‘Ian looks like a Borrower!’ EastEnders fans are left baffled as Peter Beale returns SEVEN INCHES taller… after role was recast for the seventh time
- Fans took to Twitter to joke that Peter ‘resembled Peter Crouch’ due to his drastic change in height
- The role has been recast for the seventh time with actor Dayle Hudson, as Peter returned to Walford during its 35th Anniversary Week
- Ben Hardy who played Peter from 2013 to 2015 was a whole seven inches shorter than Dayle, who first appeared in the soap last week
- Ben quit EastEnders to pursue a Hollywood acting career, and has since appeared in X-Men Apocalypse and Bohemian Rhapsody
He made a dramatic return to the soap last week following news of his brother Bobby’s attack.
But EastEnders fans were noticeably distracted during Peter Beale’s return, as they noted he seemed to have grown seven whole inches during his time away from Walford.
Many viewers took to Twitter to poke fun at the hilarious transformation, after the character was recast for the seventh time with newcomer Dayle Hudson.
Wow he’s grown! EastEnders fans were noticeably distracted during Peter Beale’s return to the soap, as they noted he seemed to have grown seven inches
Peter’s first scenes aired on Friday when he was reunited with his grandmother Kathy Beale, following the news that Bobby had been hospitalised after being attacked by Islamaphobic thugs.
During his first scenes, it was clear that he now towered over both his nan, and his dad Ian Beale, who he attempted to comfort in later episodes following the death of Sharon Mitchell’s son Dennis.
Ben Hardy – who played Peter from 2013 to 2015 – is only 5ft 8 inches tall, while newcomer Dayle is a towering 6ft 3 inches.
Not so tall: The previous incarnation of the character, played by Ben Hardy, was a mere 5ft 8 inches tall (pictured with the Beale family)
Throwback: Ben Hardy – who played Peter from 2013 to 2015 – is only 5ft 8 inches tall, while newcomer Dayle is a towering 6ft 3 inches (right)
The drastic change did not go unnoticed by soap fans, who rushed to Twitter to question Peter’s drastic transformation.
One posted: ‘So Peter Beale is back and now he’s 9 feet tall,’ while another wrote: ‘Ben’s storyline is heartbreaking, but come on Peter Beale is nearly 7ft tall.’
A third wrote: ‘Why is the new Peter Beale like 20ft tall? Iain looks like a borrower.’
A fourth added: ‘Oh a little sidenote but, how tall is new Peter Beale?!’
One viewer tweeted: ‘I still can’t get over how tall new Peter Beale is, they did not think scene framing through when they cast him.’
‘Why is Peter Beale so tall?’ another fan tweeted.
Dayle is the seventh actor to take over the role of Peter Beale after actor Ben Hardy decided to quit the soap in 2015 to pursue a career in Hollywood.
Bizarre: As they soaked up Peter’s surprise transformation, many soap fans took to Twitter to poke fun at his drastic change in height
Prior to Ben’s stint as Peter, the part was previously played by Thomas Law for four years between 2006 and 2010 before he moved to Devon with Lucy to live with their grandmother.
Before his time on the show the role was given to James Martin, however he quit the BBC soap after just two years as Peter.
The second actor to play Peter was Joseph Shade who took on the role for six years between 1998 and 2004, and before him was Alex Stevens for just one year.
Old face: Prior to Ben’s stint as Peter, the part was previously played by Thomas Law (pictured) for four years between 2006 and 2010
Peter’s former face: Before his time on the show the role was given to James Martin, however he quit the BBC soap after just two years as Peter
Younger days: Joseph Shade took on the role of Peter for six years between 1998 and 2004
Joseph previously admitted carrying out a string of sexual offences against three underage girls in 2017 but was spared jail during a court hearing.
Joseph confessed to a string of offences against girls aged between 14 and 17, committed while he was working in Norfolk.
As a baby and a toddler, Peter was first played by Francis Brittin-Snell from 1993 to 1996.
Peter’s return to the soap has been shrouded in secrecy, though showrunner Jon Sen has hinted that he will coming back to ‘exorcise some demons.’
He departed the Square five years ago for a new life in New Zealand, after struggling to come to terms with the death of his twin sister Lucy, who was killed by their half-brother Bobby.
Cute: The second actor to take on the role of Peter Beale was Alex Stevens for just one year from 1997 to 1998. As a baby and toddler Peter was played by Francis Brittin-Snell