He then put his acting career on hiatus and worked as a butcher in Wales for a brief period, before joining the cast of BBC soap opera "EastEnders". Not expecting to stay much beyond the first year, Woodyatt has become the longest serving male cast member in "EastEnders"; apart from Jane Slaughter, he is the only character from the first episode to appear in the soap without officially leaving. Alongside Letitia Dean, Gillian Taylforth and Slaughter, who play Sharon Watts, Kathy Beale and Tracey, Woodyatt is one of only four members of the original cast currently in "EastEnders", but is the only one except Slaughter to have appeared continuously throughout the show's run. In 2013, his longevity was honoured at the British Soap Awards, where he received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his portrayal of Ian Beale.