‘The most frightening but amazing discovery’: EastEnders icon Shaun Williamson reveals he has a secret son after he fathered the child with a circus juggler more than 30 years ago
EastEnders icon Shaun Williamson has revealed that he has a secret son after he fathered the child with a circus juggler more than 30 years ago.
The Barry Evans star, 54, described how he received an email in 2013 by a 32-year-old man named Gary living in Northern Ireland who claimed to be his son.
The actor, who has a daughter Sophie, 22, and son Joseph, 20 with ex-wife Melanie Sacre, told how the revelation was ‘the most frightening but amazing discovery’.
Family: EastEnders icon Shaun Williamson, 54, has revealed that he has a secret son after he fathered the child with a circus juggler more than 30 years ago
Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, Shaun said: ‘When I found out I had another son, I was stunned. I was shaking when I went to meet him.’
The actor added: ‘He said he never thought in a million years that Barry from EastEnders could be his dad.’
The Celebrity Big Brother star told how he met Gary’s mother, who remains anonymous, when he was working as a barman in 1987 aged 22.
Past: The star ended the relationship as he took up a job as a Pontin’s Bluecoat before he was told by his ex-fianceé that she was pregnant
Shaun described how he was ‘blown away’ by the circus juggler and the pair went onto get engaged after six months despite having a ‘fiery relationship’.
The star ended the relationship as he took up a job as a Pontin’s Bluecoat before he was told by his ex-fianceé that she was pregnant.
However she later explained to her ex Shaun that her landlord’s son was in fact the father and his name would be on the birth certificate.
In 2013 the former postman received an email out-of-the-blue stating it was ‘Gary’ from his ‘circus days’.
The Extras star sent a paternity test to a centre in Canada which confirmed that he was his biological son with Shaun describing how it all ‘fell into place’.
Shaun met his long-lost son Gary in a hotel in Belfast and described how the pair ‘hit it off’ from the start.
He said: ‘It was a surreal experience. I could immediately see the similarity. We hit it off straight away.’
Bye Barry! Shaun became the eighth housemate to be evicted from the Celebrity Big Brother House in 2017
Shaun became a household name thanks to his role as Barry Evans on EastEnders from 1994 until 2004. His character was dramatically killed off by the evil Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks).
The actor has gone on to appear on the likes of current programme Mister Winner, Ricky Gervais’ Extras and Scoop.
While in 2017, he appeared on Celebrity Big Brother and joked as he entered the house that he would have ‘Barry from EastEnders’ written on his gravestone.
Iconic: Shaun became a household name thanks to his role as Barry Evans on EastEnders, his character was dramatically killed off (pictured) by the evil Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) in 2004 after ten years on the soap