brian began an affair with pat around 20 years earlier, while she was married to her first husband, pete beale (peter dean). during this time pat became pregnant with her second son simon, and claimed that pete was the father. when pat and pete eventually divorced, pat latched on to brian. they married and brian adopted simon, and he and pat's older child david wicks (michael french) both took on brian's surname. they moved from walford to romford, after david was beaten up by derek branning (terence beesley), for getting his sister carol (lindsey coulson) pregnant resulting in the birth of david and carol's daughter, bianca (patsy palmer).