EastEnders legend Shaun Williamson has discovered he has a secret 32-year-old son.
The actor played Barry Evans on the BBC soap between 1994 and 2004.
Shaun, who also has daughter Sophie and son Joe with ex-wife Melanie Sacre, has told how he found out he also has a son from a six-month fling in the ’80s.
“When I found out I had another son, I was stunned,” the actor said to The Sun on Sunday.
“I was shaking when I went to meet him. We shook hands, drank together, had some food, played pool and then had a big hug at the end of the night.
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“He’s got the same droopy eye as me when he gets tired or drunk. He’s part of my family now.”
Shaun opens up about meeting his son in his new book A Matter Of Facts.
He tells how he met his ex, Gary’s mother, in a pub but their relationship failed to work and they split after six months.
She told him she was pregnant but that her new partner was being named as the father.
EastEnders’ Shaun Williamson gets bombshell email from secret son
However, in 2013 Shaun received an email informing him he was a father.
“My first reaction was one of terror,” said Shaun.
“It was like something from deep in my past had caught up with me. When we emailed and spoke, I was racked with all emotions, guilt, insecurity. He said ‘Hi, my name’s Gary, I’m in Northern Ireland. I’ve been told you’re my dad’.”
Shaun flew to Belfast to meet his son and the pair have now developed a close relationship.
“I could immediately see the similarity,” Shaun wrote.
“We hit it off straight away. Gary had brought an envelope of pictures, from school ones to his attempts in the circus.
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“He said he understood, saying the last thing he would’ve wanted at 22 was a baby. In the coming weeks I invited him to meet my family.
“We now see him four or five times a year. He gets on so well with Joe and Sophie. And he’s moved to England now to be closer. He’s a lovely lad, great fun and very funny.
“It’s quite amazing. He said he never thought in a million years that Barry from EastEnders could be his dad.”
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