Barry Evans is a fictional character from the BBCsoap operaEastEnders, played by Shaun Williamson. He first appeared in episode 1072, originally shown in the United Kingdom on 27 December 1994, and made his last appearance in episode 2653, originally shown on 2 January 2004. The character is portrayed as a "buffoon".[1] Williamson left the serial after nine years in 2003 after agreeing to star in a seasonal pantomime without informing EastEnders producers,[2] and the character was killed off.
The character was originally intended to appear in four episodes, debuting in December 1994.[3] According to Barry's actor Shaun Williamson, the character was originally conceived as a tall, blond haired man. Williamson was neither particularly tall nor blond, and after being called for an audition to read for the part, he thought about dropping out as he was not a physical match. However, the director stated that "nothing is laid in cement" with regard to the character, so Williamson went ahead with the audition. Williamson has said that Barry was meant to be a vehicle to bring his father Roy Evans (Tony Caunter) into the show, as Roy was being scripted as a new love interest for the regular character Pat Butcher (Pam St Clement); in Barry's first appearance he meets Pat to apologise for a dodgy car he had sold her, paving the way for Roy to be introduced to her. For the next year and a half, Barry made sporadic appearances, in Williamson's own words "popping in and out".[3] When a storyline in 1996 saw Barry imprisoned for arson, Williamson has said that he was uncertain whether his character would appear again; however the character was brought back on a more permanent basis later in the year.[3] After being released from prison, Barry aided Cindy Beale in contacting a hitman to have her husband, Ian Beale, shot, after he discovers that she is having an affair. After Ian survives, Barry assists Cindy in fleeing the country with her children. In November, Barry becomes the owner of the car lot and employs Robbie, Lenny and Huw in the following year.
In 1999, executive-producer Matthew Robinson decided to introduce a new love-interest for Barry. He decided to bring back a former character, unrelated to Barry but who had connections with several other characters in the serial. The character was Natalie Price, played by Lucy Speed, who had appeared from 1994 to 1995.[4] The biggest storyline involving Barry and Natalie in 1999 was their joint double wedding with the characters Ian Beale and Melanie Healy (Adam Woodyatt and Tamzin Outhwaite) - the lead up to which included a hen/stag night celebration episode, which was filmed on-location in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The episode evoked criticism by the Broadcasting Standards Commission for its inclusion of “almost relentless drunken and promiscuous behaviour, sexual innuendo and drug-taking, before the watershed”, which included Natalie having to acquire three love bites from strangers.[5] The BBC defended the episode, claiming that its content would have “come as no surprise to viewers” and adding that the depiction of this behaviour conformed to an EastEnders tradition - that questionable conduct "only leads to further trouble…One character's quest for drugs led to embarrassment and nausea and a drinking binge led to the calling off of [Barry and Natalie’s] wedding while the prospects for another became bleaker."[6]
Natalie and Barry's screen wedding was featured as part of the Millennium Eve episodes, which drew in 20.89 million viewers – the biggest soap audience since the character Tiffany Mitchell (Martine McCutcheon) was killed off in EastEnders precisely one year earlier (New Year's Eve 1998). An EastEnders spokeswoman commented: "This is a remarkable endorsement of the power of EastEnders that over 20 million viewers chose to see the Millennium celebrations in Albert Square." The episodes were also broadcast on screens in London's Trafalgar Square, a typical “haunt for New Year's Eve revelers”.[7]
In 2001, a pregnancy was written into the Evanses' narrative. Natalie was shown to be distressed by the prospect of being a mother and planned to have an abortion. Viewers saw a “devastated Barry” react badly to the news in a special extended four-hander episode (written by Christopher Reason and directed by Clive Arnold) – the episode had a maternal theme with the action flitting between Barry and Natalie's saga and scenes between Steve Owen and his dying mother, which included revelations of child abuse and incest.[8] An EastEnders spokesman said: "We are very proud of the programme. The storylines involving Steve and his mother and Barry and Natalie are the stuff of intense drama. All four actors give incredible performances."[8] The following episode Barry was seen to chase Natalie to the abortion clinic, where he persuaded her to go through with the pregnancy. The scenes between Natalie and Barry have been described as some of “the most powerful moments in soap, with the couple battling to decide the fate of their unborn baby”.[9]
