EastEnders star Adam Woodyatt reveals real-life friendship with screen son
"I think I've actually turned into his dad!"
EastEnders spoilers follow.
EastEnders star Adam Woodyatt has revealed his real-life friendship with Thomas Law, who plays his on-screen son, Peter Beale.
Discussing the return of the Beale family to the centre of the Square’s drama, Woodyatt shared that it “feels as though [the soap] has gone back in time to 1988,” while speaking to Inside Soap.
Continuing, he explained that having the gang back together was nice – particularly due to his off screen friendship with Peter Beale actor Law.
“We have Tom back as Peter, which I’m really pleased about because I’m very close with Tom – even when he wasn’t in the show, I still stayed in touch with him.”
He went on to explain that although the pair are very good friends off screen, Woodyatt’s parental role seems to be bleeding through the screen.
“He’s a good lad,” he said, “Though I seem to be helping him with everything at the moment, like his car insurance – I think I’ve actually turned into his dad!”
Law recently returned to the soap after an absence that saw other actors take the mantle of Peter Beale in his stead.
Law first played Peter in 2006 to 2010, before being replaced by Ben Hardy from 2013 to 2015, and then Dayle Hudson from 2020 to 2022. He returned to the soap in 2023.
Woodyatt, meanwhile, has portrayed Ian Beale since the BBC soap’s very first episode in 1985.
The character left EastEnders under a cloud in 2021, before returning in June this year.
When Cindy Beale was unveiled as George’s missing wife Rose in a major twist, it was revealed that Adam and Michelle Collins would both be reprising their roles in the soap.
Speaking at an EastEnders press event, Adam said: “Working with Michelle has been like putting on an old pair of slippers. It’s comfortable. It just works.”
