Geoff Barnes
Encyclopedia
Geoff Barnes is a fictional character
from the BBC
soap opera
EastEnders
, played by David Roper
.
Geoff was introduced as a love interest for the long running character, Michelle Fowler
, in 1994. He was much older than Michelle, and their age difference caused most of the major problems in their relationship. They planned to marry, but in the end Geoff realised that Michelle didn't really love him. He ended the relationship and moved to Scotland in April 1995, but returned in September as part of Michelle’s exit storyline. His last appearance was in October 1995.
Geoff was nearly 30 years older than Michelle. The age difference was initially a concern for Geoff, but Michelle was not perturbed. She continued seeing him despite objections from her father, Arthur
, who grew increasingly antagonized by Geoff’s presence. Arthur felt that his paternal role towards Michelle and her daughter Vicki
was being superseded by Geoff, and he resented him because of this.
Geoff was divorced and had three grown children, including a daughter named Felicity. Felicity turned out to be an obnoxious snob and there was a clear class divide between her and Michelle. Felicity frequently goaded Michelle about her past and for dating a middle-aged man. There was an underlying hostility every time they met.
Later in the year, Geoff supported Pat Butcher
through a troublesome period, and subsequently became the object of her affections. Out of sympathy, Geoff took an interest in Pat's affairs, and even persuaded her to take an evening course in business studies. Pat soon began to think that Geoff was interested in her sexually, but Geoff seemed oblivious to her advances. Gossip began to spread about the nature of their relationship and at this time Geoff decided to let Pat down gently. However, he was beaten to it by Pat who sensed the on-coming rejection and announced − to Geoff's surprise − that they should no longer see each other socially.
In 1995, Geoff was offered a new job in Scotland. He asked Michelle to marry him, hoping that she and Vicki would join him there. Michelle was hesitant and Arthur reacted with fury − denouncing their relationship as “unnatural”. However, Arthur’s extreme opposition only encouraged Michelle to go against his wishes. Although Michelle claimed to love Geoff, she worried that their relationship lacked passion. After weeks of contemplation, she was finally persuaded to accept by her arch nemesis Grant Mitchell
, who goaded her about her boring life in Walford. Geoff − who had already prepared himself for rejection − was stunned and thrilled when she agreed to marry him.
In April, Geoff and Michelle travelled to Scotland to view their new home. Michelle did not seem particularly happy, which Geoff picked up on. Michelle's mother, Pauline
, unwittingly made the situation worse when she praised Geoff for being safe and secure, unlike Michelle's other boyfriends. He began to realize that Michelle found him dull and boring. After a bout of heavy contemplation, he told Michelle that getting married would be a mistake, because she did not love him enough. Michelle argued that affection and respect were more important than passionate love, but Geoff refused to allow her to waste her life on a loveless marriage. They parted company and Geoff remained in Scotland.
He returned to Walford unexpectedly in September, to see if Michelle was interested in taking a job as a research assistant in America with one of his colleagues. Geoff admitted that he still loved Michelle. They spent the night together and talked about reconciling. Michelle remained unsure and told him that she needed time to think it over. She eventually opted against reconciliation with Geoff and took the job in America instead. Geoff left Walford with a broken heart in October 1995; Michelle left Walford shortly after, having fallen pregnant with Grant Mitchell’s child.
The character was introduced in May 1994 under executive and series producers Leonard Lewis
and Barbara Emile
. Yorkshire
born actor, David Roper
, was cast in the role. Unlike the majority of the other regular characters, Geoff did not live in Walford
, but in North London
.
Geoff formed a friendship with Michelle while assisting her with her University work and this later developed into a romance—a plotline that has been compared to the 1983 film Educating Rita
. Michelle was a character who had a history of falling for older men and writer Colin Brake
has commented on her relationship with Geoff in the book, EastEnders: The First Ten Years
(published in 1994): “For the first time since Den [Watts
], Michelle found herself attracted to a much older man. After years of disastrous relationships with men, who can say if she has made the right choice this time?”
Michelle’s relationship with Geoff proved to be one of her most enduring. They remained an on-screen couple for roughly 12 months. Storylines mainly focused on the characters class and age differences. Geoff's age was 53 at the time of his introduction, several years older than Michelle's father, Arthur
. Geoff deviated considerably from all of Michelle’s former partners. He was portrayed as mature, dependable and secure. In an episode that aired in April 1995, Michelle’s mother Pauline comments that Geoff is “safe and secure” and a “steadying influence” on Michelle. She adds that Michelle “needs someone like him” as she has had “the most unsuitable boyfriends all her life” and she ought to settle down. Ultimately however, these traits in Geoff were the reason for the destruction of the relationship. Michelle frequently commented that the relationship lacked “passion” and although they planned to marry, Geoff realized that Michelle did not love him and “nobly” finished with her.
