Ian Beale may never return to EastEnders, warns Adam Woodyatt

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Adam Woodyatt has warned EastEnders fans that his character Ian Beale may never return to the soap.

The actor, 53, is the BBC show’s longest serving cast member, having joined it in 1985.

He is currently on a 10-month sabbatical from the show and has been touring around the UK in his motorhome while also starring in the play Looking Good Dead.

“I won’t be going back until this time next year at the absolute earliest,” he told Metro. “I’m committed to touring with Looking Good Dead until the end of October. I’m then going to America because my daughter is getting married.

“Then hopefully we’re going to pick the tour up and do some of the venues that were originally planned but that we hadn’t managed to get to. That’s likely to be January to April. And EastEnders might not want me back!”

Woodyatt’s character Beale has become synonymous with his famous “I’ve got nothing left” scene from 2014, which saw him crying in Phil Mitchell’s (Steve McFadden) arms after he found out his daughter had been murdered.

The actor revealed last year that he is sent memes of the crying scene every single day.