EastEnders: Peter Beale returns to Walford with yet ANOTHER new face
He's overtaken Ben Mitchell!
Soap fans are used to seeing former characters return with new faces - i.e the previous actor didn't want to return to the role but an upcoming storyline required the character to come back.
Sometimes, there are more than a couple of iterations of one particular character, and it becomes a bit of a running joke among soap fans - Ben Mitchell, we're looking at you. But as EastEnders prepare to bring back Peter Beale, he's now been played by more actors than Ben!
Yep, Peter will be returning to the Square after Ben Hardy left the role in 2015 - this time played by Dayle Hudson. The last time we saw the character, he'd discovered that his younger half-brother Bobby had accidentally murdered his twin sister, Lucy, and he fled to join his other half-brother Steven in New Zealand with then-fiancée Lauren Branning.
EastEnders will be Dayle's first TV appearance, and he said of the role, "I am really grateful and excited to have the opportunity to work on such an institution of British television, alongside some incredible actors. Peter has been away for some time so I can’t wait to find out what he’s been up to and I’m very excited to see what the future holds for him."
Executive Producer Jon Sen added, "As soon as I met Dayle, I knew he’d be the one to bring Peter Beale back to Walford. Peter’s a young man with a big heart but a bruised soul and Dayle’s a talented actor who captures his complexity perfectly. I welcome him to the company and can’t wait to start working with him."
Scroll through to see when your favourite soaps will be airing over Christmas...
When is Coronation Street on at Christmas?
Coronation Street has some incredible storylines coming up over the festive period. Here's when Coronation Street will air over Christmas:
Monday 23rd December: 8pm (60 minute episode)
Tuesday 24th December (Christmas Eve): 8.45pm (60 minute episode)
Wednesday 25th December (Christmas Day): 7pm (60 minute episode)
Thursday 26th December (Boxing Day): no episode
Friday 27th December: 8pm (60 minute episode)
Monday 30th December: 8pm (60 minute episode)
Tuesday 31st December (New Year's Eve): 8.15pm (30 minute episode)
Wednesday 1st January (New Year's Day): 7pm (60 minute episode)
Tuesday 2nd January: no episode
Wednesday 3rd January: 8pm (60 minute episode)
When is EastEnders on at Christmas?
We can't wait to see what's going to be happening in Walford over the festive period. Here's when EastEnders will air over Christmas:
Monday 23rd December: 7.30pm (30 minute episode)
Tuesday 24th December (Christmas Eve): 7.45pm (30 minute episode)
Wednesday 25th December (Christmas Day): 7.30pm (30 minute episode) and 10.35pm (30 minute episode)
Thursday 26th December (Boxing Day): 8.30pm (30 minute episode)
Friday 27th December: no episode
Monday 30th December: 7.30pm (30 minute episode)
Tuesday 31st December (New Year's Eve): 7.30pm (30 minute episode)
Wednesday 1st January (New Year's Day): 10pm (30 minute episode)
Thursday 2nd January: 7.30pm (30 minute episode)
Friday 3rd January: no episode
Thursday 4th January: 7.30pm (30 minute episode)
Friday 5th January: No episode
When is Emmerdale on at Christmas?
Looks like things are hotting up in the Dales over the festive period! Here's when Emmerdale will air over Christmas:
Monday 23rd December: 7.30pm (30 minute episode)
Tuesday 24th December (Christmas Eve): 7pm (30 minute episode)
Wednesday 25th December (Christmas Day): 6.30pm (30 minute episode)
Thursday 26th December (Boxing Day): 6.30pm (60 minute episode)
Friday 27th December: 7.30pm (30 minute episode)
Monday 30th Monday: 7.30pm (30 minute episode)
Tuesday 31st Tuesday (New Year's Eve): 7.45pm (30 minute episode)
Wednesday 1st January (New Year's Day): 6.30pm (30 episode)
Thursday 2nd January: 7pm (60 minute episode)
Friday 3rd January: 7.30pm (30 minute episode)
When is Hollyoaks on at Christmas?
The residents of Chester are set for a pretty dramatic time over the festive period! Here's when Hollyoaks will air over Christmas:
Monday 23rd December: 7pm (30 minute episode)
Tuesday 24th December (Christmas Eve): 7pm and 7.30pm (double bill, 2x 30 minute episodes)
Wednesday 25th December (Christmas Day): No episode
Monday 30th December: 7pm (30 minute episode)
Tuesday 31st December (New Year's Eve): 7pm (30 minute episode)
Wednesday 1st January (New Year's Day): 7pm (30 minute episode)
Dayle will be the seventh actor to play Peter; the role was originated by child actor Francis Brittin-Snell after the character was born on the show, staying in the role for three years before being taken over by Alex Stevens for one year.
After two more actors, Thomas Law took over the role in 2006 until 2010, and Ben Hardy played Peter from 2013 to 2015.
EastEnders airs on Mondays and Fridays at 8pm, and Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One.