Viewers saw Natalie and Barry's marriage sour towards the end of 2002 when, in the New Year's Eve episode, Natalie rekindles a secret affair with her former lover Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen), which continued into 2003.[10] Speed commented “Natalie's always had strong feelings for Ricky. And now she's grown tired of being a mother to baby Jack and Barry."[4][11] The storyline reached its climax in March 2003.[10] On-screen Natalie's plan to abscond with Ricky was thwarted by Barry's discovery of the affair, leading to a public confrontation between the three protagonists. Shaun Williamson has commented “Barry is absolutely devastated as his whole life is ripped apart. He can’t believe Nat has betrayed him. He loves his life with Natalie and Jack, and would do anything to make it work as a family again. Losing Natalie is going to be really difficult for Barry, but I think the hardest thing will be losing his son.” The storyline signified the end of the characters’ three-year marriage.[12]
Barry is the son of car dealer Roy Evans (Tony Caunter). He moves to Albert Square when Roy and Pat Butcher (Pam St. Clement) begin a relationship and move in together. Barry initially manages Roy's car business, Manor Wood, while Roy goes into partnership with Pat's son David by investing in his car lot in Walford. Problems arise in 1996 when Pat's former husband Frank Butcher (Mike Reid) returns and tries to reclaim Pat, his house and his business (the car lot) from Roy. Barry tries to frighten Frank away by hiring a man to torch the car lot. When the arsonist is caught by the police, Barry is implicated and imprisoned. Upon his release, Barry is entrusted by Roy to run the car lot on Albert Square while he enjoys retirement: the business is renamed Evans & Son. Barry is forever searching for the respect and pride of his father, but more often than not he succeeds in disappointing Roy. He risks the business and his family's savings by handing monetary assets over to conwoman Vanessa Carlton. Barry is fooled into believing Vanessa wants a relationship with him and, after persuading him to invest the money in a fabricated business venture in 1997, she disappears, leaving Barry to face up to a furious Roy. Barry's blunder forces Roy out of retirement and Barry is never able to regain Roy's full trust again.
Losing his job at the car lot, Barry is forced to seek employment elsewhere and he uses malicious means to replace Robbie Jackson (Dean Gaffney) as manager of the local film rental shop. It is around this time that Barry seeks the help of a dating agency to find a girlfriend. This leads to him meeting Natalie Price (Lucy Speed), who runs Romantic Relations. The two grow closer as Natalie sets him up on several disastrous dates. After much bumbling from Barry, he eventually realises that he has feelings for Natalie and a romance begins. Natalie moves in with Barry, Roy and Pat and they marry in a millennium double wedding with Ian and Mel Healy (Tamzin Outhwaite). Barry and Natalie are happy for a while until Natalie discovers she is pregnant. Barry is overjoyed but Natalie is not and almost aborts the baby. However, Barry promises to help out with the baby duties so Natalie can keep working and in 2002 Jack (Samuel and Joseph Timson) is born.
Barry has a turbulent time when his half-brother Nathan Williams (Doug Allen) comes onto the scene. Born out of an affair between Barry's father and Nathan's mother Jane Williams (Ann Mitchell), Nathan resents Barry for his closeness to Roy. Barry struggles to learn that his father had been unfaithful to his deceased mother and relations at the Evanses are strained. Despite attempts by Barry and Roy to make Nathan feel part of the family, Nathan does his best to exclude and diminish Barry. Things climax when Barry discovers Nathan has kissed his wife and, realising Nathan's agenda, Roy disowns him.
When Natalie grows weary of marriage to Barry, she begins an affair with her former lover Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen). Natalie and Ricky plan to leave Walford with their sons but Barry catches them. Barry attempts to change her mind but Natalie is adamant their marriage is over. However, she opts to leave Walford alone, having discovered that her trust in Ricky is misplaced. In the aftermath, Roy discovers Pat has been aware of Ricky and Natalie's affair and has not told Barry. Roy is incensed and dies from a heart attack, brought on during the resulting blazing row. Devastated, Barry blames his father's death on Pat for cheating on Roy with Frank, which depressed and angered Roy. During an argument with Pat, she tells him Natalie never loved him and Barry trashes the house. As Barry is the sole beneficiary of his father's estate, he throws Pat out and leaves her with nothing.
Barry spends a long time feeling sorry for himself and becomes reclusive. His employee Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks), sensing an opportunity to make money, starts manipulating Barry. Helped by her secret boyfriend Paul Trueman (Gary Beadle), she concocts a plan to make Barry fall in love with her so she can get her hands on Barry's wealth. Feeling vulnerable since his split from Natalie, Barry falls for Janine and they get engaged. When a mix-up at Barry's doctor makes Barry believe that he only has a short time left to live, Janine believes she will inherit all his money and agrees to a rushed wedding in Scotland. They marry but Janine is mortified when Barry reveals he is not dying after all. Barry forces Janine to go for a walk on the Scottish Moors but, unable to stand being near Barry, Janine verbally abuses him. She confesses their relationship is a sham and that she has been having an affair with Paul. Barry still wants her and says that he will forgive her if she stays with him. He begs Janine not to leave him and goes to hug her but she pushes him away. Barry stumbles before falling over a cliff edge and hitting his head on rocks, dying shortly thereafter.
