is a
Fictional Character in the popular
BBC Soap Opera ''
EastEnders ''. He is played by
James Martin .
He is the twin brother of
Lucy Beale and the son of
Ian Beale and
Cindy Beale . He was born in December 1993. He was named after his paternal grandfather,
Pete Beale , who tragically died the same day as his birth.
Ian and Cindy had already split up once before the twins' birth, when Ian found out that Peter's older brother,
Steven Beale , was another man's son. It was not long after their reconciliation that Cindy became pregnant, but it was clear that they weren't going to be one big happy family.
Although Ian was determined to make a go of the marriage and brought Steven up as his own, when Peter was three, Cindy had an affair, hired a hit man to shoot Ian and planned to run off to Italy with the children and her new man. She managed to snatch Peter and Steven but Lucy was left behind and Peter was separated from his twin for almost a year before Ian kidnapped him and Steven back and Cindy returned to fight for custody of all three children. She was granted custody but then arrested for shooting Ian. She died in childbirth in prison. Peter's half-sister, named Cindy after her mum, is being brought up by her maternal aunt and grandmother.
When Ian fell in love with Melanie, Peter looked forward to the wedding and to Mel being his stepmother. Ian and Mel were going through a rough patch at the time and when Lucy became ill and had some tests for cancer, Ian lied to Mel when they came back clear and told Mel Lucy had cancer to emotionally blackmail Mel into marriage. Ian and Mel married on Millennium Eve. As the clock struck midnight she found out the truth and left Ian.
Peter's second stepmother, Laura, started off as his nanny. Their marriage survived Ian kissing Mel and sleeping with prostitute
Janine Butcher but they split up after Ian found out Laura had had a one-night stand with
Garry Hobbs and thought the baby she was carrying belonged to Garry as he'd had a vasectomy, and threw Laura out on Christmas Day 2002. Meanwhile Peter's older brother Steven went to live with his natural father in New Zealand. With both Steven and Laura gone it made for a very unhappy Christmas and new year in the Beale household.
Shortly after Laura's death, Ian found out her baby Bobby was his son after all (the vascetomy hadn't worked properly) and Bobby came to live with him and the twins.
When Ian took Peter, Lucy and Bobby to the funfair, Peter got trapped on a ride when it collapsed and ended up in hospital but was thankfully okay. Ian became irritated by the lady selling candyfloss,
Jane , but their initial hatred turned to love and Jane now lives with Ian and the children. Jane calmed Ian down when he found out some boys had tried to sell Peter and Lucy drugs.
Peter has just started senior school and lives with Ian, Jane, Lucy and Bobby. His best friend is
Darren Miller , who's two years older than him.
When Ian wanted Gus's dog, Wellard to be put down, Lucy, Peter and Jane were on Wellard's side. After a court case ordered that Wellard be returned to Gus, Ian's family bought a puppy and called him Chips. They said he was a present for Ian.
In 2006, Ian heard that his mother - who lived in South Africa with Ian's half-brother Ben - had died in a car crash. Ian went to South Africa to see Ben and in March 2006, Peter's uncle Ben (who is two years younger than Peter) moved in with the family. Peter and Ben get on very well however the arrival of Ben has caused tension in Ian and Jane's relationship as Jane believes that Ben's dad Phil should be allowed access to Ben while Ian believes he should not. Peter was upset when he heard Ian and Jane arguing about Ben.
Jane has now slept with Phil's brother,
Grant Mitchell , althogh neither Ian or the children know this.
- Peter and Lucy were born the day their paternal grandfather, Pete Beale died. Peter is named after him.
- Peter's father Ian's half brother Ben was born in 1995, making Ben younger than him and Lucy, his nephew and niece!
- Three actors have played Peter Beale. He was first played by Alex Stevens, whose brother Stuart played Peter's half-brother Steven, until 1998 . From 1998-2004, Joseph Shade played Peter. In 2004, James Martin , the current Peter Beale, took over the role.
- When James Martins began playing Peter in 2004 the sudden change of actor was extremely clear as he looks a lot older than the previous actor Joseph Shade.
- Ironically, less than a year after being bullied by Darren and Demi Miller, Darren and Peter are close friends and Lucy and Demi have been shown walking to school together and talking happily. No storyline explaining this change in circumstance has been shown.
- Since Lucy and Peter were replaced with new actors in 2004, half brother Bobby has rarely been shown with them. The whole family (Ian, Jane, Peter, Lucy and Bobby) have never been in the same scene together.
- Cindy is kidnapping Steven and Peter : Mummy, where are we going?'''Cindy''': We're going on a little adventure.'''Peter''': Are we going to see daddy?'''Cindy''': No, darling. Daddy's not going to be coming with us. It'll be just us. Just us together at last.
- : Are we poor?'''Peter''': Don't worry I've got money in my piggy bank.
- : You're horrible.'''Lucy''': It's not my fault I don't like Jane.: Give her a chance, Lucy. Just give her a chance.
- Father: '' Ian Beale ''
- Mother: ''Cindy Beale'' (deceased)
- Paternal grandparents: '' Pete Beale '' (deceased), '' Kathy Hills ''
- Maternal grandmother: ''Bev Williams''
- Sister: '' Lucy Beale ''
- Half-brothers: '' Steven Beale '', '' Bobby Beale ''
- Half-sister: '' Cindy Williams ''
- Uncles: '' Ben Mitchell '', '' David Wicks '', ''Brad Williams''
- Aunts: ''Donna Ludlow'' (deceased), ''Gina Williams''
- Great uncles: ''Kenny Beale'', ''Ronnie Beale'' (deceased)
- Great aunts: ''Maureen Beale'' (deceased), ''Maggie Flaherty'', '' Pauline Fowler ''
- Great grandparents: '' Lou Beale '' (deceased), ''Albert Beale'' (deceased)
- Cousins: ''Joe Wicks'', ''Karen Wicks'' (deceased), '' Bianca Jackson ''
- First cousins once removed: '' Mark Fowler '' (deceased), ''Michelle Fowler'', '' Martin Fowler '', ''Elizabeth Beale'', ''Conor Flaherty'', ''Liam Butcher'', '' Simon Wicks ''
- Second cousins: '' Vicki Fowler '', ''Mark Fowler Jnr.'', '' Rebecca Miller '', ''Mary Flaherty'', ''Steven Beale''
