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EastEnders star Adam Woodyatt has split from his wife Beverley Sharp, a spokesperson for the soap has confirmed.
The actor, who plays Ian Beale, married dancer Beverley at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida back in 1998.
The couple have two children together, 27-year-old Jessica and 23-year-old Samuel.
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A spokesperson for the BBC soap has confirmed that Adam and Beverley separated last year.
“Beverley and Adam separated in August 2019 and we ask that the family’s privacy is respected,” the statement read.
The news of their separation comes after it was reported Adam would be “written out of the soap” when it returns from its break.
EastEnders is off air until 7 September after filming was suspended due to coronavirus.
Adam, who is EastEnders’ longest-running cast member, having played Ian Beale since 1985, is set to be at the centre of an “explosive twist” that will lead to him not appearing on-screen for up to 10 weeks.
“Writers are staying tight-lipped about what happens, so it’s not known yet what the future will hold for the character,” a source told the Daily Star.
While the reason for the character’s break has not been revealed, it is expected to be related to Ian’s involvement in the death of Dennis – the son of Sharon (Letitia Dean).
Earlier this year, Adam revealed that he has been bombarded with memes of his character’s famous crying scene every single day since the clip aired in 2014.
“I must get sent that clip three times a day if not more,” he told Stacey Dooley in an episode of Secrets from the Square.
“That gets so taken out of context now, it gets used for everything, for ‘I’ve run out of toilet paper.’”