Steven Beale
Encyclopedia
Steven Peter Beale is a fictional character
from the BBC
soap opera
EastEnders
, played by Edward Farrell from 1989 to 1990, Stuart Stevens from 1992 to 1996, Edward Savage from 1997 to 2002, and Aaron Sidwell
from 2007 to 2008. It was announced on 22 February 2008 that the character would be written out at the end of Sidwell's contract, and he made his last on-screen appearance on 9 May 2008.
and Simon Wicks
. At the time, Cindy was married to Ian Beale
and she convinced him that he was Steven's father. Cindy told Ian the truth when she and Simon reconciled. They left Walford with Steven in December 1990; however, Ian and Cindy reconciled in 1992, and Ian raised Steven as his son. Cindy and Ian later had twins, Peter
and Lucy
. Steven loved his half-siblings and was particularly close to Lucy.
Unhappy in her marriage, Cindy hired a hitman to kill Ian in 1996, and when this failed, she snatched Steven and Peter and fled to Italy
. Nearly a year later, Ian tracked her and the boys down and kidnapped them back. Cindy fought for custody and won, but on the day she reclaimed the children, she was arrested when the hitman confessed to the attempted murder of Ian. She died in childbirth in prison. Steven alone attended her funeral.
Steven then grew up with various different stepmothers, and though he grew close to them all, he felt abandoned when they left. When Ian prepared to marry Laura Dunn
, Steven was anxious that they too would end up splitting; his fears were realised when he caught Ian kissing prostitute Janine Butcher
in 2002. From being a quiet, sensitive boy, Steven started rebelling and skipping school. When Laura found out, she confronted Steven, who revealed that Ian had kissed Janine. The subsequent rows had a negative effect on Steven; he became angry with the world and started writing poison pen letters to people. Ian eventually found out and confronted Steven. Following an argument, Steven went to his room and overheard Ian calling him "Cindy's little brat!"; Ian was forced to tell Steven that he was not his natural father. Distressed and angry, Steven decided to leave Walford to meet Simon, who lived in New Zealand
.
In September 2007, Steven returned to England and began stalking Ian, pretending to be Ian's late wife, Cindy. He lured Ian to an empty block of flats, and took him hostage. Arriving back in Walford, he spent time reminiscing with Peter and Lucy, though Jane was initially wary of him, especially when he attempted to kiss her. When Steven's grandmother Pat
told him that Ian always considered Steven his first born, blood related or not, Steven started to regret what he had done. Wanting to confide in his sister, Steven took Lucy to the flat where Ian was being held. Horrified, Lucy escaped and contacted Jane, while Ian confronted Steven about the reasons for his actions. Steven told Ian that he blamed him for his mother's imprisonment and death. He was angry that Ian had not retrieved him from New Zealand; living with his biological father had not been a happy experience, and he had ended up feeling rejected and in the way.
Steven then tried to commit suicide with the gun Lucy gave him to dispose of. Ian, Jane and Lucy tried to stop him, a struggle ensued, and Jane was accidentally shot in the stomach; as a result, she was unable to have children. Ian admitted Steven to a psychiatric hospital
. When released, Steven went off his medication. He tried to apologise to Jane and Ian, but found them hostile. Hoping he would leave Walford, Ian humiliated and rejected Steven several times. Once again depressed, Steven tried to commit suicide by dousing himself in petrol; however, Stacey Slater
stopped him from setting fire to himself. When Ian discovered what Steven had been planning to do, he reconciled with him. Displeased, Jane fought against Steven being part of her family, but eventually relented and in January 2008, she agreed to let Steven move into the Beales' home; however, she made it clear that she was waiting for him to mess up so he would be gone from her life for good.
Steven and Stacey grew closer in early 2008, as he supported her through the breakdown of her marriage. Steven was attracted to Stacey. She initially rejected his advances, but eventually agreed to date him. Their relationship progressed, until Steven decided that he was ready to lose his virginity, but their attempt at consummation ended in disaster when Steven could not perform sexually. Embarrassed, Steven pretended that he had lost his virginity; however, Christian realised he was lying and publicly announced it, leaving Steven humiliated. Steven confronted Christian and, after releasing his pent-up anger and fustration, he spontaneously kissed Christian. Realising Steven was gay, Christian tried to make Steven face up to his sexuality. Steven maintained that he was heterosexual, and successfully slept with Stacey, but their relationship soon ended when Christian told Stacey that Steven had kissed him.
Distraught, Steven propositioned Christian, but was rejected. In revenge, Steven told Ian that Christian had tried to seduce him. Ian was furious until Jane discovered the truth, leading Steven to confess that he was gay. Steven was grateful when Ian proved supportive, as his biological father had not been. Ian was full of praise for Steven; however, he did not realise that Steven had been hiding his runaway daughter, Lucy. Steven did not want to share Ian's attention, so he made plans for Lucy to flee to France; however, Pat discovered his plan and was hit by a car as she was trying to apprehend him. Pat was hospitalised, and in order to stop her from telling Ian about Lucy, Steven tried to smother her with a pillow. Pat woke up, but Steven continued in his murder attempt until Ian interrupted him. When Pat told Ian about Lucy, Steven tried to deny it, but Ian saw through his lies. He traced Steven to St Pancras railway station
, and discovered him with Lucy. Steven had booked her a ticket on the Eurostar
, but Ian persuaded her not to go and Steven fled. Later, back in Walford, Ian spotted Steven spying on Lucy. Ian confronted him, admitting that he was glad that Steven was not his biological son; he told him that if he ever returned to Albert Square, he would kill him. Devastated, Steven headed to the tube station and left Walford.
(played by Michelle Collins
), Simon Wicks
(played by Nick Berry
) and Ian Beale
(played by Adam Woodyatt
). Steven was the result of a one-night stand
(in the bar of The Queen Victoria
public house
) between Cindy and Simon, occurring while Cindy was engaged to Ian Beale in May 1989. Viewers knew that Cindy was carrying Simon's child; however, between characters in the serial, Steven’s true paternity was kept secret, with only Cindy, Simon, and later Simon’s mother Pat Butcher
knowing the truth, though neither Simon or Pat would believe Cindy’s claim initially. Simon’s rejection of Cindy and her unborn child facilitated a plot twist that saw Cindy pretend that the child was Ian’s.
