Peter Dean (actor) Peter Dean (actor) Peter Dean (born 2 May 1939) is a British actor, he is best known for his roles as Pete Beale in "EastEnders", Jeff Bateman in "Coronation Street" and Sergeant Jack Wilding in "Woodentop". Dean decided on a career in acting after actress Prunella Scales witnessed him rehearsing Shakespeare in Petticoat Lane Market and advised him to take drama classes. Aged 16 he studied under Joan Littlewood and has been an actor since he was 18. Dean's breakthrough performance was playing criminal 'Jack Lynn' in "Law And Order" (1978). He went on to have roles in television shows
Peter Beale Peter Beale Peter Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera "EastEnders" who has been played by six actors since being introduced in 1993. Francis Brittin-Snell portrayed the role from 1993 to 1996, followed by Alex Stevens from 1997 to 1998 and Joseph Shade from 1998 to 2004. James Martin took over and played the role from 2004 to 2006. He was played by Thomas Law from 2006 until 2010 when the character departed the series. On 19 April 2013, it was announced that Peter would return, this time played by Ben Hardy who made his first appearance