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Peter Barlow (Coronation Street)
Encyclopedia
Peter Francis Barlow is a fictional character
in the UK television ITV
soap opera
Coronation Street
. The character first appeared onscreen during the episode aired on 15 April 1965. Currently portrayed by Chris Gascoyne, who has portrayed the character in episodes since 2000, the character has been previously portrayed by five different actors.
Peter is the son of Ken
(William Roache
) and Valerie Barlow (Anne Reid
) and father of Simon
(Alex Bain). He is the current owner of Barlow's Bookies on Rosamund Street and husband of Leanne Battersby
(Jane Danson
). Peter is born in 1965. He and his twin sister Susan
are raised by Ken and Val until Val's death in 1971. In 1980, Peter joins the Royal Navy
and serves with them until 2000. He marries Jessica Midgeley in 1990 but they separate and later divorce in 2000 after she is unfaithful. After being discharged from the Navy, Peter returns to his native Weatherfield and begins to build a life there, buying the Bookies in Rosamund Street and getting engaged to Shelley Unwin
(Sally Lindsay
). While still with Shelley, Peter becomes involved with Lucy Richards (Katy Carmichael
) and marries her after finding out she was pregnant with his baby, but he still married an oblivious Shelley and lived a double life until his wives found out. Lucy move to Australia with Peter's son Simon, and with his life in ruins, Peter moves to Portsmouth.
Peter returns to Weatherfield in 2008 when Lucy dies and leaves Peter all her money in her will, on the condition that he brings up Simon. Peter again buys the Bookies but finds the pressures of fatherhood overwhelming, and eventually turns to drink, but quits after burning down his flat and nearly killing Simon. He begins a relationship with assistant Leanne and they get engaged in 2010. Peter has to fight for custody of Simon when Lucy's affluent father George Wilson (Anthony Valentine) see Peter as a destructive influence on the boy after witnessing Peter fall off the wagon. Peter's relationship with Ken has often been difficult due to Peter's resentment of Ken for never being there for him when he was a youth, and due to their having little in common.
. When Valerie is getting ready for the party, she is electrocuted and killed by a faulty hairdryer. Ken finds it too hard to raise the twins by himself and so sends them to Glasgow to live with Valerie's parents. Peter is unable to make it to Ken's wedding to Deirdre (Anne Kirkbride
) in 1981 as he is at sea having joined the Navy. In 1986 Peter returns for Susan's wedding to Mike Baldwin (Johnny Briggs
). As Ken is refusing to go to the wedding, Peter makes an emotional appeal to his father saying that at 21 years old he and Susan had barely seen their father in the last 15 years and that he always assumed that given half a chance Ken would step up when his children needed him and he was able to help them. Ken reconsiders and attends the wedding.
Peter returns in December 2000. In early 2001, Peter accidentally lets slip that Susan has a teenage son, Adam Barlow by Mike Baldwin whom she'd told Mike she'd aborted. When Deirdre finds out, she tells her ex-flame Dev Alahan
(Jimmi Harkishin
), who tells Mike. Susan (Joanna Foster
), who has been visiting Ken at the time, tries to flee when Mike threatens her with legal action, and she is killed in a car accident. Peter is devastated and blames himself as well as Deirdre for Susan's death. Peter then gets a job at the local bookies, stealing money from the dodgy owner and making it look like a break-in. He begins dating barmaid Shelley Unwin but when Peter's old Navy friend Ciaran McCarthy
(Keith Duffy
) comes to visit, he makes a pass at Shelley. Peter believes Ciaran's side of the story and Shelley moves out, though the couple later get back together.
Peter later meets florist Lucy Richards when he is buying flowers for Shelley. Instantly attracted to her, an affair begins. Lucy, unknown to Peter, hires his stepsister Tracy Barlow
(Kate Ford
) to cover her maternity leave. When Tracy tells Peter her employer is pregnant, Peter realises that he is the child's father. Peter marries Lucy while engaged to Shelley, promising Lucy it is over with the Rovers' landlady; however, Lucy kicks him out when she discovers the truth. Lucy gives birth to her son Simon
in early July 2003 but doesn't want Peter involved. Peter is torn between his son and Shelley. Peter and Shelley are married in a big church wedding. The final showdown comes in the Rovers' with Shelley meeting Lucy, who shows her the wedding photos. When Shelley finds out the truth, she punches Peter in the middle of the packed pub.
Lucy tricks him into thinking they have a future together, but announces she is moving to Australia
with Simon. Peter resigns himself to never knowing his son and leaves the Street soon after.
