EastEnders is a British soap opera created by Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since 1985. Set in Albert Square in the East End of London in the fictional Borough of Walford, the programme follows the stories of local residents and their families as they go about their daily lives. Initially there were two 30-minute episodes per week, later increasing to three, but since 2001 episodes have been broadcast every weekday apart from Wednesdays.
Anna Eva Lydia Catherine Wing was an English actress who had a long career in television and theatre, but was best known for playing Lou Beale, the matriarch of the Beale family, in EastEnders.
Ian 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 2000th episode in the show on 26 March 2007, and his 3000th on 27 May 2016.
Anthony John Holland was a British actor and television screenwriter, best known as a writer and co-creator with Julia Smith of the BBC soap opera EastEnders.
Bobby Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, who made his first appearance in episode 2557, originally broadcast on 24 July 2003. The character was originally played by Kevin Curran as an infant. Prior to his introduction, Bobby's paternity is at the centre of a storyline and is resolved when Ian Beale is revealed as Bobby's father. His mother, Laura Beale, is killed off in 2004 and Bobby's stepmother, Jane Beale, later adopts Bobby. Curran was replaced by Alex Francis in 2007. Following Jane's departure, Bobby finds a mother figure in Mandy Salter and is upset when she leaves.
The Beales, together with the Fowlers, are a fictional family in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. They were the main family for storylines in early EastEnders and remained as such for many years. Having appeared continuously from episode one, they are the show's longest serving family. In 2004 Peter Beale and Lucy Beale were recast to give them a more mature look. In 2007, there were few members of the Beale family left and no Fowlers, so the family were revamped. Peter was recast again. Ian Beale started a relationship with Jane Beale and Steven Beale also returned. By 2010, the number of Beales had fallen again. Lucy was recast and in 2013, Peter and Bobby were recast and Cindy Williams Jnr, the half-sister of Peter and Lucy, was reintroduced. In addition to this at the start of 2014 Bex Fowler returned to the serial with her mother Sonia Fowler, with Martin Fowler following 11 months later in December. In 2014 Lucy is found dead, causing her family and friends to struggle to come to terms with her death and the secrets she left behind, putting many people in the frame for her murder. It was revealed on 19 February 2015 that she was killed by her own little brother, Bobby. It was also revealed that Kathy Beale, who was presumed dead in 2006, was alive after having faked her death with her new husband in South Africa. In December 2016 Michelle Fowler returned to Albert Square after originally leaving in 1995, although now played by Jenna Russell.
Steven Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Edward Farrell from 1989 to 1990, Stuart Stevens from 1992 to 1998, Edward Savage from 1998 to 2002, and Aaron Sidwell from 2007 to 2017. It was announced on 22 February 2008 that the character would be written out at the end of Sidwell's contract, and made his on-screen departure on 9 May 2008. On 2 May 2016, it was announced that Sidwell had returned to the role. Steven made his return on 27 May 2016. On 9 August 2017, it was announced that Sidwell would leave the show again. Steven made his final exit on 8 September 2017 when the character was killed off during a high-profile stunt week.
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 the serial prematurely due to personal problems. Wicksy was the soap's first male pin-up.
Lou Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Anna Wing. Her first appearance is in the first episode, which was broadcast on 19 February 1985, and her last is in episode 362, which was first shown on 26 July 1988, when the character was killed off. The character is played by Karen Meagher in the 1988 EastEnders special, CivvyStreet, set during the Second World War. She appears in 232 episodes.
Richard Cole is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Ian Reddington between 23 July 1992 and 21 July 1994.
Cindy Williams is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by four actresses since being introduced in 1998. Her mother, Cindy Beale, dies in labour with her. She is then brought up by her maternal grandmother and aunt off-screen. Ella Wortley and Cydney Parker both portrayed the role from 1998 to 1999, followed by Eva Sayer in a brief appearance in 2007. On 18 July 2013, it was announced that Cindy would return to the series as a regular character, with Mimi Keene taking over the role. Cindy leaves her home in Devon to join her half-siblings Peter and Lucy Beale in Walford. Since being re-established in 2013, she has featured in storylines that see her learn of the murder of sister Lucy, a relationship with Liam Butcher and struggling as a teenage mother to daughter Beth Williams. Cindy made an unannounced departure on 17 August 2015.
Peter Dean is a British actor, he is best known for his roles as Pete Beale in EastEnders, Jeff Bateman in Coronation Street and Sergeant Jack Wilding in Woodentop.
Nellie Ellis is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Elizabeth Kelly. Nellie is introduced as the interfering relative of Pauline Fowler in 1993 and appears regularly until 1998. She makes a further appearance in 2000 for the funeral of Ethel Skinner.
Laurie Bates is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera, EastEnders, played by Gary Powell. Laurie was introduced by producer Mike Gibbon in September 1989 as a rival to the long-established character Pete Beale – he opens up a business in direct competition to him and then dates his estranged wife Kathy. Laurie Bates was one of many characters to be axed early in 1990, following the introduction of the serial’s new executive-producer, Michael Ferguson. He makes his last appearance in March 1990, lasting roughly six months on-screen.
Lucy Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The character was played by Eva Brittin-Snell, Casey Anne Rothery, Melissa Suffield, and Hetti Bywater. Lucy was introduced in December 1993 as the baby daughter of Ian and Cindy Beale. She is the twin sister of Peter Beale, and has three half siblings, older brother Steven Beale, younger sister Cindy Williams and younger brother Bobby Beale.
Benjamin Jones, better known as Ben Hardy, is a British actor. He is known for playing Peter Beale in the BBC soap opera EastEnders (2013–2015). Hardy made his film debut as Archangel in the superhero film X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), and played Roger Taylor in the biographical film Bohemian Rhapsody (2018).