The character’s birth occurred in an episode that aired on 28 December 1989, although in the on-screen events, he was born on Boxing Day
. In the storyline, Steven was born two months prematurely, and was therefore supposed to be small; however, the baby who originally played Steven, Edward Farrell, was actually large for his age, and was nicknamed "Chunky" by actor Adam Woodyatt. According to former EastEnders writer, David Yallop
, it had been agreed in September 1989, that Steven Beale would be killed off in the serial. This was part of producer Mike Gibbon
's plan to increase the ratings by culling a large number of the soap's long-running cast. Yallop said, "We had to reach a decision with the illegitimate child who was in the process of being born as a result of an earlier storyline. We wanted to know what to do with it. Either the child would be allowed to live or it would die. They decided to make the child 'seriously ill', but the reprieve was temporary. In episode 606 I resolved the problem." He claimed that on his draft of the storyline he wrote the words "Baby die". The plot never came to fruition, as Gibbon was abruptly replaced as the soap's boss and Yallop's plots were scrapped.
According to the EastEnders Handbook
by Hilary Kingsley, casting babies for roles in EastEnders is usually done locally, so that children and their parents do not have to travel far when they are called into the studios at BBC Elstree. Because of the strict laws dictating the number of hours babies are permitted to work, occasionally dolls or understudies have to be used if the child runs out of time. This occurred with Steven’s original actor, Edward Farrell, in 1990. The baby had been scripted to appear at a Guy Fawkes Night
party; however, actress Michelle Collins, who played his screen mother Cindy, has since revealed that they used another baby for those scenes: "Not only was she a girl, she also had bright red hair whereas Edward was fair. I had to keep pushing her hair back under her hat but lots of [viewers] still spotted it". Young Farrell was also the reason viewers never saw Cindy wearing her red wedding dress on-screen again following its next outing at Steven’s christening in February 1990. It was a dress that Michelle Collins particularly disliked. She has commented, "When Edward was sick over it, I knew it wouldn’t recover and I kissed him for it."
Before his first screen birthday, Steven was central to storylines surrounding his parents and stepfather Ian, including a special week of off-set episodes filmed in Devon, where Ian discovered that his best friend Simon was Steven’s real father and that he had reunited with Cindy. The love triangle between Simon, Cindy and Ian, and the events surrounding Steven’s paternity dominated the soap during 1990; it has been described by writer Colin Brake
as the year’s "big story". Steven was written out of the serial after actors Nick Berry and Michelle Collins decided to leave the show. His exit aired on 27 December 1990, though in the on-screen events it was Boxing Day, Steven’s first birthday. In 1992, Michelle Collins reprised her role of Cindy, and Steven was also reintroduced, played by a different actor, Stuart Stevens. On-screen, Simon abandoned Cindy and Steven. Ian traced them to a bedsit and brought them back to Walford, where Steven was brought up as Ian’s real son. Steven was written out once again in 1996, when Collins quit for a second time. In the on-screen events, Cindy absconded with Steven and his brother Peter
following Cindy’s failed attempt to have Ian assassinated. Upon his return in 1997 – where Ian once again regained custody – Steven’s role was recast to another actor, Edward Savage. As the character aged, his actor was given a more substantial role in the serial, Steven remaining with Ian following the death of his mother, who died in prison during child birth. Savage remained in the role until 2002, when he opted to leave. On-screen, Steven discovered that Ian had been lying about his paternity. He began rebelling, and was found to be the author of several mysterious poison pen letters. When he was caught, he demanded to travel to New Zealand, so he could meet his real father, Simon Wicks. A BBC source commented to the Daily Star, "Regular viewers will know Steven is a deeply troubled boy. But his unmasking as the poison pen author is going to shock everyone on the Square. The lad is almost inviting punishment. It's as if he wants Ian and [his stepmother] Laura
to wash their hands of him. Could Steven be a new Nick Cotton
in the making?"
speculated that EastEnders bosses were hoping to cast an Australian actor to play Steven, to signify that he had been in New Zealand. It was claimed that actors from Australia’s long-running soaps, Neighbours
or Home And Away
, were being considered. The rumours turned out to be false, and a subsequent rumour in January 2007 predicting that Footballers' Wives
actor Craig Gallivan
was to play the role, was also quashed.
The character was eventually to make his return in September 2007, reintroduced by executive producer Diederick Santer
as part of a storyline that saw Ian being stalked and terrorised by a mystery person, claiming to be his deceased ex-wife Cindy. After weeks of watching Ian tormented, viewers saw Ian lured to the top of a deserted block of flats, where Ian came face to face with his harasser, Steven. For several weeks, Ian was kept locked up in the derelict flat, while Steven returned to Albert Square to bond with his brother and sister, Peter and Lucy. Aaron Sidwell
was cast in the role of Steven, making him the fourth actor to play him. It was Sidwell's first television role, and he has described it as "a bit daunting...but everyone was really welcoming...the first few directors I worked with were fantastic...After we did rehearsal, after we did a take, they'd always give me feedback...I needed it." He added, "I have been so lucky. Not many people get the chance to work on such a huge show, and my entrance was pretty impressive. I still wake up and think: 'Oh my God, I'm in EastEnders.' It's brilliant." Describing the motives behind Steven's actions, Sidwell said "[Steven] was raised for 13 years thinking he was Ian's son...but he wasn't...He sees Ian as the cause of Cindy's death, because Cindy died in prison, and she went to prison because Ian put her there...so that's how he kind of sees that it's Ian's fault...very narrow-minded... Steven is..a messed up kid and when I first got the part I was given a catchphrase that describes him as a person...'look at me'...he wants to be in the limelight 100%...he wants people to be thinking about him [all the time]...that's why he got angry with Ian because Ian wasn't thinking about him... he's the most important person in the world."
