Peter Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Peter makes his first appearance in episode 926, originally broadcast on 16 December 1993. Peter has been played by seven actors since being introduced in 1993. Francis Brittin-Snell played the role from 1993 to 1996, followed by Alex Stevens from 1997 to 1998 and Joseph Shade from 1998 to 2004. James Martin took over from 2004 to 2006. He was played by Thomas Law from 2006 to 2010, when the character left the series. In April 2013, it was announced that Peter would return, played by Ben Hardy, who made his first appearance on 7 June 2013. Hardy announced his departure from the role in November 2014, making his final appearance on 24 February 2015.
In December 2019, it was announced the character would be returning, played by Dayle Hudson. Peter returned on 18 February 2020, during the show's 35th anniversary week. In June 2022, it was announced that the character had been axed, and Hudson's final scenes aired on 14 July 2022. Peter made an unannounced return in the episode broadcast on 22 June 2023, with Thomas Law reprising the role. It was announced he would be making a permanent return to the series, and his return aired on 22 August 2023.
Peter's storylines have included being involved in a car accident, a turbulent relationship with Lauren Branning (Madeline Duggan/Jacqueline Jossa), discovering that his younger half-brother Bobby Beale (Eliot Carrington/Clay Milner Russell) murdered his twin sister Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater), and disowning his family when they cover up her murder, having a son, Louie, with Lauren, taking over Ian's businesses, affairs with his girlfriend Ash Panesar's (Gurlaine Kaur Garcha) mother, Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal), and Bobby's girlfriend Dana Monroe (Barbara Smith), being comatose after suffering injuries in a fire from Kathy's café, reconciling with Lauren, being a suspect in the "Who Attacked Cindy?" storyline, and supporting his second son Jimmy Beale's diagnosis of coloboma, leaving him severely sight-impaired.
Casting and development Peter was introduced in 1993 along with his twin sister Lucy, and was originally played by Francis Brittin-Snell as a baby and toddler from 1993 to 1996. In 1997, the role was given to Alex Stevens and he played Peter until 1998. Joseph Shade took over until 2004 and James Martin played him from 2004 until 2006. It was announced on 17 August 2006 that actor Thomas Law had been cast as Peter. Law said of the role: "I couldn't believe it when I heard that I got the part, I'm really excited as I am a big fan of EastEnders." He made his first appearance on 31 August 2006. He is described on the EastEnders website as being laid back, and Ian's "golden boy".
In 2007, Peter was part of a storyline which saw him and his father, as well as Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) and Ben Mitchell (Charlie Jones), involved in a car accident, when the Range Rover they were travelling in crashed into a lake. The scenes cost £1 million to produce, and external scenes were filmed in Surrey over four days, with underwater scenes being filmed in a specially designed stunt tank. The scenes aired on 18 May 2007. It was not known to viewers if Peter would survive at the time. Law praised the scenes, calling them "fantastic".
In November 2010, it was reported that Peter would leave EastEnders at the end of the year, with a possible, yet unconfirmed, return for 2011. In storylines, Peter is accused of pushing Glenda Mitchell (Glynis Barber) down her stairs. Law felt that Peter would not be strong enough to do it and it would not be in his character, though he feels backed into a corner. Peter made his final appearance on 24 December 2010. When asked if he could return, Law said, "I don't know. They're leaving the door open. That's all I can tell you."
On 19 April 2013, it was reported that Peter was to return to the series, played by Ben Hardy. He said of his casting: "I'm really excited to be joining the fantastic cast of EastEnders—a show which my family have watched for years. I can't wait to step into the shoes of a character with so much history and am looking forward to getting stuck in." Executive producer Lorraine Newman said, "Ben's a wonderful addition to the EastEnders cast and I am sure he will be popular with the audience. Having Peter back in the Beale fold helps cement the next generation of the Beale clan, a family who exist at the true heart of the show. Ian's wonderful relationship with Denise and the inclusion of Lucy, Peter and Bobby in the household will reinvigorate the clan with vibrancy and energy. I am really looking forward to seeing them all together on screen." Hardy left the role in 2015. A year later, he explained that he decided to leave so he did not regret "not trying for his dreams".
On 18 December 2019, it was announced that Peter would be returning to the show, with Dayle Hudson becoming the seventh actor to portray the character. Of his casting, Hudson said that he was "very excited to see what the future holds for [Peter]". Executive producer Jon Sen added that Dayle is a "talented actor who captures [Peter's] complexity perfectly. Hudson explained that upon returning to Walford, Peter intends to "build bridges" with his family. He stated that the relationship between Peter and Bobby is "always going to be strained", due to Bobby being responsible for Lucy's death, but that it forms an "interesting element in their relationship". He returned on 18 February 2020.
