ENDERS BEALE WRITTEN OUT
Extended break for soap favourite
EASTENDERS favourite Adam Woodyatt is taking a break from the show, we can reveal.
The star, who has played Ian Beale for 35 years, is having an extended “holiday” and his part is being written out of upcoming episodes.
It is claimed he will be off screens for around 10 weeks.
A BBC source confirmed the break and claimed that it was due to an explosive plot twist.
A separate source said: “Writers are staying tight-lipped about what happens, so it’s not known yet what the future will hold for the character. There are no guarantees and anything can happen in Albert Square.”
They added: “It will be strange for viewers not to have Ian on screen for such a long time. But it will be nice for Adam to have some time out after working on the show for so long.”
Last night, both the BBC and Adam, 52, declined to respond to requests for comment.
The actor has been snapped at a hotel near the EastEnders set during a stint away from the home he shares with his wife of 22 years, Beverley.
Hapless Ian, pictured above with first screen wife Cindy – played by Michelle Collins, 59 – has been at the centre of this year’s biggest storyline, the death of Dennis Mitchell. During episodes to mark the soap’s 35th birthday in February, he caused the lad to perish in a boat crash.
Ian is yet to face justice over what happened but everything is set to come to a head this autumn.
Bosses hinted Sharon, played by Letitia Dean, 52, will finally discover that Ian is responsible for her son’s death.
It is likely the fallout will cause his shock exit from Albert Square.
Adam has played Ian since the show’s first episode in 1985 and made him one of the best-known soap characters of all time.
The actor is also one of the show’s highest paid stars, with a salary of a rumoured £400,000. EastEnders has suffered a number of setbacks lately but bosses are determined to get it back to its best.
Earlier this year they were forced to suspend Jessie Wallace, 48, who plays Kat Slater, over bad behaviour.
And show legend June Brown, 93, quit her role as Dot Cotton.
But the coronavirus pandemic caused the biggest crisis when filming was halted and the show stopped airing for the first time.