Janine has Barry cremated shortly after his death, and returns to Walford with his ashes. She also inherits all of his estate while Barry's son, Jack, inherits nothing. After Janine was arrested for Laura Beale (Hannah Waterman)'s murder, Natalie finds Barry's cremation urn and pours the ashes into the tree.
Reception
In 2020, Sara Wallis and Ian Hyland from The Daily Mirror placed Barry 38th on their ranked list of the Best EastEnders characters of all time, calling him a "Total Mug" who "was duped by a conwoman, dumped by wife Natalie and fell for gold digger Janine, who left him to die after he fell off a cliff in 2004."[13]
In popular culture
In 2002 the character was featured in a spoof of the Michael Jackson hit video, Thriller, which was made as part of the annual fund-raising event, Children in Need.[14] Shaun Williamson (as Barry) played the Michael Jackson role, while Lucy Speed (as Natalie) took on Ola Ray’s role as his date. The spoof saw Natalie transformed into a zombie, as Jackson was in the original video. Several cast members took part in the spoof where they recreated the dance routine made famous in the original video.[15]
Following his stint on EastEnders, Shaun Williamson had a regular role as a comically unemployable version of himself in the Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant comedy series Extras, in which his career has bogged down partially as a result of the incompetence of his agent Darren Lamb (played by Merchant). A frequent running gag is that even Lamb is unable to remember his client's real name, instead referring to him as "Barry off EastEnders.". The character of Barry Evans has also been spoofed in the cartoonsketch show2DTV.
In March 2020, Jade Thirlwall, English singer and songwriter, and member of the British girl group Little Mix, appeared in a FaceTime interview on Capital FM's Breakfast Show, wearing a 'Barry' t-shirt.[18]
British pro wrestler and Isle of Sheppey native Zack Sabre Jr. has used a submission move that he calls “Barry From EastEnders” as a finisher since his pro wrestling debut in 2004.
Related Research Articles
Paul Trueman is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Gary Beadle. The character, who first arrived onto Albert Square on 23 April 2001 and later departed the programme on 23 December 2004, was portrayed as a bad boy who was a member of the already-established Trueman family. In his exit storyline, Paul became a drug dealer, which Beadle has been critical towards, as he suggested it played into black racial stereotyping. It was implied that Paul was killed upon his exit, though his death was not screened.
Pat Evans is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She was played by Pam St Clement from 12 June 1986, just over a year after the show first aired, until her departure on 1 January 2012. Pat was also portrayed by Emma Cooke in a soap 'bubble', Pat and Mo: Ashes to Ashes, delving into her past with sister-in-law Mo Harris, which aired in 2004. The character was killed-off on 1 January 2012, shortly after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Her funeral was on 13 January 2012. Pat was one of the longest serving characters on the show, appearing for 25 years and six months. She returned, along with other women from Ian Beale's past, in a concussion-related dream sequence for a Children in Need special on 14 November 2014. She also made a return as a hallucination for Peggy Mitchell's death on 17 May 2016.
Janine Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, introduced in 1989. The character was played by Rebecca Michael from 1989 to 1993, Alexia Demetriou from 1993 to 1996, and Charlie Brooks from 1999 to 2022. Brooks initially departed on 7 May 2004. She returned for a three episode guest stint in April 2008 before returning permanently on 18 December of that year. Brooks later took a break from September 2012 until April 2013, then departed again on 20 March 2014. In April 2021, it was announced that Brooks would reprise the role once again and return later in the year. She returned on 6 September 2021. It was announced on 24 September 2022 that Brooks had only agreed to reprise the role for 12 months and would depart again at the conclusion of her storyline, with her final scenes airing on 26 December 2022.
David Wicks is a fictional character from the BBC TV soap opera EastEnders, played by Michael French. David originally appeared from 23 December 1993 to 21 November 1996. He returned to the show on 1 January 2012 and departed two weeks later on 13 January. French returned to the role on 26 September 2013. David has been involved in various storylines, such as his troubled and dysfunctional reconciliation with his biological children Bianca Jackson and Joe Wicks, his volatile and equally dysfunctional relationship with his mother Pat Butcher, an affair with his sister-in-law Cindy Beale, reuniting with Carol Jackson and struggling to cope with her diagnosis of breast cancer. On 17 May 2014, it was announced that French had once again decided to leave the show. David last appeared on 30 May 2014, after his relationship with Carol broke down. In July 2024, it was announced that French would be reprising the role for a short stint after ten years away, with David returning on 3 October 2024 and departing a week later on 10 October 2024.