The storyline eventually reached its climax in October 2007. Steven's games were uncovered, and during the confrontation that followed, Steven threatened to kill himself, but accidentally shot Ian's wife Jane (Laurie Brett
) and a resulting emergency hysterectomy meant that Jane could no longer have children of her own. The storyline has been described by The Guardian
journalist, Stephen Armstrong, as having "a whiff of Brontë
about it", which producer Diederick Santer agreed with. Santer added, "It's a classic madwoman in the attic story, but I hate those articles where someone who works in popular television says what they do is like Dickens
. It's about the balance. That story works because it has an old character whom the audience love - Ian Beale - as well as new characters who have an appeal for teenagers fresh to the show. Soap audiences like continuity. They dip in and out and if they haven't watched for a few weeks, then tune in to find no one they recognise, it can be disconcerting."
Mentally ill, Steven was admitted to a psychiatric hospital by Ian. Sidwell has commented on Steven's mental instability: "He's so unpredictable...you never know what he's going to do next...He'll be normal one minute and he'll be crazy the next. He's kind of the Donnie Darko of EastEnders...that's the kind of person I styled him after...[he is] a similar character...He is always going to be a bit unstable and there will always be danger. I don't think even he knows what he's going to do next – but he's deadly, so don't let the nice guy act fool you."
Steven returned to the serial as a regular character following his release from hospital. Subsequent plots saw him unsuccessfully attempting to make amends with Ian and Jane for his past wrongdoing. The character also formed a friendship with Stacey Slater
(played by Lacey Turner
), who stopped him from committing suicide in December 2007. In the on-screen events, Steven – infuriated by Ian's rejection – soaked himself with petrol and threatened to light himself on fire. Aaron Sidwell explained, "He is deeply depressed about the way Ian has been treating him since he returned to the Square...Steven just wants to end it all! Stacey is incredibly scared by what’s going on. He tells her to go away, but Stacey is determined to get him out of The Arches and stop him doing something very stupid...What he is doing is a cry for help." In the end, Stacey managed to persuade him not to go through with suicide by showing him that friends can be just as important as family. Despite hostilities from Jane, Steven gradually regained Ian's trust, and in episodes that aired over the Christmas period of 2007, Ian welcomed Steven back into his home as part of the Beale family.
The build up to Steven's exit involved in a bisexual love triangle
storyline between him, Stacey and Christian Clarke
(John Partridge
), who is the gay
brother of Jane. On-screen, Steven and Stacey's friendship progressed into something more serious in March 2008, when they shared a kiss. Steven later decided he was ready to lose his virginity to Stacey, and took Ian's advice "to try to name the England football team and substitutes as a technique for pacing himself," which Sidwell has described as, "a really funny scene to film [...] my favourite comedy moment since joining the show." Speaking of the character's impending exit, he added: "Steven loves Stacey as a friend, and would do anything for her. He misreads loving someone as being 'in love', though. Things aren't right between them, and he can't put his finger on the reason why. That's what's going to lead him to question his sexuality..." On-screen, Steven was unable to consummate his love for Stacey, and after an emotional rant, he kissed Christian. The filming of the storyline posed difficulties for Aaron Sidwell; in an interview with the Daily Star he explained, "[Lacey Turner's] a really good friend of mine, so kissing her was weird, but we just got on with it! But I found it really challenging to kiss [John Partridge] because I'm not gay [...] I saw the conflict teenagers go through when they're struggling to come to terms with their sexuality. [The gay Kiss] is a cracking scene and I'm really pleased with it." The storyline progressed with Steven denying his homosexual tendencies, leading Christian to continuously try and "out
" him. John Partridge, has commented, "Christian knew Steven was gay from the outset. He noticed Steven had tendencies that he himself had as a young man – and his gaydar is very good [...] Christian didn't ask to be kissed by Steven but now that it's happened he wants the boy to admit that he's gay. He basically wants to help him. Steven doesn't want to be gay and Christian knows how he feels. Coming out is hard for any young man [...] Christian's worried that Stacey is going to get hurt. He knows that when you're gay, you're gay. That's it. There's nothing you can do about it and if you try to hide it, people get hurt." After the truth was revealed to Stacey, Steven falsely claimed to Ian that Christian had attempted to seduce him – a means of revenge for Christian's rejection. The following episode, Christian was banished from the Beales lives by Ian, although the truth eventually came out and Ian, despite initial concerns, was shown to be supportive of Steven's sexuality. The plot has been described as "controversial" and gay actor John Partridge has confessed that he had worries about it initially: "A gay man having any sort of relationship with an 18-year-old boy is a bit contentious. However, I think it has been handled really well."
A final twist in Steven's story was his involvement in a seemingly unrelated plotline that had been running simultaneously to Steven's personal dilemma, the disappearance of his half sister Lucy (Melissa Suffield
). In episodes that aired in May 2008, it was revealed that Steven had been hiding his runaway sister in a caravan, poisoning her mind against Ian and persuading her to flee the country. Explaining his character's motives, Sidwell said, "It’s all about Ian again. Steven wants all Ian’s love and attention and he feels Lucy is getting in the way. She’s the one who gets most of Ian’s time and energy and he thinks getting her out of the picture will leave Ian all for him [...] He’s been brainwashing her into thinking Ian doesn’t care if she never goes home again [...] His real plan is to keep her out of Ian’s life for good [...] He craves Ian’s full attention and is willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen. He doesn’t exactly plan to be evil but he is dangerous." In the end Steven's plan was discovered by his grandmother Pat, leading Steven to attempt to suffocate her to death before she revealed the truth to Ian. An EastEnders source told Digital Spy: "Steven hits rock bottom when Pat finds out that he's been hiding Lucy for all these weeks while his family have been frantically searching for her [...] when Pat realises that Steven knows where Lucy is, he takes drastic steps to prevent his beloved nan from revealing all to Ian. He goes from confused to psycho in a matter of minutes, grabbing a pillow and pushing it onto her face." Sidwell added, "Steven is deadly! He is willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants including murder." The murder attempt was stopped by Ian, and after discovering the truth from Pat, Ian chased Steven to London's St. Pancras Station (where he was intending to put Lucy on the Eurostar
to Paris
) and convinced Lucy to return home. Sidwell commented, "Steven is such a good manipulator he thinks Lucy will side with him. He’s shocked when she doesn’t and when she agrees to go home with Ian." In Steven's final scenes, Ian rejects Steven as his son once again, telling him "I never give up on my family. But you're not my family, are you?You're your mother's son and you're Simon's son, and that really used to hurt. Now I thank God I never produced anything as sick and twisted as you." Steven then departed from Walford after Ian vowed to kill him if he ever saw him again.
