IAN EXITS WALFORD!
A huge plot twist will signal his dramatic departure…
Original Eastenders star Adam Woodyatt is waving goodbye to the role of Ian Beale – but the good news is that despite the dramatic press headlines, he won’t be hanging up Ian’s chef’s apron for good! Walford chiefs have confirmed that the actor, who has been at the heart of the show since its first episode in 1985, is simply taking an extended break after the show returns in a couple of weeks. “Ian will be off screen as part of a big storyline,” whispers our Albert Square insider. “Bosses are staying tight-lipped, so it’s unclear how long he’ll be gone…” Inside Soap recently revealed that Ian would be at the heart of perhaps the show’s biggest return plot, as Sharon appears set to finally learn that her oldest friend has been keeping a tragic secret from her. It was Ian who deliberately left Sharon’s son Denny trapped below deck of the doomed River Thames party boat that crashed back in February – resulting in Denny’s drowning when Ian was unable to rescue him in time. Blackmailer Dotty has known the truth for a while now, and is poised to spill the beans just as Ian and Sharon begin a new chapter as owners of the Vic. Will the pub’s new landlady be the one to send Ian packing, after she learns the terrible truth? Meanwhile, it sounds as if Ian will suffer some serious financial setbacks after guiltily purchasing the boozer for Sharon. His Walford East business partner, Max, will discover that Ian has stitched him up after signing over his share of the restaurant, reigniting their bitter rivalry. Will Ian be left with no choice but to leave the Square, as his allies turn on him?