On January 8, 2007 Peter returns to Weatherfield after Ken has contacted him regarding Tracy's tempestuous relationship with her boyfriend, Charlie Stubbs (Bill Ward
). Only hours after his return, he is viciously attacked by Stubbs who thinks that Peter has just slept with Tracy. Tracy later kills Charlie, supposedly in self defence, and he decides to stay on when she is charged with murder to see her court case. He also has a brief dalliance with Maria Sutherland (Samia Smith
), who had been involved with Charlie. However, once Tracy is convicted and sentenced to fifteen years in prison, Peter leaves Weatherfield again, taking his nephew Adam (Sam Robertson
) with him to go and open a bookmakers in Portsmouth
.
). Peter returns to Weatherfield with Simon, seeking help from Ken and Deirdre. Ken suspects that Peter plans to ditch Simon and leave, but Peter learns he will inherit Lucy's estate, so he buys the local bookmakers, renaming it Barlow Bookies. Peter becomes attracted to Leanne Battersby
(Jane Danson
) but she is at first non-committal as she suspects he has a drink problem. Eventually, Leanne agrees to go out with Peter but they have had no more than a handful of dates when Peter has to go back to Portsmouth on business and while he is away his drink problems come to a head and he ends up in rehab. When he returns, Leanne learns he had a fling with another woman while he was away. She dumps him and leaves Weatherfield. Peter's drink problem remains far from under control until he passes out drunk and accidentally sets fire to the flat while Simon is asleep in bed. Tony Gordon
(Gray O'Brien
) and Luke Strong
(Craig Kelly
) rescue them, and Peter finally faces the fact that he is an alcoholic, giving up booze and attending a support group. He takes Michelle Connor
(Kym Marsh
) on a date, but they decide it will not work. Leanne returns and she and Peter get back together. They decide to open up a bar but Ken is hesitant because of Peter's drinking, but Lucy's father George, offers to fund the project.
The bar never opens because Peter falls off the wagon and goes back into rehab, and while he is away, George applies for full custody of Simon. George and his wife Eve take Simon to Blackpool but the little boy runs away from them. Peter frantically searches for him, but Simon arrives home by himself, unharmed, and George gives up his claim for custody. Peter and Leanne get engaged, but Peter feels threatened by the return of Leanne's ex-husband Nick Tilsley
(Ben Price
) until Leanne convinces him that Nick is simply a friend now. Nick decides to re-open the bar and offers Leanne a job managing it and since Peter believes that it will make Leanne happy he persuades her to take the job. Peter starts to mentor Leanne's friend Carla Connor
(Alison King
) when he realises she has a drink problem, but is annoyed when she tries to seduce him. Peter celebrates his stag party in his former bar, The Joinery, on 6 December 2010, but the bar explodes due to a problem with the gas and a tram is derailed by the explosion. The bar is destroyed and Peter is stuck in the rubble with Ashley Peacock
(Steven Arnold
) and Nick. Peter is crushed and Nick and Ashley help him out. Ashley sacrifices his life to help Peter escape the rubble. Peter is rushed to hospital with crush injuries to the legs and trauma to the lower back and chest, and suffers from a cardiac tamponade
. Very aware that he is unlikely to survive, he marries Leanne at his bedside but goes into cardiac arrest
moments after the ceremony concludes. He survives but has a long road of recovery ahead. He leaves hospital in a wheel chair and moves in with his dad for a couple of weeks while unable to manage the stairs at the flat. Towards the end of December 2010, he and Leanne go on their honeymoon.
Upon returning from their honeymoon, Nick, jealously wanting Leanne back, convinces Peter to start drinking again, but he gives up again for Simon's sake. Leanne and Peter decide to renew their vows but Peter is devastated when he learns that Leanne has had an affair with Nick. Peter uses the blessing to announce that he knows about the affair and tells Leanne he wants a divorce. Peter gets revenge on Nick by scaring him in the ruins of the Joinery before reconciling with Leanne. Peter, Leanne and Simon go on holiday to celebrate their reunion. On their return, Peter returns to work at the bookmakers, although he is still walking with a crutch. In April, he is finally seen fully recovered from the accident.