Sidwell made his last appearance on-screen as Steven on 9 May 2008, and he has since revealed that producers made the right decision in axing his character as his story arc had run its course: "They really did try to keep Steven in. The problem is EastEnders is a realistic show, so with Steven being a larger-than-life character it was always going to be hard having him doing the same crazy things day in, day out. I wasn't expecting to stay on the Square forever. It was my first big job out of drama college and I couldn't have asked for a better start in the industry. I've had a great time and the character isn't being killed off, so who knows what might happen a few years down the line. There's always the possibility I might be asked back one day".
], no psycho kid has inflicted so much damage on his own family as deranged freak Steven Beale." He described Steven's exit storyline as sinister, exciting and compelling drama, adding that it was "sometimes hilarious and never less than thrilling".
Discussing the character's mental problems and his sexuality, Gareth McLean of The Guardian
expressed "concern" that "in EastEnders, being a gay is akin to being mentally unbalanced. Were Steven Beale's behaviour up until now not a cause for concern - kidnapping Ian, shooting Jane, spiriting Lucy away to a caravan to play with her mind - wait until he attempts to murder his granny. Homosexuality = mental illness..." Virgin Media
included Steven in a list of villains in British soap operas, calling him "a wrong 'un through and through."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, played by Edward Farrell from 1989 to 1990, Stuart Stevens from 1992 to 1996, Edward Savage from 1997 to 2002, and Aaron Sidwell
Aaron Sidwell
Aaron Michael Sidwell is a British actor and singer . He is known for playing Steven Beale in the British soap opera EastEnders, a role he played from September 2007 to May 2008...
from 2007 to 2008. It was announced on 22 February 2008 that the character would be written out at the end of Sidwell's contract, and he made his last on-screen appearance on 9 May 2008.
Storylines
Steven was born on 26 December 1989 to Cindy BealeCindy Beale
Cindy Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michelle Collins.Cindy always had an eye for the lotharios of Walford and despite trying to settle down repeatedly with the more reliable Ian Beale, she was unable to remain faithful to him. She had a selfish...
and Simon Wicks
Simon Wicks
Simon "Wicksy" Wicks is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nick Berry between 1985 and 1990. Wicksy was introduced to take on some of the more adult storylines that had been scripted for another character, Mark Fowler; Mark's actor David Scarboro had left...
. At the time, Cindy was married to Ian Beale
Ian Beale
Ian Albert Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the longest-serving character and the only remaining original character to have appeared continuously since the first episode on 19 February 1985...
and she convinced him that he was Steven's father. Cindy told Ian the truth when she and Simon reconciled. They left Walford with Steven in December 1990; however, Ian and Cindy reconciled in 1992, and Ian raised Steven as his son. Cindy and Ian later had twins, Peter
Peter Beale
Peter Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. He was played by Thomas Law from 2006 until 2010. The character has previously been portrayed by James Martin, Joseph Shade, Alex Stevens and Francis Brittin-Snell. Law took over the role on 31 August 2006...
and Lucy
Lucy Beale
Lucy Katherine Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Eva Brittin-Snell from 1993 to 1996, Casey Anne Rothery from 1996 until 2004, Melissa Suffield from 2004 to 2010 and Hetti Bywater from 2012 onwards. Lucy was introduced in December 1993 as the newborn baby...
. Steven loved his half-siblings and was particularly close to Lucy.
Unhappy in her marriage, Cindy hired a hitman to kill Ian in 1996, and when this failed, she snatched Steven and Peter and fled to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Nearly a year later, Ian tracked her and the boys down and kidnapped them back. Cindy fought for custody and won, but on the day she reclaimed the children, she was arrested when the hitman confessed to the attempted murder of Ian. She died in childbirth in prison. Steven alone attended her funeral.
Steven then grew up with various different stepmothers, and though he grew close to them all, he felt abandoned when they left. When Ian prepared to marry Laura Dunn
Laura Beale
Laura Ellen Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Hannah Waterman.Laura only ever wanted a happy marriage, but was always made to feel inferior and unattractive by her husband, Ian Beale...
, Steven was anxious that they too would end up splitting; his fears were realised when he caught Ian kissing prostitute Janine Butcher
Janine Evans
Janine Butcher is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders, currently portrayed by Charlie Brooks. Rebecca Michael originally portrayed the character from 1989 until 1993, when the role was given to Alexia Demetriou for three years. Brooks took on the role in 1999...
in 2002. From being a quiet, sensitive boy, Steven started rebelling and skipping school. When Laura found out, she confronted Steven, who revealed that Ian had kissed Janine. The subsequent rows had a negative effect on Steven; he became angry with the world and started writing poison pen letters to people. Ian eventually found out and confronted Steven. Following an argument, Steven went to his room and overheard Ian calling him "Cindy's little brat!"; Ian was forced to tell Steven that he was not his natural father. Distressed and angry, Steven decided to leave Walford to meet Simon, who lived in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
In September 2007, Steven returned to England and began stalking Ian, pretending to be Ian's late wife, Cindy. He lured Ian to an empty block of flats, and took him hostage. Arriving back in Walford, he spent time reminiscing with Peter and Lucy, though Jane was initially wary of him, especially when he attempted to kiss her. When Steven's grandmother Pat
Pat Evans
Patricia Louise "Pat" Evans is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She has been played by Pam St. Clement since 12 June 1986, just over a year after the show first aired...
told him that Ian always considered Steven his first born, blood related or not, Steven started to regret what he had done. Wanting to confide in his sister, Steven took Lucy to the flat where Ian was being held. Horrified, Lucy escaped and contacted Jane, while Ian confronted Steven about the reasons for his actions. Steven told Ian that he blamed him for his mother's imprisonment and death. He was angry that Ian had not retrieved him from New Zealand; living with his biological father had not been a happy experience, and he had ended up feeling rejected and in the way.
