EastEnders’ Adam Woodyatt SLAMS ‘w***er’ driver who chased him during bicycle ride amid blazing row

EastEnders star Adam Woodyatt has slammed a driver who he says chased him down during a blazing row as he was out riding his bicycle.

The 52-year-old actor, who plays Ian Beale on the hit BBC soap, took to his Instagram stories on Sunday night to brand the motorist in question a ‘w***er’ as he admitted to ‘gesturing’ at the driver, which sparked a U-turn and further confrontation.

He wrote: ‘If the car driver I gestured at and called a w@nk3r when he overtook on a narrow lane, who then turned round and caught up with me further down the road so he could tell me how wrong I was to be out cycling on the road…

Slammed: EastEnders star Adam Woodyatt has slammed a driver who he says chased him down during a blazing row as he was out riding his bicycle

‘In case you are now coming looking for me on social media, please read rules 162, 163, & 167 of the Highway Code.’

He then went on to quote the rules in question, as he continued: ‘Before overtaking you should make sure the road is sufficiently clear ahead.’

The avid cyclist added: ‘Overtake only when it’s safe and legal to do so. You should give cyclists at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car.”

Concluding his series of posts. the actor wrote: ‘DO NOT overtake where you might come into conflict with other road users.’

Fuming: The 52-year-old actor took to his Instagram stories on Sunday night to brand the motorist in question a 'w***er'. Pictured with EastEnders co-star Jake Wood

Fuming: The 52-year-old actor took to his Instagram stories on Sunday night to brand the motorist in question a ‘w***er’. Pictured with EastEnders co-star Jake Wood

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Adam Woodyatt for further comment.

Adam will soon be taking a break from his role on EastEnders, after he announced in August that he had split from Beverley Sharp, his wife of 22 years. 

The couple reportedly separated in August of 2019, but it is thought that they have only now started telling friends about their decision. 

A friend told The Sun that Beverley was ‘very upset’ at the split but added that it’s a ‘straightforward separation’.

Confrontation: He admitted to 'gesturing' at the driver, which sparked a U-turn and further row

Confrontation: He admitted to ‘gesturing’ at the driver, which sparked a U-turn and further row

The rules of the road: He then went on to quote the rules in question, as he continued, 'Before overtaking you should make sure the road is sufficiently clear ahead'

Listed: The star listed the rules clearly in his social media post

The rules of the road: He then went on to quote the rules in question, as he continued, ‘Before overtaking you should make sure the road is sufficiently clear ahead’

And another thing...: Concluding his series of posts. the actor wrote, 'DO NOT overtake where you might come into conflict with other road users'

And another thing…: Concluding his series of posts. the actor wrote, ‘DO NOT overtake where you might come into conflict with other road users’

They said: ‘Nobody plans for these things and divorce is a difficult thing to get your head around but they have dealt with it quietly for several months and are now telling friends so it’s less of a secret.

‘They still get on well, and are keen to make sure they stay that way for the sake of their children – even though they are now grown up.’

Adam and Beverley have been married since 1998 and have two children – Jessica, 27, and Samuel, 23.

A spokesperson for the actor said at the time: ‘Beverley and Adam separated in August last year and we ask that the family’s privacy is respected.’ 

MailOnline contacted Adam’s representative for a comment at the time.

Wow: EastEnders fans were left in shock over the summer, when he showed off his weight loss in a spoiler clip for an EastEnders spin-off show

Just last year: Adam pictured at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2019

Wow: EastEnders fans were left in shock over the summer, when he showed off his weight loss in a spoiler clip for an EastEnders spin-off show 

It comes after reports that Adam was being ‘written out’ of EastEnders after playing Ian Beale for 35 years as he is taking an ‘extended break’ from the soap. 

Adam was said to be having a prolonged ‘holiday’ with his part being ‘written out’ of upcoming episodes, just as the show prepares to return to air.

The long-time character will be off screen for around 10 weeks due to an ‘explosive plot twist’, a BBC source has claimed, according to the Daily Star

Another source added: ‘Writers are staying tight-lipped about what happens, so it’s not known yet what the future will hold for the character.’  

The news came as the actor was pictured leaving a hotel near the EastEnders set with his luggage during time away from the home he shares with Beverley.

Split: In August, it was announced that Adam had separated from his wife Beverley Sharp after 22 years of marriage (pictured together in 2017)

Split: In August, it was announced that Adam had separated from his wife Beverley Sharp after 22 years of marriage (pictured together in 2017)

Adam shocked fans over the summer, when he showed he’d lost a considerable amount of weight in an EastEnders spoiler clip.

ITV’s This Morning aired a sneak preview of an upcoming episode of EastEnders: Secrets From The Square where the actor looked almost unrecognisable.

Host Stacey Dooley was seen interviewing Adam and his co-star Gillian Taylforth, who has played his mother Kathy Beale over the years.

Yet soap watchers were more distracted by Adam’s staggering weight loss with This Morning’s soap queen Sharon Marshall also impressed. 

She quipped: ‘Gillian Taylforth hasn’t aged in a million years but Adam Woodyatt, I think, is looking very svelte, post-lockdown.’

It is not known how much weight Adam has lost but he is an avid cook and even appeared on the 2019 series of Celebrity MasterChef.

This Morning aired a spoiler clip of the scenes, where the two stars discuss their characters and turbulent mother-and-son relationship.

Ian has been at the centre of the show’s biggest storyline this year with the death of Dennis Rickman Jr after he caused the teenager to perish in a boat crash – which marked the soap’s 35th anniversary in February.

The character has not faced justice over the incident but bosses have hinted Sharon, played by Letitia Dean, 52, will uncover what happened to her son.

EastEnders bosses have teased Ian Beale’s dramatic exit from the soap as he’s set to become the ‘most hated man in Walford’.

Over: Adam and Beverley tied the knot in 1998 (pictured together in January 2019)

Over: Adam and Beverley tied the knot in 1998 (pictured together in January 2019)

Speaking at the soap’s virtual launch ahead of its return to screens in September, executive producer Jon Sen told how Ian’s life will crumble around him.

After stating the character would become the ‘most hated man in Walford’, Jon continued: ‘Ian’s creating as many enemies as before, and those stories are carrying on from before.’

Meanwhile, senior executive producer Kate Oates added: ‘Sharon doesn’t know about Ian’s role in Dennis’ death, so that’s an unexploded bomb.

‘The irony is that she is defending him as he becomes increasingly unpopular with other people in the Square and members of his own family. So we’ll be watching that unfold.’

Discussing how Ian’s storyline was affected by the halt in filming amid the coronavirus pandemic, Jon said: ‘We have a responsibility to reflect those seismic shifts of what has been going on in the country, but we just adjusted stories that we have.’

The long-running drama returned to screens in September, following a 12-week break after it ran out of episodes while filming was halted amid the novel coronavrius pandemic last year.

After almost three months off air, BBC bosses joked that they ‘couldn’t wait for series two’, after the soap previously ran uninterrupted for 35 years.

The announcement was made across Eastenders’ social media platforms, including Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. 

Family: Adam and Beverley were married for 22 years and have two grownup children, Jessica and Samuel, together (pictured together in May)

Family: Adam and Beverley were married for 22 years and have two grownup children, Jessica and Samuel, together (pictured together in May)