Frank Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Mike Reid. Frank makes his first appearance on-screen as a guest character in 1987, but due to a positive viewer reception, he is reintroduced in 1988 as a regular. Reid took a long hiatus from EastEnders in 1994 and Frank remained off-screen for over a year and a half. Frank made his return as a recurring character from December 1995 to January 1998. Frank eventually becomes a regular once again from May 1998 to November 2000, when Reid quit the show. Frank makes three brief reappearances after that, the final one in December 2005. Following Reid's death in July 2007, Frank died off-screen and the character was celebrated with a special week of episodes in April 2008.
The Beales and the Fowlers are a fictional family in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. They were the main family for storylines in early episodes of EastEnders, and remained as such ever since. With at least one member of the family having been a member of the cast from the first episode in February 1985, they are the show's longest serving family. The original Beale/Fowler family consisted of matriarch Lou Beale and her children Pete and Pauline, alongside their families including their children Ian, Mark, Michelle and their spouses Kathy Hills and Arthur Fowler. Additionally, several members of the family have been introduced at a later point, including Pauline and Arthur's son Martin who was the first baby to be born into the show in 1985. The family has been headed with a matriarch first seen with Lou, and over the years, Lou's daughter Pauline, Ian's wife Jane Collins and more recently Pete's wife Kathy, have filled this role.
Laura Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Hannah Waterman. She first appeared on 17 February 2000 and became a regular on the programme until the character was killed off on 30 April 2004.
Roy Evans is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Tony Caunter from 26 December 1994 to 18 March 2003. Introduced by executive producer Barbara Emile in 1994, Roy is scripted as a love interest for Pat Butcher. Caunter remained a regular character until new executive producer Louise Berridge axed him in 2003, a decision which she later stated she regretted.
Liam Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Sonny Bottomley for two months in 1998 and 1999, twins Jack and Tom Godolphin from 1999, Gavin and Mitchell Vaughan in 2002, and Nathaniel Gleed from 2002 to 2004. Upon his reintroduction in 2008, the character was portrayed by James Forde. Liam is the son of Bianca Jackson and Ricky Butcher and his stories have mostly revolved around his family. The character took a six-month break in 2012 for story purposes. Following his return, producers used Liam in a story about gangs, working with the charity Comic Relief. Forde was written out permanently in 2015 and Liam departs in the episode first broadcast on 17 August 2015. Liam was reintroduced for a short stint in 2021, with the role recast to Alfie Deegan.
Ricky Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Sid Owen. Introduced as a school boy in 1988, Ricky is one of the longest-running male protagonists to feature in EastEnders. Owen originally left the role in 2000 to pursue a music career. However, he reprised the role in 2002 before being axed by producer Louise Berridge in 2004. In 2008, producer Diederick Santer introduced the character for a third time, along with his wife Bianca Jackson. Ricky is portrayed as unintelligent, simplistic, easily led and bossed around by dominant personalities. On 26 February 2011, it was announced that Owen would take a temporary break from the show. The character exited on 19 July 2011, returning five months later on 13 December 2011. Ricky left EastEnders on 17 January 2012. Ricky returned to EastEnders on 20 June 2012 for the wedding of his sister, Janine Butcher, before departing for the final time on 29 June 2012. In April 2016 he had voiced his interest in returning to EastEnders during an appearance on Celebrity Juice. He reprised his role as Ricky for an eight-week stint from 1 December 2022 to 26 January 2023.
Natalie Evans is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Lucy Speed. Natalie first appeared on 18 January 1994, depicted initially as an unhappy, insecure teenager; she was among various regular characters brought in to increase the cast following the BBC's decision to increase episode output to three per week. She featured most often with the characters Ricky Butcher and Bianca Jackson ; Natalie's affair with Ricky ending his relationship with Bianca was one of the prominent storylines aired in the Winter of 1995. Despite producers offering to extend Speed's contract, she opted to leave the serial in 1995, and Natalie departed on 23 February of that year.
Diane Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Sophie Lawrence. Diane appeared as a regular character between 1988 and 1991, when Lawrence decided to leave. The character made several brief returns in 1993, 1994, and 1997. In 2008, she returned for her father Frank Butcher's funeral, and on 20 June 2012 she returned for her sister Janine Butcher's wedding, departing on 29 June 2012.
Tiffany Butcher-Baker is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Maisie Smith. Tiffany is the daughter of established characters Bianca Jackson and Ricky Butcher, though originally she was believed to be Bianca's daughter with a man named Nathan Dean. Tiffany's surname was changed in the show's credits from Dean to Butcher, which has also been referenced in the show. Tiffany departed, alongside her half-brother Morgan Butcher and their mother Bianca, in September 2014. Tiffany made an unannounced brief return on 3 November 2016 when she and Morgan returned to Walford for Whitney Dean and Lee Carter's wedding.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
