Shaun Williamson

A former student of the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, Shaun is widely known for his portrayal of the foolish, hapless Barry Evans in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a role that he played from 1994 to 2004. This was Shaun's second role in the hit soap; he previously had a brief role as a paramedic earlier in 1994. In 2009, he stated that he had no regrets about leaving the show.[1]

Shaun was the subject of This Is Your Life in 2001 when he was surprised by Michael Aspel whilst working on the set of EastEnders.[2]

Shaun finished third in the 2007 series of Comic Relief does Fame Academy.

Other television roles have included parts in the detective series Inspector Morse, the ITV drama London's Burning, the BBC sitcom Waiting for God, and famously, the Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant comedy Extras as a heightened version of himself.

Shaun competed in Celebrity Big Brother 20, and became the eighth housemate to be evicted, on day 23.

Most recently, in 2020, Shaun appeared as recurring character Chris Smith, future father-in-law to the titular character played by Spencer Jones in the BBC Two sitcom, Mister Winner. He reprised the role from the pilot which had previously been broadcast in 2017 on BBC One.[3]

Stage roles have included Monty the DJ in the West End run and UK tour of Saturday Night Fever, and appearing at Canterbury's Marlowe Theatre from December 2003 to January 2004 in a pantomime production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, alongside Toyah Willcox.[4] In 2006 he starred in the pantomime Dick Whittington at The Playhouse in Weston-super-Mare. He returned to the Marlowe Theatre from December 2007 to January 2008, in Aladdin, alongside Stephen Mulhern. During 2008 he played Nathan Detroit in the touring production of Guys and Dolls, having already appeared in the part in the West End. In 2008–2009, he was again appearing in Aladdin, this time at the Wyvern Theatre, Swindon. In May 2006, Williamson played the lead in the play Road to Nirvana at The King's Head Theatre London and in October 2006, appeared in a sketch as part of the charity benefit The Secret Policeman's Ball which was staged at the Royal Albert Hall.[5]

In 2009, Williamson toured the UK playing habitual criminal Norman Stanley Fletcher in a stage version of the classic TV comedy Porridge. The script had been newly written by the series' co-authors, Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais.[6]

In 2012, he toured in a stage revival of the Ealing Studios film The Ladykillers.

He also played the roles of Baron Bomburst and Lord Scrumptious in the UK tour production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.[7]

In 2018, Williamson wrote a BBC radio drama series titled Eden's End, set in the Kent hop picking season of 1939. The series starred Shane Taylor (Band of Brothers), Steve Nallon (Spitting Image) and Candis Nergaard (Call the Midwife). The murder mystery series was directed by award-winning director Samuel Supple and produced by Violafilms.

He was a guest on the Radio 4 programme Saturday Live on Saturday 3 October 2020 when he spoke with the hosts of the show, Richard Coles and Suzy Klein about his life and career.

In January 2021 he also appeared on the podcast “Wrong Term Memory” with Jack Shaw and Colin McMillan discussing his new book, his year of intense quizzing and the highlights of his career overall.