Geoff remained a regular character for a year, and was eventually written out in April 1995, following his split from Michelle. The character returned for brief stints in September and October 1995, to aid the departure of Susan Tully
, who left EastEnders after nearly eleven years playing Michelle.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
, played by David Roper
David Roper
David Roper is a British actor, best known for his roles in the sitcoms The Cuckoo Waltz and Leave it to Charlie....
.
Geoff was introduced as a love interest for the long running character, Michelle Fowler
Michelle Fowler
Michelle Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by actress Susan Tully.Although she was one of the brighter people in Walford, that didn't stop Michelle making some huge mistakes during her time in Albert Square...
, in 1994. He was much older than Michelle, and their age difference caused most of the major problems in their relationship. They planned to marry, but in the end Geoff realised that Michelle didn't really love him. He ended the relationship and moved to Scotland in April 1995, but returned in September as part of Michelle’s exit storyline. His last appearance was in October 1995.
Storylines
Yorkshire born Geoff was Michelle Fowler's personal tutor at University. When Michelle began performing badly during her final year, Geoff helped her get back on track. They became friends, which soon developed into a romance.Geoff was nearly 30 years older than Michelle. The age difference was initially a concern for Geoff, but Michelle was not perturbed. She continued seeing him despite objections from her father, Arthur
Arthur Fowler
Arthur George Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Bill Treacher.The father of the Fowler family, Arthur was essentially a good man, but he made some foolish choices and he always ended up paying dearly for them, also being bossed to the brink of insanity by...
, who grew increasingly antagonized by Geoff’s presence. Arthur felt that his paternal role towards Michelle and her daughter Vicki
Vicki Fowler
Victoria Louise "Vicki" Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Emma Herry from the character's birth in 1986 to 1988, Samantha Leigh Martin from 1988 to 1995, and Scarlett Johnson from 2003 to 2004. The character was born in the serial, conceived in a...
was being superseded by Geoff, and he resented him because of this.
Geoff was divorced and had three grown children, including a daughter named Felicity. Felicity turned out to be an obnoxious snob and there was a clear class divide between her and Michelle. Felicity frequently goaded Michelle about her past and for dating a middle-aged man. There was an underlying hostility every time they met.
Later in the year, Geoff supported Pat Butcher
Pat Evans
Patricia Louise "Pat" Evans is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders. She has been played by Pam St. Clement since 12 June 1986, just over a year after the show first aired...
through a troublesome period, and subsequently became the object of her affections. Out of sympathy, Geoff took an interest in Pat's affairs, and even persuaded her to take an evening course in business studies. Pat soon began to think that Geoff was interested in her sexually, but Geoff seemed oblivious to her advances. Gossip began to spread about the nature of their relationship and at this time Geoff decided to let Pat down gently. However, he was beaten to it by Pat who sensed the on-coming rejection and announced − to Geoff's surprise − that they should no longer see each other socially.
In 1995, Geoff was offered a new job in Scotland. He asked Michelle to marry him, hoping that she and Vicki would join him there. Michelle was hesitant and Arthur reacted with fury − denouncing their relationship as “unnatural”. However, Arthur’s extreme opposition only encouraged Michelle to go against his wishes. Although Michelle claimed to love Geoff, she worried that their relationship lacked passion. After weeks of contemplation, she was finally persuaded to accept by her arch nemesis Grant Mitchell
Grant Mitchell (EastEnders)
Grant Anthony Mitchell is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders, played by Ross Kemp. Grant first appeared in 1990, introduced by producer Michael Ferguson to revamp the show. Kemp remained until 1999 when he opted to leave...
, who goaded her about her boring life in Walford. Geoff − who had already prepared himself for rejection − was stunned and thrilled when she agreed to marry him.
In April, Geoff and Michelle travelled to Scotland to view their new home. Michelle did not seem particularly happy, which Geoff picked up on. Michelle's mother, Pauline
Pauline Fowler
Pauline Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, a long-running serial drama about working class life in the fictional London borough of Walford. She was played by actress Wendy Richard between 1985 and 2006. Pauline was created by scriptwriter Tony Holland and producer...
, unwittingly made the situation worse when she praised Geoff for being safe and secure, unlike Michelle's other boyfriends. He began to realize that Michelle found him dull and boring. After a bout of heavy contemplation, he told Michelle that getting married would be a mistake, because she did not love him enough. Michelle argued that affection and respect were more important than passionate love, but Geoff refused to allow her to waste her life on a loveless marriage. They parted company and Geoff remained in Scotland.