In June 2011, Peter becomes friendly with Carla again, but this causes Leanne to become extremely insecure and leads to several arguments. The new manageress at The Rovers, Stella Price
(Michelle Collins
), saves Leanne from an armed robber when she is alone in the shop while Peter collects Simon. To express gratitude, Peter and Leanne invite Stella around for dinner, but during the evening Stella steals a picture of Leanne from the flat. Peter finds the picture in Stella's purse, which she accidentally leaves in the bookies, and confronts her about it - whereupon she confesses to him that she is Leanne's biological mother. During Leanne's 30th birthday party at the Rovers, Stella reveals the truth to Leanne, who is furious with her mother for abandoning her as a baby - and with Peter for not telling her as soon as he found out.
In July 2011, a pregnancy test confirms that Leanne and Peter are going to have a baby. Leanne is overjoyed, but although Peter also seems happy on the surface, he admits to Ken that he isn't sure they are ready. While Peter and Leanne celebrate in the Rovers, Carla Connor
(Alison King
) overhears Deirdre and Ken congratulating them and later pushes Peter into confirming her guess that Leanne must be pregnant. Leanne is furious when she realises Carla knows about her pregnancy, all the more so when Carla drops hints to Simon about it. She confronts Peter, and they have a heated row which ends with Leanne hurling quite vicious insults at Peter about his alcoholism. Rather than respond, he storms out of the flat. Feeling guilty, Leanne runs after him, but trips and falls down the stairs, where she is later found by Stella, who raises the alarm. At the hospital, a doctor confirms that Leanne has suffered a miscarriage. Peter feels guilty about the stress Leanne has been under lately and feels he may have jinxed the pregnancy with his reservations. When Leanne realises that Peter had doubts about the pregnancy, she assumes it means that he hasn't fully forgiven her for the affair with Nick and orders him to leave. Carla finds Peter in a highly agitated state and takes advantage of his vulnerability to try to seduce him again - he almost succumbs, but at the last minute pushes her away. After talking things through with Ken, Peter returns to the hospital and tells Leanne that he wants them to try for another baby when she is recovered.
and Julie Goodyear
kissing and tickling me because they thought I was cute. Most of the actors were nice, but some weren't. Violet Carson
, who played Ena Sharples
, was very grumpy. She didn't like children and really scared me." On-screen Peter and his sister Susan were written out of the soap to live with their grandparents when their mother Valerie Barlow was killed off.
One of the six actors who has portrayed the character is Linus Roache
, the real-life son of William Roache
who portrays Peter's father, Ken Barlow in the show. Linus returned to the show in 2010, playing Lawrence Cunningham, another son of Ken Barlow.
, he stated; "He's been trying against the odds to sort his life out, but he can't. And when it doesn't work and it all goes wrong for him, he has a drink. There are hurdles in his way all the time. He's stubborn and resents people telling him what to do. He'll listen to advice, but he won't take any notice if he thinks the person giving it isn't in a place to do so. That happens a lot with Ken."
Extracts from an interview with ITV
actor Chris Gascoyne made certain statements about his character's personality and fatherhood stating: "Drink is becoming an issue and his self-esteem is low. He can’t see a way out and he can’t imagine doing this for the rest of his life (fatherhood)." During the storyline he described his character as being seen as a coward. Going on to say: "He has the potential to be a very good dad but at the minute he feels like everything is conspiring against him and he hasn’t got the confidence or the self-esteem to cope."
In February 2011, Gascoyne was nominated for Best Actor at the 2011 All About Soap Bubbles Awards for his portrayal of Peter. He was nominated in the category of "Best Actor" at the 2011 British Soap Awards
.
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...
in the UK television ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
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,...
Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
. The character first appeared onscreen during the episode aired on 15 April 1965. Currently portrayed by Chris Gascoyne, who has portrayed the character in episodes since 2000, the character has been previously portrayed by five different actors.
Peter is the son of Ken
Ken Barlow
Kenneth "Ken" Barlow is a long-standing fictional character from the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by William Roache, and created by Tony Warren. He is currently the world's longest-serving soap opera character, having appeared continuously from the programme's inception in December...
(William Roache
William Roache
William Patrick Harry Roache MBE is a British actor, best known for his role as Ken Barlow in the soap opera Coronation Street...
) and Valerie Barlow (Anne Reid
Anne Reid
Anne Reid, MBE is a BAFTA Award-nominated English film and television actress from Newcastle upon Tyne, best known for her roles as Valerie Tatlock in Coronation Street and Jean in dinnerladies....
) and father of Simon
Simon Barlow
Simon Barlow is a fictional character from the British soap opera Coronation Street, and has been played by Alex Bain since 2008. The character was played by twins Jake and Oscar Hartley on his birth in 2003.-Character development:...