Steven then tried to commit suicide with the gun Lucy gave him to dispose of. Ian, Jane and Lucy tried to stop him, a struggle ensued, and Jane was accidentally shot in the stomach; as a result, she was unable to have children. Ian admitted Steven to a psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
. When released, Steven went off his medication. He tried to apologise to Jane and Ian, but found them hostile. Hoping he would leave Walford, Ian humiliated and rejected Steven several times. Once again depressed, Steven tried to commit suicide by dousing himself in petrol; however, Stacey Slater
Stacey Slater
Stacey Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lacey Turner. She made her first appearance on 1 November 2004. The character was introduced as a feisty and troublesome teenager, an extension of the already established Slater clan...
stopped him from setting fire to himself. When Ian discovered what Steven had been planning to do, he reconciled with him. Displeased, Jane fought against Steven being part of her family, but eventually relented and in January 2008, she agreed to let Steven move into the Beales' home; however, she made it clear that she was waiting for him to mess up so he would be gone from her life for good.
Steven and Stacey grew closer in early 2008, as he supported her through the breakdown of her marriage. Steven was attracted to Stacey. She initially rejected his advances, but eventually agreed to date him. Their relationship progressed, until Steven decided that he was ready to lose his virginity, but their attempt at consummation ended in disaster when Steven could not perform sexually. Embarrassed, Steven pretended that he had lost his virginity; however, Christian realised he was lying and publicly announced it, leaving Steven humiliated. Steven confronted Christian and, after releasing his pent-up anger and fustration, he spontaneously kissed Christian. Realising Steven was gay, Christian tried to make Steven face up to his sexuality. Steven maintained that he was heterosexual, and successfully slept with Stacey, but their relationship soon ended when Christian told Stacey that Steven had kissed him.
St Pancras railway station
St Pancras railway station, also known as London St Pancras and since 2007 as St Pancras International, is a central London railway terminus celebrated for its Victorian architecture. The Grade I listed building stands on Euston Road in St Pancras, London Borough of Camden, between the...
, and discovered him with Lucy. Steven had booked her a ticket on the Eurostar
Eurostar
Eurostar is a high-speed railway service connecting London with Paris and Brussels. All its trains traverse the Channel Tunnel between England and France, owned and operated separately by Eurotunnel....
, but Ian persuaded her not to go and Steven fled. Later, back in Walford, Ian spotted Steven spying on Lucy. Ian confronted him, admitting that he was glad that Steven was not his biological son; he told him that if he ever returned to Albert Square, he would kill him. Devastated, Steven headed to the tube station and left Walford.
1989–2002
The character's conception was a part of one of the most notable storylines in EastEnders during 1989, a love triangle between Cindy WilliamsCindy Beale
Cindy Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michelle Collins.Cindy always had an eye for the lotharios of Walford and despite trying to settle down repeatedly with the more reliable Ian Beale, she was unable to remain faithful to him. She had a selfish...
(played by Michelle Collins
Michelle Collins
Michelle Danielle Collins is a British actress best known for her roles on television in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, as Cindy Beale, Coronation Street as Stella Price, and BBC dramas Sunburn and Two Thousand Acres of Sky...
), Simon Wicks
Simon Wicks
Simon "Wicksy" Wicks is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Nick Berry between 1985 and 1990. Wicksy was introduced to take on some of the more adult storylines that had been scripted for another character, Mark Fowler; Mark's actor David Scarboro had left...
(played by Nick Berry
Nick Berry
Nicholas "Nick" Berry is a British television actor and musician. He is best known for his roles as Simon Wicks in the British soap opera EastEnders from 1985 to 1990 and as PC Nick Rowan in the British drama television series Heartbeat from 1992 to 1998.-Career:Berry started acting at the age of...
) and Ian Beale
Ian Beale
Ian Albert Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the longest-serving character and the only remaining original character to have appeared continuously since the first episode on 19 February 1985...
(played by Adam Woodyatt
Adam Woodyatt
Adam Brinley Woodyatt is an English actor and media personality, best known for his role as Ian Beale in the long-running BBC soap opera EastEnders...
). Steven was the result of a one-night stand
One-night stand
Originally, a one-night stand was a single theatre performance, usually by a guest performer on tour, as opposed to an ongoing engagement. Today, however, the term is more commonly defined as a single sexual encounter, in which neither participant has any intention or expectation of a relationship...
(in the bar of The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria
The Queen Victoria is a fictional Victorian public house in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. It has the fictional address of 46 Albert Square, Walford, London E20.-Appearance and development:...
public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
) between Cindy and Simon, occurring while Cindy was engaged to Ian Beale in May 1989. Viewers knew that Cindy was carrying Simon's child; however, between characters in the serial, Steven’s true paternity was kept secret, with only Cindy, Simon, and later Simon’s mother Pat Butcher
Pat Evans
Patricia Louise "Pat" Evans is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She has been played by Pam St. Clement since 12 June 1986, just over a year after the show first aired...
knowing the truth, though neither Simon or Pat would believe Cindy’s claim initially. Simon’s rejection of Cindy and her unborn child facilitated a plot twist that saw Cindy pretend that the child was Ian’s.
The character’s birth occurred in an episode that aired on 28 December 1989, although in the on-screen events, he was born on Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
. In the storyline, Steven was born two months prematurely, and was therefore supposed to be small; however, the baby who originally played Steven, Edward Farrell, was actually large for his age, and was nicknamed "Chunky" by actor Adam Woodyatt. According to former EastEnders writer, David Yallop
David Yallop
David Anthony Yallop is an agnostic British author who writes chiefly about unsolved crimes. In the 1970s he also contributed scripts for a number of BBC comedy shows...
