EastEnders actor Shaun Williamson has made a dramatic return to the BBC soap after 21 years, revealing the deeply personal and heartbreaking motivation behind his comeback.
A Personal Connection to the Storyline
The actor, best known for playing Barry Evans, is reprising his role as part of Nigel Bates' dementia storyline, where viewers will see Nigel remembering moments from his past. Williamson confessed this plot hits particularly close to home after his own mother battled the same condition before her death in 2022.
He told The Sun: "It felt incredibly personal for me. 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."
The Emotional Journey Back to Walford
Williamson described feeling both "shocked" yet "thrilled" when BBC bosses approached him about returning to the show. His character's original exit remains one of EastEnders' most memorable moments - being pushed off a cliff by Janine Butcher in a shocking murder plot.
For years, fans questioned whether Barry could ever return given the nature of his death, with Janine having him cremated in Scotland. Williamson himself had always considered it "impossible" until this unique opportunity arose.
Despite initial nerves about stepping onto the legendary Queen Vic set after more than two decades, the actor said the moment he walked in, "it was as though no time had passed."
Raising Awareness and Honouring His Mother
Williamson opened up about his mother's struggle, emphasising how COVID-19 was especially difficult for her due to reduced social interaction. The family did everything they could to support her before she suffered a stroke and passed away at age 87.
The actor is now determined to use his platform to raise awareness about dementia, noting that cases are predicted to double within 30-40 years. He added: "I wanted to raise awareness because in 30 to 40 years' time it's predicted that dementia cases will have doubled."
Since leaving EastEnders, Williamson has kept busy with annual pantomime performances and appearances on celebrity quiz shows including The Chase and Celebrity Mastermind. He's also expressed interest in participating in I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and The Masked Singer, despite describing the potential experience as "horrendous."