(Alex Bain). He is the current owner of Barlow's Bookies on Rosamund Street and husband of Leanne Battersby
Leanne Battersby
Leanne Anika Barlow is a fictional character on the soap opera Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Jane Danson, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 4 July 1997....
(Jane Danson
Jane Danson
Jane Danson is an English actress, most famous for playing the role of Leanne Battersby in Coronation Street.-Acting:...
). Peter is born in 1965. He and his twin sister Susan
Susan Barlow
Susan Ida Barlow , is a fictional character in the British soap opera Coronation Street. She has been portrayed by four actresses. Wendy Jane Walker played her from 1970 to 1971 and Suzy Patterson from 1979 to 1981...
are raised by Ken and Val until Val's death in 1971. In 1980, Peter joins the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and serves with them until 2000. He marries Jessica Midgeley in 1990 but they separate and later divorce in 2000 after she is unfaithful. After being discharged from the Navy, Peter returns to his native Weatherfield and begins to build a life there, buying the Bookies in Rosamund Street and getting engaged to Shelley Unwin
Shelley Unwin
Shelley Victoria Unwin is a fictional character who appeared in ITV's British soap opera Coronation Street. She is the daughter of Bev Unwin and the late Charlie Unwin...
(Sally Lindsay
Sally Lindsay
Sally Lindsay is an English actress best known for playing the role of Shelley Unwin in the long-running ITV1 Soap opera Coronation Street...
). While still with Shelley, Peter becomes involved with Lucy Richards (Katy Carmichael
Katy Carmichael
Katy Carmichael is an English actress and a professional entertainer. She has been on stage many times in Liverpool, but is most notably recognised for her role of Lucy Barlow/Richards in the ITV soap Coronation Street, Twist Morgan in the Channel 4 sitcom Spaced and Melissa Ryan in Waterloo...
) and marries her after finding out she was pregnant with his baby, but he still married an oblivious Shelley and lived a double life until his wives found out. Lucy move to Australia with Peter's son Simon, and with his life in ruins, Peter moves to Portsmouth.
Peter returns to Weatherfield in 2008 when Lucy dies and leaves Peter all her money in her will, on the condition that he brings up Simon. Peter again buys the Bookies but finds the pressures of fatherhood overwhelming, and eventually turns to drink, but quits after burning down his flat and nearly killing Simon. He begins a relationship with assistant Leanne and they get engaged in 2010. Peter has to fight for custody of Simon when Lucy's affluent father George Wilson (Anthony Valentine) see Peter as a destructive influence on the boy after witnessing Peter fall off the wagon. Peter's relationship with Ken has often been difficult due to Peter's resentment of Ken for never being there for him when he was a youth, and due to their having little in common.
1965–2007
Peter and his twin sister Susan are born to Ken and Valerie Barlow on 15 April 1965. They are the first ever twins in Coronation Street. Their names are decided the next day and they come home on 26 April 1965. When Peter and Susan are six years old, Ken and Valerie plan to move to Jamaica because Ken has been offered a teaching post there. On 27 January 1971, the residents of Coronation Street organise a going-away party for them in the Rovers Return InnRovers Return Inn
The Rovers Return Inn is a fictional public house on the long-running British soap opera Coronation Street. The Rovers Return occupies the corner of Coronation Street and Rosamund Street. Since the first episode it has been the principal setting in the show and many of its most memorable moments...
. When Valerie is getting ready for the party, she is electrocuted and killed by a faulty hairdryer. Ken finds it too hard to raise the twins by himself and so sends them to Glasgow to live with Valerie's parents. Peter is unable to make it to Ken's wedding to Deirdre (Anne Kirkbride
Anne Kirkbride
Anne Kirkbride is an English actress, best known for her long-running role as Deirdre Barlow in Coronation Street which she has played for thirty-nine years.-Coronation Street:...
) in 1981 as he is at sea having joined the Navy. In 1986 Peter returns for Susan's wedding to Mike Baldwin (Johnny Briggs
Johnny Briggs (actor)
Johnny Briggs, MBE is an English actor. He is best known for his role as Mike Baldwin in the soap opera Coronation Street, in which he appeared from 1976 to 2006...
). As Ken is refusing to go to the wedding, Peter makes an emotional appeal to his father saying that at 21 years old he and Susan had barely seen their father in the last 15 years and that he always assumed that given half a chance Ken would step up when his children needed him and he was able to help them. Ken reconsiders and attends the wedding.