, it had been agreed in September 1989, that Steven Beale would be killed off in the serial. This was part of producer Mike Gibbon
Mike Gibbon
John Michael "Mike" Gibbon is an English television producer and director. Gibbon married Moya McCarthy in July 1976 and they have a daughter, Sophie....
's plan to increase the ratings by culling a large number of the soap's long-running cast. Yallop said, "We had to reach a decision with the illegitimate child who was in the process of being born as a result of an earlier storyline. We wanted to know what to do with it. Either the child would be allowed to live or it would die. They decided to make the child 'seriously ill', but the reprieve was temporary. In episode 606 I resolved the problem." He claimed that on his draft of the storyline he wrote the words "Baby die". The plot never came to fruition, as Gibbon was abruptly replaced as the soap's boss and Yallop's plots were scrapped.
According to the EastEnders Handbook
EastEnders books
This is a list of books about or relating to the British soap opera EastEnders.-Non-fiction books:* EastEnders: The Inside Story* Public Secrets: EastEnders and its Audience* EastEnders Special...
by Hilary Kingsley, casting babies for roles in EastEnders is usually done locally, so that children and their parents do not have to travel far when they are called into the studios at BBC Elstree. Because of the strict laws dictating the number of hours babies are permitted to work, occasionally dolls or understudies have to be used if the child runs out of time. This occurred with Steven’s original actor, Edward Farrell, in 1990. The baby had been scripted to appear at a Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Firework Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in England. Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding...
party; however, actress Michelle Collins, who played his screen mother Cindy, has since revealed that they used another baby for those scenes: "Not only was she a girl, she also had bright red hair whereas Edward was fair. I had to keep pushing her hair back under her hat but lots of [viewers] still spotted it". Young Farrell was also the reason viewers never saw Cindy wearing her red wedding dress on-screen again following its next outing at Steven’s christening in February 1990. It was a dress that Michelle Collins particularly disliked. She has commented, "When Edward was sick over it, I knew it wouldn’t recover and I kissed him for it."
Before his first screen birthday, Steven was central to storylines surrounding his parents and stepfather Ian, including a special week of off-set episodes filmed in Devon, where Ian discovered that his best friend Simon was Steven’s real father and that he had reunited with Cindy. The love triangle between Simon, Cindy and Ian, and the events surrounding Steven’s paternity dominated the soap during 1990; it has been described by writer Colin Brake
Colin Brake
Colin Brake is an English television writer and script editor best known for his work for the BBC on programs such as Bugs and EastEnders. He has also written spin-offs from the BBC series Doctor Who...
as the year’s "big story". Steven was written out of the serial after actors Nick Berry and Michelle Collins decided to leave the show. His exit aired on 27 December 1990, though in the on-screen events it was Boxing Day, Steven’s first birthday. In 1992, Michelle Collins reprised her role of Cindy, and Steven was also reintroduced, played by a different actor, Stuart Stevens. On-screen, Simon abandoned Cindy and Steven. Ian traced them to a bedsit and brought them back to Walford, where Steven was brought up as Ian’s real son. Steven was written out once again in 1996, when Collins quit for a second time. In the on-screen events, Cindy absconded with Steven and his brother Peter
Peter Beale
Peter Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. He was played by Thomas Law from 2006 until 2010. The character has previously been portrayed by James Martin, Joseph Shade, Alex Stevens and Francis Brittin-Snell. Law took over the role on 31 August 2006...
following Cindy’s failed attempt to have Ian assassinated. Upon his return in 1997 – where Ian once again regained custody – Steven’s role was recast to another actor, Edward Savage. As the character aged, his actor was given a more substantial role in the serial, Steven remaining with Ian following the death of his mother, who died in prison during child birth. Savage remained in the role until 2002, when he opted to leave. On-screen, Steven discovered that Ian had been lying about his paternity. He began rebelling, and was found to be the author of several mysterious poison pen letters. When he was caught, he demanded to travel to New Zealand, so he could meet his real father, Simon Wicks. A BBC source commented to the Daily Star, "Regular viewers will know Steven is a deeply troubled boy. But his unmasking as the poison pen author is going to shock everyone on the Square. The lad is almost inviting punishment. It's as if he wants Ian and [his stepmother] Laura
Laura Beale
Laura Ellen Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Hannah Waterman.Laura only ever wanted a happy marriage, but was always made to feel inferior and unattractive by her husband, Ian Beale...
to wash their hands of him. Could Steven be a new Nick Cotton
Nick Cotton
Nick Cotton is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders played by John Altman on a recurring basis from the soap's debut episode in February 1985, through to his last appearance to date in 2009. Nick is the son of characters Charlie and Dot Cotton, and the father of Ashley and...
in the making?"
Re-introduction (2007); stalking, kidnapping and mental illness
In 2005, the British media claimed that the character of Steven was due to return to EastEnders, three years after he had last appeared. The Sunday MirrorSunday Mirror
The Sunday Mirror is the Sunday sister paper of the Daily Mirror. It began life in 1915 as the Sunday Pictorial and was renamed the Sunday Mirror in 1963. Trinity Mirror also owns The People...
speculated that EastEnders bosses were hoping to cast an Australian actor to play Steven, to signify that he had been in New Zealand. It was claimed that actors from Australia’s long-running soaps, Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
or Home And Away
Home and Away
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
, were being considered. The rumours turned out to be false, and a subsequent rumour in January 2007 predicting that Footballers' Wives
Footballers' Wives
Footballers' Wives is a British television drama surrounding the fictional Premier League Association football club Earls Park F.C., its players, and their wives. It was broadcast on the ITV network from 8 January 2002 to 14 April 2006...
actor Craig Gallivan
Craig Gallivan
Craig Gallivan is a British actor best known for playing Callum Watson in Footballers Wives and the ITV2 spin-off drama Footballers' Wives: Extra Time.-External links:Craig is currently playing Tony in Billy Elliot, London....
was to play the role, was also quashed.
