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EastEnders character
Minty Peterson
Portrayed by	Cliff Parisi
Duration	2002—
First appearance	11 March 2002
Date of birth	3 December 1957
Status	Engaged
Home	3a Albert Square
Occupation	Mechanic

Richard "Rick" Peterson (better known by his nickname, Minty) is a fictional character in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders. He is played by Cliff Parisi, and made his first appearance on 11 March 2002.

His nickname was given to him because he was always late for work, turning up "after eight".

Minty was introduced as the unsympathetic landlord of Janine Butcher and Laura Beale. Laura asked Phil Mitchell to have a word with Minty about his frequent demands for rent but the two turned out to be old friends.

In November 2003, Phil was arrested for armed robbery and he asked Minty to look after his sister, Sam, who was in charge of Phil's various business interests. However, Minty was unable to stop Sam from falling into the clutches of Andy Hunter who wanted to bleed her dry. Minty tried on several occasions to stop Sam marrying Andy, even proposing to her himself, but to no avail. Even telling Sam's mum, Peggy, did no good as Andy twisted her around his little finger.

Sam stayed with Minty when Den tricked her into selling Phil's businesses and Andy evicted her from their house. Minty has since moved in with fellow mechanic Garry Hobbs in a flat across the Square, and was later joined by Naomi Julien and by Naomi's partner Sonia Fowler a few months after that. He and Garry also decided to give new arrival Carly Wicks a job in the Arches while Phil was in America.

When Kathy died and Ian brought his brother Ben to Walford from South Africa, Minty spoke to Ben about his father, Phil, and told him that Phil was all right really.

When Phil returned from America, he sacked Carly because Garry and Minty had made the decision without asking him. Minty spoke to Phil and he saw sense and gave Carly her job back. In early July 2006, Minty went on a motorbike ride without Garry or the new object of his affections, SJ Fletcher, after a big row between Garry and Minty which resulted in him dropping out. SJ thought they were rowing about her so she dropped out also. Minty returned on the day of Billy Mitchell's wedding to Honey Edwards, which failed (for the second time). SJ returned, with her 'brother', Sid, really her lover, so Minty told her that she could stay at the flat for as long as she wanted. Just days later, Garry and Naomi threw her out, saying she was a pain. This left Minty infuriated.

Minty has since continued to provide for SJ, paying her rent and constantly buying her drinks in The Queen Vic. On 2 October 2006, Minty realised that SJ was using him, and shouted at her in the Square. The following day, he was sacked from The Arches by Phil after making a jibe about the latter's alcoholic past. They later made up, and Minty got his job back. Minty kicked SJ out of his life for good, after he realised Sid wasn't really her brother when he walked in on them in bed together.

When Garry's mother Hazel showed up in Walford in April 2007, Minty took a shine to her and they had a few flirtations. Garry was furious at this but nothing happened between the two despite a few close calls and Hazel left Walford. However, in August 2007, Minty made up a story about taking a course, but this was actually a cover to romance Hazel in Brighton. What Minty didn't account for was Garry being in Brighton at the exact same time. Garry soon found out that Minty had been seeing Hazel, and was outraged. Back in Walford, Minty found the engagement ring that Garry had used to propose to Dawn Swann (she said no) and bent down to pick it up off the floor. He was on one knee, holding the ring, when Hazel came in the room. She assumed that Minty was planning to propose to her and immediately said "Yes, I do".

On Thursday 18th October, Minty suffered (what was thought to be) a heart attack in the Post Office, possibly because of the strenuous exercise that he had been putting himself through to try and lose weight for Hazel. It later turned out to be a pulled muscle in his arm.

• Minty Peterson at bbc.co.uk