Adam Woodyatt's Ian Beale role 'not easy' for his kids

Adam Woodyatt says playing Ian Beale in ‘EastEnders’ "can't have been easy" for his kids.

The 54-year-old actor admitted his two children - son Sam, 25, and daughter Jessie, 29, who he shares with his ex wife Beverley Sharp - “must have gotten some stick” during their school days amid his 36 years of playing the Albert Square businessman.

He is quoted by the Daily Star newspaper as saying: “You would have to ask them how going through school with Ian Beale as their father was. It can’t have been easy for them.

“I did actually apologise for them once when I picked up an award. They must have gotten some stick at school.”

Adam - who last appeared on the BBC One soap in 2021 - has been working hard on new projects like starring in the West End musical ‘My Fair Lady’.

However, Adam - who first starred in 'EastEnders' in 1986 - had a kind word to say about a recent flashback episode that took viewers back to the 70s.

Of the episode that gave a bit of a backstory to the Mitchell family and featured Jaime Winstone as Peggy Mitchell - the character made famous by Dame Barbara Windsor - Adam said: “I thought it was very clever. Hats off to the team.”

Last November, Adam shocked his family - along with the rest of the nation - when he joined ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ as a latecomer alongside 'Coronation Street' star Simon Gregson.

He said at the time: “I didn’t want to spoil the surprise and so I have been keeping very quiet about it."