Peter returns in December 2000. In early 2001, Peter accidentally lets slip that Susan has a teenage son, Adam Barlow by Mike Baldwin whom she'd told Mike she'd aborted. When Deirdre finds out, she tells her ex-flame Dev Alahan
Dev Alahan
Devendra 'Dev' Alahan is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Jimmi Harkishin, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 10 November 1999.-Character development:...
(Jimmi Harkishin
Jimmi Harkishin
James "Jimmi" Harkishin is an actor best known for his role as shop owner Dev Alahan in Coronation Street. He also featured in the film East is East and also Bhaji on the Beach....
), who tells Mike. Susan (Joanna Foster
Joanna Foster
Joanna Foster is a British actress. She is the daughter of the late actor Barry Foster and the sister of the actress Miranda Foster.She was the third actress to portray the role of Susan Barlow in Coronation Street, after Wendy Jane Walker and Suzy Patterson. She played the character for five...
), who has been visiting Ken at the time, tries to flee when Mike threatens her with legal action, and she is killed in a car accident. Peter is devastated and blames himself as well as Deirdre for Susan's death. Peter then gets a job at the local bookies, stealing money from the dodgy owner and making it look like a break-in. He begins dating barmaid Shelley Unwin but when Peter's old Navy friend Ciaran McCarthy
Ciaran McCarthy
Ciaran McCarthy is a fictional character from the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street portrayed by Keith Duffy. He made his first on-screen appearance on 7 August 2002, before departing in 2005. He returned in 2010 until Duffy temporary departed in January 2011 to go on Boyzone Tour,...
(Keith Duffy
Keith Duffy
Keith Peter Thomas Francis John Duffy is an Irish singer-songwriter, actor, drummer, dancer and television presenter. He began his career as part of Boyzone in the 1990s. In the 2000s, he achieved critical acclaim for his acting roles, particularly in soap operas such as Coronation Street and Fair...
) comes to visit, he makes a pass at Shelley. Peter believes Ciaran's side of the story and Shelley moves out, though the couple later get back together.
Peter later meets florist Lucy Richards when he is buying flowers for Shelley. Instantly attracted to her, an affair begins. Lucy, unknown to Peter, hires his stepsister Tracy Barlow
Tracy Barlow
Tracy Lynette Barlow is a fictional character in the British television soap opera Coronation Street. She is currently portrayed, since 2002, by Kate Ford, the latest in a series of actresses who have played Tracy at various ages...
(Kate Ford
Kate Ford
Kate Connerty is a British actress best known for playing the role of Tracy Barlow in the long-running ITV soap opera Coronation Street from 2002 to 2007. Kate returned to Coronation Street on Christmas Eve 2010....
) to cover her maternity leave. When Tracy tells Peter her employer is pregnant, Peter realises that he is the child's father. Peter marries Lucy while engaged to Shelley, promising Lucy it is over with the Rovers' landlady; however, Lucy kicks him out when she discovers the truth. Lucy gives birth to her son Simon
Simon Barlow
Simon Barlow is a fictional character from the British soap opera Coronation Street, and has been played by Alex Bain since 2008. The character was played by twins Jake and Oscar Hartley on his birth in 2003.-Character development:...
in early July 2003 but doesn't want Peter involved. Peter is torn between his son and Shelley. Peter and Shelley are married in a big church wedding. The final showdown comes in the Rovers' with Shelley meeting Lucy, who shows her the wedding photos. When Shelley finds out the truth, she punches Peter in the middle of the packed pub.
Lucy tricks him into thinking they have a future together, but announces she is moving to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
with Simon. Peter resigns himself to never knowing his son and leaves the Street soon after.
On January 8, 2007 Peter returns to Weatherfield after Ken has contacted him regarding Tracy's tempestuous relationship with her boyfriend, Charlie Stubbs (Bill Ward
Bill Ward (actor)
Bill Ward is an English actor who played Charlie Stubbs in Coronation Street.-Biography:He completed a degree in History at Bristol University. He is a former advertising executive. After Coronation Street, he had a role in the ITV series Cold Blood with Pauline Quirke...
). Only hours after his return, he is viciously attacked by Stubbs who thinks that Peter has just slept with Tracy. Tracy later kills Charlie, supposedly in self defence, and he decides to stay on when she is charged with murder to see her court case. He also has a brief dalliance with Maria Sutherland (Samia Smith
Samia Smith
Samia Maxine Ghadie , is an English actress best known for playing Maria Connor in the ITV Soap Coronation Street.-Early life:...
