Ian Beale is the longest-running character in the soap opera EastEnders. He was born in 1969 to parents Pete and Kathy Beale. Ian has been married four times, first to Cindy who hired a hitman to kill him, then to Melanie and Laura who both left him, and currently to Jane. He has two children, Peter and Lucy, and adopted son Bobby. Ian's arch-enemy is Phil Mitchell, who has assaulted Ian many times over the years. He owns local businesses in Walford and is often stressed over work.