Peter Beale | |
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EastEnders character | |
![]() Thomas Law as Peter Beale (2023) | |
Portrayed by |
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Duration |
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First appearance | Episode 926 16 December 1993 |
Classification | Present; regular |
Introduced by |
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Spin-off appearances | The Queen Vic Quiz Night (2020) |
Crossover appearances | Emmerdale (2021) |
![]() Dayle Hudson as Peter Beale (2020) | |
![]() Ben Hardy as Peter Beale (2013) | |
Peter Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders and he is played by Thomas Law. 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 portrayed 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 and played the role from 2004 to 2006. He was played by Thomas Law from 2006 until 2010, when the character departed 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.[1] Hardy announced his departure from the role in November 2014, making his final on-screen appearance on 24 February 2015.
In December 2019, it was announced that the character would be returning, played by Dayle Hudson. Peter returned on 18 February 2020, during the show's 35th anniversary week.[2] In June 2022, it was announced that the character had been axed, and Hudson’s final scenes aired on 14 July 2022.[3] Peter made an unannounced return in the episode broadcast on 22 June 2023, with Thomas Law reprising the role. It was confirmed he will be making a permanent return to the show and his return aired on 22 August 2023.[4]
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 (Eliot Carrington/Clay Milner Russell) murdered his twin sister Lucy (Hetti Bywater), and disowning his family when they cover up her murder, taking over Ian's businesses, affairs with his girlfriend Ash Panesar's (Gurlaine Kaur Garcha) mother Suki (Balvinder Sopal) and Bobby's girlfriend Dana Monroe (Barbara Smith), and being comatose after suffering injuries in a fire from Kathy's café.