The character was eventually to make his return in September 2007, reintroduced by executive producer Diederick Santer
Diederick Santer
Diederick Santer is a British television producer and is best known for his work on the popular BBC television soap opera EastEnders, a post which he assumed on 23 October 2006 and left on 1 March 2010...
as part of a storyline that saw Ian being stalked and terrorised by a mystery person, claiming to be his deceased ex-wife Cindy. After weeks of watching Ian tormented, viewers saw Ian lured to the top of a deserted block of flats, where Ian came face to face with his harasser, Steven. For several weeks, Ian was kept locked up in the derelict flat, while Steven returned to Albert Square to bond with his brother and sister, Peter and Lucy. Aaron Sidwell
Aaron Sidwell
Aaron Michael Sidwell is a British actor and singer . He is known for playing Steven Beale in the British soap opera EastEnders, a role he played from September 2007 to May 2008...
was cast in the role of Steven, making him the fourth actor to play him. It was Sidwell's first television role, and he has described it as "a bit daunting...but everyone was really welcoming...the first few directors I worked with were fantastic...After we did rehearsal, after we did a take, they'd always give me feedback...I needed it." He added, "I have been so lucky. Not many people get the chance to work on such a huge show, and my entrance was pretty impressive. I still wake up and think: 'Oh my God, I'm in EastEnders.' It's brilliant." Describing the motives behind Steven's actions, Sidwell said "[Steven] was raised for 13 years thinking he was Ian's son...but he wasn't...He sees Ian as the cause of Cindy's death, because Cindy died in prison, and she went to prison because Ian put her there...so that's how he kind of sees that it's Ian's fault...very narrow-minded... Steven is..a messed up kid and when I first got the part I was given a catchphrase that describes him as a person...'look at me'...he wants to be in the limelight 100%...he wants people to be thinking about him [all the time]...that's why he got angry with Ian because Ian wasn't thinking about him... he's the most important person in the world."
Laurie Brett
Laurie Brett is a Scottish actress, currently known for her role as Jane Beale in EastEnders, in which she has starred since 2004.-Personal life:...
) and a resulting emergency hysterectomy meant that Jane could no longer have children of her own. The storyline has been described by The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
journalist, Stephen Armstrong, as having "a whiff of Brontë
Brontë
The Brontës were a nineteenth-century literary family associated with Haworth in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. The sisters, Charlotte , Emily , and Anne , are well-known as poets and novelists...
about it", which producer Diederick Santer agreed with. Santer added, "It's a classic madwoman in the attic story, but I hate those articles where someone who works in popular television says what they do is like Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
. It's about the balance. That story works because it has an old character whom the audience love - Ian Beale - as well as new characters who have an appeal for teenagers fresh to the show. Soap audiences like continuity. They dip in and out and if they haven't watched for a few weeks, then tune in to find no one they recognise, it can be disconcerting."
Mentally ill, Steven was admitted to a psychiatric hospital by Ian. Sidwell has commented on Steven's mental instability: "He's so unpredictable...you never know what he's going to do next...He'll be normal one minute and he'll be crazy the next. He's kind of the Donnie Darko of EastEnders...that's the kind of person I styled him after...[he is] a similar character...He is always going to be a bit unstable and there will always be danger. I don't think even he knows what he's going to do next – but he's deadly, so don't let the nice guy act fool you."
Steven returned to the serial as a regular character following his release from hospital. Subsequent plots saw him unsuccessfully attempting to make amends with Ian and Jane for his past wrongdoing. The character also formed a friendship with Stacey Slater
Stacey Slater
Stacey Branning is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lacey Turner. She made her first appearance on 1 November 2004. The character was introduced as a feisty and troublesome teenager, an extension of the already established Slater clan...
(played by Lacey Turner
Lacey Turner
Lacey Amelia Turner is an award-winning English actress. She is best known for portraying the role of Stacey Slater on the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a role for which she has won 33 awards...
), who stopped him from committing suicide in December 2007. In the on-screen events, Steven – infuriated by Ian's rejection – soaked himself with petrol and threatened to light himself on fire. Aaron Sidwell explained, "He is deeply depressed about the way Ian has been treating him since he returned to the Square...Steven just wants to end it all! Stacey is incredibly scared by what’s going on. He tells her to go away, but Stacey is determined to get him out of The Arches and stop him doing something very stupid...What he is doing is a cry for help." In the end, Stacey managed to persuade him not to go through with suicide by showing him that friends can be just as important as family. Despite hostilities from Jane, Steven gradually regained Ian's trust, and in episodes that aired over the Christmas period of 2007, Ian welcomed Steven back into his home as part of the Beale family.
Exit (2008); bisexuality and Lucy's disappearance
In February 2008, the BBC announced that Steven was being written out of EastEnders once again. An EastEnders spokeswoman revealed: "[Sidwell]'s contract has run out – he only came for that length of contract. But his character came in dramatically and he'll go out dramatically."The build up to Steven's exit involved in a bisexual love triangle
Love triangle
A love triangle is usually a romantic relationship involving three people. While it can refer to two people independently romantically linked with a third, it usually implies that each of the three people has some kind of relationship to the other two...
storyline between him, Stacey and Christian Clarke
Christian Clarke
Christian Clarke is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by John Partridge. He made his first appearance on 17 January 2008.-Storylines:...
(John Partridge
John Partridge (performer)
John Partridge is an English actor, singer, dancer, panelist and television presenter, who is probably best known for the role of Christian Clarke in the long-running BBC television soap opera EastEnders, having joined the cast in January 2008...
