EastEnders actor Shaun Williamson has opened up about the profound personal significance behind his decision to return to the BBC soap as Barry Evans for a special episode centred on dementia.
A Deeply Personal Connection
The actor, who will briefly reprise his iconic character next month, revealed the storyline resonated powerfully due to his own experience caring for his mother, Irene, who died three years ago after living with dementia. Williamson told The Sun he was both 'shocked and thrilled' to be asked back to Walford after more than two decades.
'It felt incredibly personal for me,' he confessed. 'My mum passed away after getting dementia. We lost her in 2022. That's why I thought returning was such a great idea, and why the story hit me so deeply.'
He added that the pandemic made his mother's situation even more difficult due to the lack of social interaction. Despite the family's best efforts, she later suffered a stroke. 'We did everything we could as a family to support her, but she then suffered a stroke and we lost her. It was heartbreaking. She was 87,' Williamson shared.
The Special Episode's Plot
The unique episode will focus on the character Nigel Bates, whose dementia symptoms are deepening. This prompts him to imagine familiar faces from his past gathering inside the Queen Vic. In this one-off sequence, Barry Evans appears among friends and family as Nigel remembers them, rather than in their current-day realities.
This creative approach allowed producers to bring back Barry despite the character being killed off over two decades ago when his wife Janine pushed him off a cliff. The brief return also reunited Williamson with former co-stars including Pam St Clement, who played Pat Butcher, and Nicola Duffett, who played Debbie Bates.
Although Pat and Barry's relationship was fraught in the land of the living, they will put aside their differences to help Nigel in his time of need. The special episode, which will air in December, has been developed in close consultation with Dementia UK since its inception.
Raising Awareness and Looking Forward
Williamson expressed his hope that the soap's storyline will highlight the scale of the dementia issue facing society. 'I wanted to raise awareness because in 30 to 40 years' time it's predicted that dementia cases will have doubled. That's a frightening thought,' he stated.
Reflecting on his return to the Albert Square set, the actor admitted: 'It was a complete shock getting the call to go back to Albert Square, but so exciting! I have to admit to a few nerves (loads!) when I walked back onto the set of The Queen Victoria, but it was so great to work with old friends and colleagues on such a brilliant episode. Just goes to show, you never know what's around the corner!'
EastEnders Executive Producer Ben Wadey added his enthusiasm for the comeback: 'I'm delighted to welcome Shaun Williamson back to EastEnders for Nigel's special episode. Barry Evans was renowned for being one of Walford's unluckiest residents, most notably for his choice of shoes, and so it was a privilege to welcome him back alongside Pat for these special scenes in The Vic.'
Since leaving EastEnders in 2004, Williamson has built a diverse career across television, film, and stage, including roles in Extras and The Invention of Lying. He also launched the hugely successful Barrioke in 2019, a touring karaoke party. The actor is now preparing for pantomime season, where he will play the villain in Aladdin at The Kings Theatre, Portsmouth.