), who had been involved with Charlie. However, once Tracy is convicted and sentenced to fifteen years in prison, Peter leaves Weatherfield again, taking his nephew Adam (Sam Robertson
Sam Robertson
Samuel Robertson is a British actor and former model best known for his role as Adam Barlow on ITV soap opera Coronation Street....
) with him to go and open a bookmakers in Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
.
2008—
In 2008, Lucy dies of cancer and Peter gets custody of their five-year-old son Simon (Alexander BainAlexander Bain
Alexander Bain was a Scottish philosopher and educationalist in the British school of empiricism who was a prominent and innovative figure in the fields of psychology, linguistics, logic, moral philosophy and education reform...
). Peter returns to Weatherfield with Simon, seeking help from Ken and Deirdre. Ken suspects that Peter plans to ditch Simon and leave, but Peter learns he will inherit Lucy's estate, so he buys the local bookmakers, renaming it Barlow Bookies. Peter becomes attracted to Leanne Battersby
Leanne Battersby
Leanne Anika Barlow is a fictional character on the soap opera Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Jane Danson, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 4 July 1997....
(Jane Danson
Jane Danson
Jane Danson is an English actress, most famous for playing the role of Leanne Battersby in Coronation Street.-Acting:...
) but she is at first non-committal as she suspects he has a drink problem. Eventually, Leanne agrees to go out with Peter but they have had no more than a handful of dates when Peter has to go back to Portsmouth on business and while he is away his drink problems come to a head and he ends up in rehab. When he returns, Leanne learns he had a fling with another woman while he was away. She dumps him and leaves Weatherfield. Peter's drink problem remains far from under control until he passes out drunk and accidentally sets fire to the flat while Simon is asleep in bed. Tony Gordon
Tony Gordon
Anthony "Tony" Gordon was a fictional character in the itv soap opera Coronation Street, portrayed by actor Gray O'Brien. The character first appeared on screen on 16 September 2007 and making his final appearance on 9 June 2010 after deciding to sacrifice himself in the Underworld fire. He is a...
(Gray O'Brien
Gray O'Brien
Gray O'Brien is a Scottish television and film actor, best known for his portrayal of the villainous Weatherfield businessman Tony Gordon in the popular British soap opera Coronation Street from 2007 to 2010, and as Dr Richard McCaig on Casualty from 1996 to 1998.O'Brien was born in Stewarton,...
) and Luke Strong
Luke Strong
Luke Strong is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Craig Kelly, the character appeared throughout 2009. Luke took over Carla Gordon's share of the Underworld factory with Tony Gordon...
(Craig Kelly
Craig Kelly (actor)
Craig Kelly is a British actor, best known for his role as Vince Tyler in the Channel 4 television series Queer as Folk and as Luke Strong in Coronation Street.-Biography:...
) rescue them, and Peter finally faces the fact that he is an alcoholic, giving up booze and attending a support group. He takes Michelle Connor
Michelle Connor
Michelle Sinéad Connor is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Kym Marsh, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 3 April 2006...
(Kym Marsh
Kym Marsh
Kimberley Gail Marsh is an English actress and singer.- Early life :Marsh was born in Wigan, Greater Manchester and raised in Garswood, in the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, Merseyside...
) on a date, but they decide it will not work. Leanne returns and she and Peter get back together. They decide to open up a bar but Ken is hesitant because of Peter's drinking, but Lucy's father George, offers to fund the project.
The bar never opens because Peter falls off the wagon and goes back into rehab, and while he is away, George applies for full custody of Simon. George and his wife Eve take Simon to Blackpool but the little boy runs away from them. Peter frantically searches for him, but Simon arrives home by himself, unharmed, and George gives up his claim for custody. Peter and Leanne get engaged, but Peter feels threatened by the return of Leanne's ex-husband Nick Tilsley
Nick Tilsley
Nicholas Paul "Nick" Tilsley is a fictional character in the British soap opera Coronation Street. Originally known as "Nicky", he was the first-born child of Brian Tilsley and Gail Platt , and has been portrayed by three different actors. Warren Jackson from 1981 to 1996, then by Adam Rickitt...
(Ben Price
Ben Price
Ben Price is a British actor, best known for playing the third incarnation of Nick Tilsley in the ITV soap opera, Coronation Street...
) until Leanne convinces him that Nick is simply a friend now. Nick decides to re-open the bar and offers Leanne a job managing it and since Peter believes that it will make Leanne happy he persuades her to take the job. Peter starts to mentor Leanne's friend Carla Connor
Carla Connor
Carla Connor is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, a long-running serial drama about working class life in the fictional town of Weatherfield. She is portrayed by actress Alison King. Carla was created by producer Steve Frost as part of the new Connor family....
