Pete Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Peter Dean. He makes his first appearance in the programme's first episode, on 19 February 1985. The character was introduced by Tony Holland, one of the creators of EastEnders; he was based on a member of Holland's family. Pete is featured in the soap for eight years as the local fruit and veg trader of Albert Square; he is a member of the original focal clan in the serial, the Beales and Fowlers. Pete is portrayed as a macho and somewhat insensitive individual who struggles to cope with emotion. Pete was axed from the soap in 1993 and departed in May that year after over eight years on-screen. The character was killed off-screen later that year following Peter Dean's public criticism of the BBC. Storylines Backstory Pete and his twin sister, Pauline (Wendy Richard), were born to Albert (Gary Olsen) and Lou Beale (Anna Wing). They were born and raised in number 45 Albert Square. Albert owned a fruit and veg stall on Walford market. Pete used to help out on the stall as a boy, and when Albert died, Pete inherited the stall. Pete schooled with his neighbour and friend, Den Watts (Leslie Grantham); they remained close in adulthood. In his mid-teens, Pete had a one-night stand with prostitute Pat Harris (Pam St Clement) who informed Pete she was pregnant. Pete did the chivalrous thing and married Pat in 1961 when he was 16; however it transpired that the pregnancy was a false alarm and Lou always felt that it was a ploy to trap her son. During the marriage, Pat gave birth to two sons, David (Michael French) and Simon (Nick Berry), the latter of whom Pete believed to be his. Yet Pat could not settle down. She had various affairs, including a tryst with her former lover Frank Butcher (Mike Reid), a one-night stand with Den, and an affair with Pete's older brother Kenny (Michael Attwell). Lou found Pat and Kenny in bed together and banished Kenny abroad, but Pete was unaware of the affair. Pat was also having an affair with another man named Brian Wicks (Leslie Schofield). When Pete found out he left Pat - she was six months pregnant with Simon at the time - and then went into a relationship with local girl, Kathy Hills (Gillian Taylforth). There was