He returned to Walford unexpectedly in September, to see if Michelle was interested in taking a job as a research assistant in America with one of his colleagues. Geoff admitted that he still loved Michelle. They spent the night together and talked about reconciling. Michelle remained unsure and told him that she needed time to think it over. She eventually opted against reconciliation with Geoff and took the job in America instead. Geoff left Walford with a broken heart in October 1995; Michelle left Walford shortly after, having fallen pregnant with Grant Mitchell’s child.
Character creation and development
1994 was a "historic" year for EastEnders, as in April a third weekly episode was introduced. Due to the program’s increased frequency, a number of new characters were introduced to the regular cast. Among them was Geoff Barnes, a middle-aged lecturer at the University Michelle attended.The character was introduced in May 1994 under executive and series producers Leonard Lewis
Leonard Lewis
Leonard Jack Lewis was a British producer and director. He was most active in television. He was the Executive/Series Producer for BBC's EastEnders during the early 1990s, though he had success with many other television programmes for both the BBC and ITV...
and Barbara Emile
Barbara Emile
Barbara Emile is a British television producer. Emile contributed to the BBC soap opera EastEnders for several years. She first started working on the serial as script editor underneath producer Leonard Lewis, and she began producing the programme in 1992. Following the departure of Lewis in 1994,...
. Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
born actor, David Roper
David Roper
David Roper is a British actor, best known for his roles in the sitcoms The Cuckoo Waltz and Leave it to Charlie....
, was cast in the role. Unlike the majority of the other regular characters, Geoff did not live in Walford
Walford
Walford is a fictional borough of east London in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. The name Walford is both a street in Dalston where one of the series' creators, Tony Holland, lived and a blend of Walthamstow, where Holland was born, and Stratford. The suffix 'ford' is also found throughout East...
, but in North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
.
Geoff formed a friendship with Michelle while assisting her with her University work and this later developed into a romance—a plotline that has been compared to the 1983 film Educating Rita
Educating Rita (film)
Educating Rita is a 1983 film of Willy Russell's play of the same title directed by Lewis Gilbert and stars Julie Walters, Michael Caine, and Maureen Lipman with a screenplay by Russell.-Premise:...
. Michelle was a character who had a history of falling for older men and writer Colin Brake
Colin Brake
Colin Brake is an English television writer and script editor best known for his work for the BBC on programs such as Bugs and EastEnders. He has also written spin-offs from the BBC series Doctor Who...
has commented on her relationship with Geoff in the book, EastEnders: The First Ten Years
EastEnders books
This is a list of books about or relating to the British soap opera EastEnders.-Non-fiction books:* EastEnders: The Inside Story* Public Secrets: EastEnders and its Audience* EastEnders Special...
(published in 1994): “For the first time since Den [Watts
Den Watts
Dennis Alan "Den" Watts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by actor Leslie Grantham. He became well known for his tabloid nickname, "Dirty Den"....
], Michelle found herself attracted to a much older man. After years of disastrous relationships with men, who can say if she has made the right choice this time?”
Michelle’s relationship with Geoff proved to be one of her most enduring. They remained an on-screen couple for roughly 12 months. Storylines mainly focused on the characters class and age differences. Geoff's age was 53 at the time of his introduction, several years older than Michelle's father, Arthur
Arthur Fowler
Arthur George Fowler is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Bill Treacher.The father of the Fowler family, Arthur was essentially a good man, but he made some foolish choices and he always ended up paying dearly for them, also being bossed to the brink of insanity by...
. Geoff deviated considerably from all of Michelle’s former partners. He was portrayed as mature, dependable and secure. In an episode that aired in April 1995, Michelle’s mother Pauline comments that Geoff is “safe and secure” and a “steadying influence” on Michelle. She adds that Michelle “needs someone like him” as she has had “the most unsuitable boyfriends all her life” and she ought to settle down. Ultimately however, these traits in Geoff were the reason for the destruction of the relationship. Michelle frequently commented that the relationship lacked “passion” and although they planned to marry, Geoff realized that Michelle did not love him and “nobly” finished with her.
Geoff remained a regular character for a year, and was eventually written out in April 1995, following his split from Michelle. The character returned for brief stints in September and October 1995, to aid the departure of Susan Tully
Susan Tully
Susan Tully is an English television producer, director and former actress.Her most prominent television roles to date have been those of single mother Michelle Fowler in the BBC soap opera EastEnders and her pivotal part in early Grange Hill...
, who left EastEnders after nearly eleven years playing Michelle.