(Alison King
Alison King
Alison King is an English actress. She has had major television roles as Lynda Block in the Sky One television series Dream Team, and as Carla Connor in Coronation Street since 2006.- Early life and education :...
) when he realises she has a drink problem, but is annoyed when she tries to seduce him. Peter celebrates his stag party in his former bar, The Joinery, on 6 December 2010, but the bar explodes due to a problem with the gas and a tram is derailed by the explosion. The bar is destroyed and Peter is stuck in the rubble with Ashley Peacock
Ashley Peacock
Ashley Sibelius Peacock is a fictional character from the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Steven Arnold, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 1 February 1995.On 23 April 2010, it was announced that the character had been axed along...
(Steven Arnold
Steven Arnold
Steven Arnold is an English actor best known for his role as Ashley Peacock in the long running hit show Coronation Street.- Early life :...
) and Nick. Peter is crushed and Nick and Ashley help him out. Ashley sacrifices his life to help Peter escape the rubble. Peter is rushed to hospital with crush injuries to the legs and trauma to the lower back and chest, and suffers from a cardiac tamponade
Cardiac tamponade
Cardiac tamponade, also known as pericardial tamponade, is an emergency condition in which fluid accumulates in the pericardium ....
. Very aware that he is unlikely to survive, he marries Leanne at his bedside but goes into cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
moments after the ceremony concludes. He survives but has a long road of recovery ahead. He leaves hospital in a wheel chair and moves in with his dad for a couple of weeks while unable to manage the stairs at the flat. Towards the end of December 2010, he and Leanne go on their honeymoon.
Upon returning from their honeymoon, Nick, jealously wanting Leanne back, convinces Peter to start drinking again, but he gives up again for Simon's sake. Leanne and Peter decide to renew their vows but Peter is devastated when he learns that Leanne has had an affair with Nick. Peter uses the blessing to announce that he knows about the affair and tells Leanne he wants a divorce. Peter gets revenge on Nick by scaring him in the ruins of the Joinery before reconciling with Leanne. Peter, Leanne and Simon go on holiday to celebrate their reunion. On their return, Peter returns to work at the bookmakers, although he is still walking with a crutch. In April, he is finally seen fully recovered from the accident.
In June 2011, Peter becomes friendly with Carla again, but this causes Leanne to become extremely insecure and leads to several arguments. The new manageress at The Rovers, Stella Price
Stella Price
Stella Price is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by Michelle Collins. Collins' casting was announced in April 2011 and she began filming her scenes in May. The actress commutes from north London to Manchester for filming. Collins joined the show in...
(Michelle Collins
Michelle Collins
Michelle Danielle Collins is a British actress best known for her roles on television in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, as Cindy Beale, Coronation Street as Stella Price, and BBC dramas Sunburn and Two Thousand Acres of Sky...
), saves Leanne from an armed robber when she is alone in the shop while Peter collects Simon. To express gratitude, Peter and Leanne invite Stella around for dinner, but during the evening Stella steals a picture of Leanne from the flat. Peter finds the picture in Stella's purse, which she accidentally leaves in the bookies, and confronts her about it - whereupon she confesses to him that she is Leanne's biological mother. During Leanne's 30th birthday party at the Rovers, Stella reveals the truth to Leanne, who is furious with her mother for abandoning her as a baby - and with Peter for not telling her as soon as he found out.
In July 2011, a pregnancy test confirms that Leanne and Peter are going to have a baby. Leanne is overjoyed, but although Peter also seems happy on the surface, he admits to Ken that he isn't sure they are ready. While Peter and Leanne celebrate in the Rovers, Carla Connor
Carla Connor
Carla Connor is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, a long-running serial drama about working class life in the fictional town of Weatherfield. She is portrayed by actress Alison King. Carla was created by producer Steve Frost as part of the new Connor family....
(Alison King
Alison King
Alison King is an English actress. She has had major television roles as Lynda Block in the Sky One television series Dream Team, and as Carla Connor in Coronation Street since 2006.- Early life and education :...
