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Adam Woodyatt
Woodyatt in 2009 at Wendy Richard's funeral service
Born	Adam Brinley Woodyatt (1968-06-28) 28 June 1968 (age 50) Walthamstow, London, England
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1983–present
Known for	Ian Beale in EastEnders (1985-present)
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Spouse(s)	Beverley Sharp (m. 1998)
Children	2

Adam Brinley Woodyatt (born 28 June 1968) is an English actor, known for his role as Ian Beale in the long-running BBC soap opera EastEnders. He is the show's longest-serving actor, and the only one to have appeared continuously since its inception in February 1985. He is a recipient of five British Soap Awards including one for Best Actor as well as a recipient of one TRIC Award.

Early life and education

Woodyatt was born on 28 June 1968 in Walthamstow, and grew up in west London. He was educated at two independent schools: at Forest School,^[1] 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, followed by the Sylvia Young Theatre School, at the time based in Marylebone in West London. Whilst at school he mastered the Rubik's cube and later completed the puzzle in less than 30 seconds at a BAFTA awards ceremony. He also attended Llanidloes High School, Llanidloes in Wales.^[2]

Career

Following the completion of his studies at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, Woodyatt took a small part in children's drama The Baker Street Boys. He then put his acting career on hiatus and worked as a butcher in Wales for a brief period, before joining the cast of the then fledgling soap opera EastEnders. Not expecting to stay much beyond the first year,^[3] Woodyatt has gone on to be the longest serving cast member in EastEnders; he is the only character from the first episode to appear in the soap without officially leaving. Alongside Letitia Dean and Gillian Taylforth, who play Sharon Watts and Kathy Beale respectively, Woodyatt is one of only three members of the original cast currently in EastEnders, but the only one of the three to have appeared continuously throughout the show's run. His longevity was honoured at the 2013 British Soap Awards when he received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his role of Ian Beale.

Woodyatt has also appeared as a guest personality on several BBC game shows and charity fundraisers, including A Question of Sport, Robot Wars (winning the show's Celebrity Special with the robot Pussycat) and Children in Need.

In 2015, Woodyatt played the henchman of the Wicked Queen in pantomime in 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."

Photography

Woodyatt is an accomplished photographer, a hobby he took up while performing On The Razzle at the National Theatre when he was 13 years old.^{[citation needed]}

In 2008 he won the Architectural Photographer of the Year Award of the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers with a picture he took at St Pancras, where he was filming EastEnders.^[4]

Personal life

On 8 April 1998, Woodyatt married dancer Beverley Sharp in a private ceremony at Disney World, Florida. The couple have two children, and for many years lived in Southam, Warwickshire, 72 miles northwest of the BBC's Elstree Studios in south Hertfordshire, where EastEnders is filmed. Woodyatt is a supporter of Liverpool F.C.,^[5] and has a keen appreciation for sport.

An avid fan of science fiction, he took part in a special BBC evening dedicated to Star Trek and has attended some of the 'Series Launches' of Doctor Who alongside other celebrities.

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.^[6]

Woodyatt was also instrumental 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^[7] and an Ambassador for the Children's Air Ambulance.^[8]

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 Barbara Windsor.^[9]

Filmography

Television

• 
  The Witches and the Grinnygog as Dave Firkettle – (1983)


• 
  The Baker Street Boys as Shiner (1983)


• 
  EastEnders (1985–)


• 
  Motormouth (1990)


• 
  EastEnders: E20 (2010)


• The Bill as Patrick Kenzie (1 episode)

Theatre

• Aladdin


• Mother Goose


• Cinderella


• Oliver


• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Television appearances

• Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway


• Children in Need


• Dick and Dom in da Bungalow


• Dreamhouse


• The Kumars at No. 42


• National Lottery


• A Question of Sport


• Ready Steady Cook


• Robot Wars


• Strictly Come Dancing


• They Think It's All Over


• The Weakest Link


• School's Out


• All Round to Mrs. Brown's

References

External links

• Official website


• BBC profile for character Ian Beale and actor Adam Woodyatt


• 
  Adam Woodyatt on IMDb
  


• 
  Adam Woodyatt at the British Film Institute