As a teenager, Ian argues with his father Pete Beale (Peter Dean) over his desire to become a caterer but his grandmother Lou Beale (Anna Wing) encourages him. He starts several businesses and buys a local café soon after graduating from catering college. Ian has several failed romances, including with his childhood friend, Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean). Sharon becomes interested in Simon Wicks (Nick Berry), who was believed to be Ian's half-brother, but they remain close friends. When his cousin Michelle falls pregnant, he is initially suspected to be the father by Pete and Kathy. He starts a relationship with Tina Hopkins (Eleanor Rhodes) and the pair decide to move in together, renting one of Kelvin Carpenter's (Paul J. Medford) father Tony Carpenter's (Oscar James) flats. Ian eventually loses his virginity to her, to his glee. Ian and Tina break up when Tina's parents make an unannounced visit and are unhappy with their living conditions, so they take Tina to Ilford. Ian's uncle Kenny Beale (Michael Attwell) and cousin Elizabeth Beale (Lucy Bayler) visit from New Zealand and Ian and Elizabeth taking a liking to each other, but they break up when Elizabeth constantly flirts with men and she returns home. Ian begins to develop a relationship with Donna Ludlow (Matilda Ziegler), not knowing she is his half-sister until his mother Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) tells him she was raped as a teenager and gave Donna up for adoption.