Shaun Williamson, who left Albert Square in 2004, is set to return — and the reasons behind his comeback are heartbreaking.
Shaun Williamson has revealed why he is returning to EastEnders more than 20 years after leaving the soap. It has been confirmed that his iconic character, Barry Evans, will make a dramatic return to Albert Square next month.
Back in 2004, Shaun said goodbye to EastEnders after Barry was pushed off a cliff, seemingly killed by his scheming wife, Janine Butcher. Now, he is set to reappear as a guest in a special episode airing next month.
Shaun has shared the heartbreaking reason behind his comeback, explaining that his character will appear in a vision experienced by Nigel Bates, giving fans a poignant glimpse of Barry once again.
As Nigel’s dementia worsens, he is set to see “Barry” in one of his hallucinations. In an interview with The Sun, Shaun Williamson revealed that he has a deeply personal connection to the storyline, having lost his beloved mother, Irene, to the disease three years ago.
Reflecting on his decision to return, Shaun said: “It felt incredibly personal for me. My mum passed away after battling dementia; we lost her in 2022. That’s why I thought coming back was such a great idea, and why the story affected me so profoundly. I was shocked to be asked, but genuinely thrilled.”
Shaun watched as Irene courageously battled the condition, and he admitted that the pandemic made things particularly difficult, as she was forced indoors and cut off from social interaction. Despite the family’s efforts to support her, she suffered a fatal stroke at the age of 87, leaving them devastated.
“I wanted to raise awareness because in 30 to 40 years, dementia cases are predicted to have doubled,” Shaun said. “That’s a frightening thought.”
Shaun has long expressed that he would be open to returning to EastEnders in some capacity, despite his character having been fully killed off by BBC bosses. Initially, it was thought impossible, as Janine had Barry’s body cremated in Scotland, with his ashes later brought back by the legendary Pat Butcher.
While Shaun stressed that it wouldn’t be a “Dallas-style” resurrection, he was thrilled to have any role in the show, even after Barry’s death. He also teased how his final scenes will appear to viewers.
“It takes place in an empty pub, but in Nigel’s mind, it’s full of his old friends and there’s karaoke going on,” he recalled. “It’s beautifully written.”
The vision brings Barry, Pat, and Nigel’s ex-wife Debbie together to support Nigel as he battles his diagnosis, trying to live his life as fully as possible on his own. Shaun Williamson said it was a pleasure to reunite with his BBC co-stars, even if only for a single episode.
However, before filming, Shaun experienced an awkward moment when he couldn’t find the studios due to a newly installed entrance. He joked that he spent so long searching that he ended up late for his call time.
“But the moment I stepped onto the set of The Queen Vic, it was magical,” Shaun said. “It felt like I’d never been away.”
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