Ever So ‘Umble

‘SHAUN Williamson, known to millions as fat loser Barry on EastEnders, used to be a regular on Channel 5’s karaoke show, Night Train.

At least Shaun’s still got his looks

(Other regulars included Suggs, Will Mellor and a monkey.)

Our Shaun fancies himself as a bit of a singer and can’t resist any opportunity to belt out a tune, even on a show whose audience was measured in fractions.

That is just one of the reasons why Shaun is philosophical about the future, now he is no longer with EastEnders.

”I’m just lucky that I’m a singer and stand-up comedian and after-dinner speaker,” he says, ”so I’m confident I’ll always be able to pay my mortgage.”

But it’s not just Shaun’s many talents that will keep him going in the months and years to come, it is his immense ability for self-deception.

After telling us that he is ”very humble” and is just a normal bloke ”who walks his dogs across the field and puts his kids to bed”, EastEnders’ very own Uriah Heap tells of his plans for the future.

”Years ago, before I became an actor, a friend of my mum’s went to a fortune teller who told her,, ‘You have a friend called Irene’ – that’s my mum – ‘and she has a son called Shaun, and he’s going to be very famous one day,” he explains.

”When I got EastEnders in 1994, I realised that this might be it. And then I thought ‘Hold on, I hope this isn’t just it. I hope I’m not just remembered for being a soap actor’.”

Don’t worry on that account, Shaun. The chances are that you won’t be remembered at all…

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Posted: 28th, May 2003 | In: Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink