 episode2025Bridge of LiesHimself1 episode; EastEnders special EastEnders: 40 Years on the Square Interviewed guest
Stage Aladdin Mother Goose Cinderella Oliver Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Looking Good Dead (2021–2022) My Fair Lady (2022–2023)
References
External links