), who is the gay
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
brother of Jane. On-screen, Steven and Stacey's friendship progressed into something more serious in March 2008, when they shared a kiss. Steven later decided he was ready to lose his virginity to Stacey, and took Ian's advice "to try to name the England football team and substitutes as a technique for pacing himself," which Sidwell has described as, "a really funny scene to film [...] my favourite comedy moment since joining the show." Speaking of the character's impending exit, he added: "Steven loves Stacey as a friend, and would do anything for her. He misreads loving someone as being 'in love', though. Things aren't right between them, and he can't put his finger on the reason why. That's what's going to lead him to question his sexuality..." On-screen, Steven was unable to consummate his love for Stacey, and after an emotional rant, he kissed Christian. The filming of the storyline posed difficulties for Aaron Sidwell; in an interview with the Daily Star he explained, "[Lacey Turner's] a really good friend of mine, so kissing her was weird, but we just got on with it! But I found it really challenging to kiss [John Partridge] because I'm not gay [...] I saw the conflict teenagers go through when they're struggling to come to terms with their sexuality. [The gay Kiss] is a cracking scene and I'm really pleased with it." The storyline progressed with Steven denying his homosexual tendencies, leading Christian to continuously try and "out
Outing
Outing is the act of disclosing a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender person's true sexual orientation or gender identity without that person's consent. Outing gives rise to issues of privacy, choice, hypocrisy, and harm in addition to sparking debate on what constitutes common good in efforts...
" him. John Partridge, has commented, "Christian knew Steven was gay from the outset. He noticed Steven had tendencies that he himself had as a young man – and his gaydar is very good [...] Christian didn't ask to be kissed by Steven but now that it's happened he wants the boy to admit that he's gay. He basically wants to help him. Steven doesn't want to be gay and Christian knows how he feels. Coming out is hard for any young man [...] Christian's worried that Stacey is going to get hurt. He knows that when you're gay, you're gay. That's it. There's nothing you can do about it and if you try to hide it, people get hurt." After the truth was revealed to Stacey, Steven falsely claimed to Ian that Christian had attempted to seduce him – a means of revenge for Christian's rejection. The following episode, Christian was banished from the Beales lives by Ian, although the truth eventually came out and Ian, despite initial concerns, was shown to be supportive of Steven's sexuality. The plot has been described as "controversial" and gay actor John Partridge has confessed that he had worries about it initially: "A gay man having any sort of relationship with an 18-year-old boy is a bit contentious. However, I think it has been handled really well."
A final twist in Steven's story was his involvement in a seemingly unrelated plotline that had been running simultaneously to Steven's personal dilemma, the disappearance of his half sister Lucy (Melissa Suffield
Melissa Suffield
Melissa Hollie Suffield is a British actress from London, best known for her role in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Lucy Beale. Her first appearance on the show was 28 October 2004 and her last on 27 August 2010.-Career:...
). In episodes that aired in May 2008, it was revealed that Steven had been hiding his runaway sister in a caravan, poisoning her mind against Ian and persuading her to flee the country. Explaining his character's motives, Sidwell said, "It’s all about Ian again. Steven wants all Ian’s love and attention and he feels Lucy is getting in the way. She’s the one who gets most of Ian’s time and energy and he thinks getting her out of the picture will leave Ian all for him [...] He’s been brainwashing her into thinking Ian doesn’t care if she never goes home again [...] His real plan is to keep her out of Ian’s life for good [...] He craves Ian’s full attention and is willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen. He doesn’t exactly plan to be evil but he is dangerous." In the end Steven's plan was discovered by his grandmother Pat, leading Steven to attempt to suffocate her to death before she revealed the truth to Ian. An EastEnders source told Digital Spy: "Steven hits rock bottom when Pat finds out that he's been hiding Lucy for all these weeks while his family have been frantically searching for her [...] when Pat realises that Steven knows where Lucy is, he takes drastic steps to prevent his beloved nan from revealing all to Ian. He goes from confused to psycho in a matter of minutes, grabbing a pillow and pushing it onto her face." Sidwell added, "Steven is deadly! He is willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants including murder." The murder attempt was stopped by Ian, and after discovering the truth from Pat, Ian chased Steven to London's St. Pancras Station (where he was intending to put Lucy on the Eurostar
Eurostar
Eurostar is a high-speed railway service connecting London with Paris and Brussels. All its trains traverse the Channel Tunnel between England and France, owned and operated separately by Eurotunnel....
to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
) and convinced Lucy to return home. Sidwell commented, "Steven is such a good manipulator he thinks Lucy will side with him. He’s shocked when she doesn’t and when she agrees to go home with Ian." In Steven's final scenes, Ian rejects Steven as his son once again, telling him "I never give up on my family. But you're not my family, are you?You're your mother's son and you're Simon's son, and that really used to hurt. Now I thank God I never produced anything as sick and twisted as you." Steven then departed from Walford after Ian vowed to kill him if he ever saw him again.
Sidwell made his last appearance on-screen as Steven on 9 May 2008, and he has since revealed that producers made the right decision in axing his character as his story arc had run its course: "They really did try to keep Steven in. The problem is EastEnders is a realistic show, so with Steven being a larger-than-life character it was always going to be hard having him doing the same crazy things day in, day out. I wasn't expecting to stay on the Square forever. It was my first big job out of drama college and I couldn't have asked for a better start in the industry. I've had a great time and the character isn't being killed off, so who knows what might happen a few years down the line. There's always the possibility I might be asked back one day".
Reception
Journalist for The Mirror, Tony Stewart, commented that "With the exception of [Coronation Street's David PlattDavid Platt (Coronation Street)
David Daniel Platt is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. The character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 26 December 1990 and is portrayed by actor Jack P...
], no psycho kid has inflicted so much damage on his own family as deranged freak Steven Beale." He described Steven's exit storyline as sinister, exciting and compelling drama, adding that it was "sometimes hilarious and never less than thrilling".
Discussing the character's mental problems and his sexuality, Gareth McLean of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
expressed "concern" that "in EastEnders, being a gay is akin to being mentally unbalanced. Were Steven Beale's behaviour up until now not a cause for concern - kidnapping Ian, shooting Jane, spiriting Lucy away to a caravan to play with her mind - wait until he attempts to murder his granny. Homosexuality = mental illness..." Virgin Media
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
included Steven in a list of villains in British soap operas, calling him "a wrong 'un through and through."
See also
- List of soap opera recasts
- List of soap opera villains
- List of LGBT characters in film, radio, and TV fiction