How are David Wicks and Ian Beale related in EastEnders? Why did Cindy have Ian shot?

EastEnders revisited a immense past storyline connected the BBC soap this week arsenic David Wicks reunited with Cindy Beale and Ian Beale - but what happened betwixt the trio decades ago?

EastEnders' David Wicks made his large comeback this week, and helium was soon reunited onscreen with Walford legends Ian and Cindy Beale.

Contains spoilers from Tuesday's iPlayer episode. The trio soon got talking astir the past and immoderate historical moments betwixt them, arsenic David spoke of his member Ian's reunion with ex-wife Cindy being a shock. But with Ian fearing what David's instrumentality could mean for his relationship, what precisely went connected betwixt them?

How is David related to Ian, and wherefore did Cindy person Ian changeable each those years ago? David was revealed to beryllium the half-brother of Ian years earlier. David's parent is Walford icon Pat Butcher, portion fans cognize Kathy Beale is Ian's mum.

But Ian and David stock a father, Pete Beale who died connected the BBC soap successful 1993, offscreen. Despite the household link, David had nary contented with having an matter with Ian's woman Cindy.

He was near shellshocked erstwhile helium recovered retired Cindy had hired a hitman to person Ian killed amid their fling. Cindy ended up asking David to tally distant with her and her kids earlier she was sent to prison, but helium declined and things ended there.

After this Cindy seemingly died successful prison, portion fans present cognize this was not the case. David lone recovered this retired this week arsenic they came face-to-face for the archetypal clip successful 20 unusual years.

As the brace caught up, David couldn't fell his daze that Cindy and Ian were backmost together. He reminded her that the past clip they saw each different she'd conscionable had Ian changeable and astir killed.

So wherefore did Cindy effort to termination Ian? David was losing involvement successful their matter truthful Cindy took drastic enactment to get escaped of her husband. She did alteration her caput but it was excessively precocious and Ian was injured.

Ian had already recovered retired astatine this constituent astir his brother's matter with his wife, aft hiring a backstage researcher and seeing evidence. He vowed to instrumentality Cindy to tribunal and get custody of their children, truthful astatine hazard of losing them and David she made the eventual betrayal and hired a hitman.

Cindy ended up fleeing portion David stayed behind. Eventually Cindy was caught though and the remainder is history. Fast-forward astir 30 years connected from her offscreen demise, and David yet recovered retired Cindy was live the full time. Fans are present convinced the brace could extremity up backmost together, amid Cindy's matter with Junior Knight.

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays astatine 7:30pm connected BBC One and BBC iPlayer.* Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .