EastEnders actor Adam Woodyatt has announced he will run four half marathons over four consecutive weekends to raise funds for the hospital that saved his son after a high-speed car crash.
The 58-year-old actor, best known for playing Ian Beale on the long-running BBC soap opera, revealed that his son Sam was hit by a vehicle traveling at 56mph in a 30mph zone ten years ago. Sam, who was 18 at the time, suffered life-threatening injuries and was rushed to the Royal London Hospital for emergency treatment.
The teenager was crossing a road near Mile End station in East London on September 29, 2016, when the collision occurred. He suffered a fractured vertebrae, a shattered pelvis, a significant head injury, and memory loss, requiring an airlift to hospital where trauma specialists placed him in a medically-induced coma for several days.
Surgeons spent five hours rebuilding Sam's hip during extensive surgery. Following the operation, he was confined to a wheelchair for two months before beginning the arduous process of relearning how to walk. Despite the severity of his injuries, Sam made a complete recovery and later completed a full marathon in four hours and 24 minutes.
Fundraising challenge across London
Woodyatt shared the news of his upcoming fundraising challenge in an emotional message posted to his Instagram account. He explained his deep gratitude to the medical team at the Royal London Hospital who treated his son following the crash a decade ago.
Writing on Instagram, Woodyatt said: "Some of you will know this, some of you won't. 10 years ago on 29th September 2016, my son Sam was walking to Mile End station when he got hit by a car doing 56mph. Somehow he not only survived but made a 100% recovery and I will always be grateful to the Royal London Hospital for all that they did for him."
He added: "So I'm running four half marathons over four consecutive weekends starting with Shoreditch on the 20th September, Battersea, Victoria Park and finally Royal Parks on 11th October to raise money for Bart's Charity."
Supporting East London healthcare
Money raised by Woodyatt will go directly to Bart's Charity, an organization that funds groundbreaking medical research and transformational healthcare projects across East London. The charity supports hospitals across the region, including the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, which operates one of the busiest major trauma centers in the country.
Fans of the actor flooded his social media account with messages of support following the announcement. One follower wrote: "Good luck Adam! What an amazing thing to do to support this wonderful service in the NHS. So happy to hear that your son made a good recovery." Another added: "Good luck, Adam. I'm so glad your son was OK! These doctors and nurses are worth their weight in gold."
Woodyatt is also father to a 31-year-old daughter, Jessica, whom he shares with his ex-wife Beverley Sharp. The actor split from Sharp in 2020, with their divorce being finalized in 2022 after 22 years of marriage.
Decades on Albert Square
Woodyatt has been a prominent fixture on British television screens for four decades, having portrayed businessman Ian Beale on EastEnders since the show debuted on BBC One in February 1985. As the soap's longest-serving original cast member, his character has been central to decades of drama in the fictional East London borough of Walford.