) overhears Deirdre and Ken congratulating them and later pushes Peter into confirming her guess that Leanne must be pregnant. Leanne is furious when she realises Carla knows about her pregnancy, all the more so when Carla drops hints to Simon about it. She confronts Peter, and they have a heated row which ends with Leanne hurling quite vicious insults at Peter about his alcoholism. Rather than respond, he storms out of the flat. Feeling guilty, Leanne runs after him, but trips and falls down the stairs, where she is later found by Stella, who raises the alarm. At the hospital, a doctor confirms that Leanne has suffered a miscarriage. Peter feels guilty about the stress Leanne has been under lately and feels he may have jinxed the pregnancy with his reservations. When Leanne realises that Peter had doubts about the pregnancy, she assumes it means that he hasn't fully forgiven her for the affair with Nick and orders him to leave. Carla finds Peter in a highly agitated state and takes advantage of his vulnerability to try to seduce him again - he almost succumbs, but at the last minute pushes her away. After talking things through with Ken, Peter returns to the hospital and tells Leanne that he wants them to try for another baby when she is recovered.
Casting
Robert Heanue was the first actor to portray the character from 1965 to 1970. Chris Dormer played the role from 1970 to 1972 when the seven year old actor was written out of the soap due to his parents' emigration to Canada. He did not continue to act and reflected on his time as the young Peter in 2001, "I really enjoyed the Street. I remember Pat PhoenixPat Phoenix
Patricia "Pat" Frederica Phoenix was an English actress who became one of the first sex symbols of British television through her role of Elsie Tanner in Coronation Street.-Early life and career:Born in Ireland to Anna Maria Josephine Noonan and Tom Manfield, but moved to Manchester before...
and Julie Goodyear
Julie Goodyear
Julie Goodyear, MBE is an English television actress and media personality, best known for playing the long-running role of pub landlady Bet Lynch on British soap opera Coronation Street.-Biography:...
kissing and tickling me because they thought I was cute. Most of the actors were nice, but some weren't. Violet Carson
Violet Carson
Violet Helen Carson OBE was an English actress, best known for playing Ena Sharples, one of the original characters in the British soap opera Coronation Street.-Early life and career:...
, who played Ena Sharples
Ena Sharples
Ena Sharples is one of the original characters from the British soap opera Coronation Street, and was played by Violet Carson.-Development:...
, was very grumpy. She didn't like children and really scared me." On-screen Peter and his sister Susan were written out of the soap to live with their grandparents when their mother Valerie Barlow was killed off.
One of the six actors who has portrayed the character is Linus Roache
Linus Roache
Linus William Roache is an English actor.-Early life:Roache was born in Manchester, the son of Coronation Street actor William Roache and actress Anna Cropper. Roache was educated at Bishop Luffa Church of England School in Chichester, West Sussex and at the independent Rydal School in Colwyn Bay,...
, the real-life son of William Roache
William Roache
William Patrick Harry Roache MBE is a British actor, best known for his role as Ken Barlow in the soap opera Coronation Street...
who portrays Peter's father, Ken Barlow in the show. Linus returned to the show in 2010, playing Lawrence Cunningham, another son of Ken Barlow.
Personality and characterisation
Upon the character's return to the show in October 2008, Chris Gascoyne spoke of his character's destructive personality in an interview with Digital SpyDigital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
, he stated; "He's been trying against the odds to sort his life out, but he can't. And when it doesn't work and it all goes wrong for him, he has a drink. There are hurdles in his way all the time. He's stubborn and resents people telling him what to do. He'll listen to advice, but he won't take any notice if he thinks the person giving it isn't in a place to do so. That happens a lot with Ken."
Extracts from an interview with ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
actor Chris Gascoyne made certain statements about his character's personality and fatherhood stating: "Drink is becoming an issue and his self-esteem is low. He can’t see a way out and he can’t imagine doing this for the rest of his life (fatherhood)." During the storyline he described his character as being seen as a coward. Going on to say: "He has the potential to be a very good dad but at the minute he feels like everything is conspiring against him and he hasn’t got the confidence or the self-esteem to cope."
Critical response
Ahead of the fire storyline in March 2009, The Fire Minister Sadiq Khan said: "I would like to thank Coronation Street for highlighting this very important issue. Peter Barlow's actions show how dangerous it is to go to sleep while smoking, putting not only his but son Simon's life at risk too". The episode in which the fire was screened drew in 10.3 million viewers (42.6% audience share) in March 2009.In February 2011, Gascoyne was nominated for Best Actor at the 2011 All About Soap Bubbles Awards for his portrayal of Peter. He was nominated in the category of "Best Actor" at the 2011 British Soap Awards
British Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards is an annual awards ceremony to honour the best of British soap operas.The first event took place in 1999 and takes place in May each year. Although it is an ITV production, the events were held at the BBC Television Centre, in London until 2010. The 2011 awards relocated to...
.