On 22 June 2023, Peter made an unannounced return to the show, with Thomas Law reprising the role. Of his return, Law said that it was "an absolute delight" to come back and that he couldn't wait to "explore the character." Executive Producer Chris Clenshaw added that he was "thrilled to welcome [Law] back to the role of Peter Beale" and that the return would be "nothing less than explosive."
Storylines
1993–2010 Peter and his twin sister Lucy Beale (Eva Brittin-Snell) are born off-screen on 9 December 1993, to Ian (Adam Woodyatt) and Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins). Peter is named after his paternal grandfather, Pete Beale (Peter Dean), who dies on the day Lucy and Peter are born, from a car accident with his girlfriend, Rose Chapman (Petra Markham). In 1996, Cindy hires a hitman to kill Ian, but he survives and fearing she will be arrested, she goes on the run with Peter and her eldest son, Steven Beale (Stuart Stevens), but she is unable to get Lucy. Ian hires a private investigator, who locates Cindy in Italy and Ian, his stepfather Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) and Phil's brother Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp), go to Italy and take Steven and Peter. Cindy returns to Walford with her boyfriend, Nick Holland (Dominic Taylor), and she wins custody of Steven, Lucy and Peter, but is soon arrested for attempted murder and is remanded in custody, so the children remain with Ian. In November 1998, Cindy supposedly dies of complications after giving birth to hers and Nick's daughter Cindy Williams (Eva Wortley and Cydney Parker). Steven, Lucy and Peter grow up with various stepmothers: Melanie Healy (Tamzin Outhwaite) splits from Ian straight after marrying him on Millennium Eve due to her finding out Lucy (now Casey Anne Rothery) was not 'sick' with cancer as initially feared and in July 2003, Ian's wife, Laura Beale (Hannah Waterman) gives birth to hers and Ian's son, Bobby Beale (Kevin Curran), who is Peter and Lucy's younger half-brother, and they separate when Ian denies paternity. Laura later dies in 2004.
Peter is injured in a fair ground collapse in June 2004 but is saved from the wreckage by Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) and his son Dennis Rickman (Nigel Harman). Ian meets Jane Collins (Laurie Brett) at this fair and Lucy and Peter struggle to bond with Jane due to Ian's past relationships, but Ian's aunt, Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard), convinces them to give her a chance. In May 2007, Ian and Peter go camping with Phil and his son, Ben Mitchell (Charlie Jones). On the drive home, there is a car accident and Peter and Ben are trapped in the car. Ben is conscious but Peter is knocked unconscious. Peter and Ben are rescued by Phil.
A budding athlete, who is Peter's PE teacher, tells Ian that Peter could compete in the 2012 Olympics. Keen for Peter to succeed, Ian begins putting pressure on him to train hard and is unhappy when Peter is distracted by Lauren Branning (Madeline Duggan), who Peter begins dating in December 2007. Lauren's father, Max Branning (Jake Wood), is also unhappy, especially when he catches Peter and Lauren playing truant and drinking alcohol and Max orders Peter to end the relationship in October 2008 but Peter tries standing up to him. Max angrily grabs Peter and throttles him so Peter tells Lauren that Max was behind their breakup, making Lauren so angry that she tries to run Max over. Peter later gives evidence in court, and when Lauren returns home (after being found not guilty of attempting to murder Max) in April 2009, Peter settles his differences with Max and declares his love for Lauren. Peter tries to look impressive by lying that he and Lauren have had sex in the allotments. Lucy (now Melissa Suffield) and Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) quickly spread this rumour at school and Lauren dumps Peter. Peter and Lauren reconcile and Lauren tells Peter she is ready to have sex. However, Lauren's mother, Tanya Branning (Jo Joyner), finds the condoms Peter and Lauren are using and Lauren's older half-brother, Bradley Branning (Charlie Clements), overhears Peter talking about it. The next day, Peter and Lauren try to see each other in secret but fail. Peter tells Max that he loves Lauren and Max finally accepts it.
At a party, Peter meets Zsa Zsa Carter (Emer Kenny) and they end up kissing, which Lauren sees. Lauren slaps Peter and Zsa Zsa, causing an argument. Peter discovers Leon Small (Sam Attwater) slept with Lucy while he was seeing Zsa Zsa, causing a violent confrontation. Later, Peter finds Lucy's letter from the abortion clinic and Peter assures Lucy he is behind her but does not support Lucy's decision to let Jane and Ian raise the baby and later learns that Lucy has miscarried. He begins sending anonymous gifts to Zsa Zsa but is caught out by Leon and his friend Arthur "Fatboy" Chubb (Ricky Norwood). Lucy plans to separate Leon and Zsa Zsa by exposing their affair and tells Zsa Zsa about the baby. Zsa Zsa is disgusted and during a confrontation, Leon announces that Lucy had an abortion. Peter is disgusted as he knows how much Jane wants a baby and is shocked further when he discovers Ian knew.