Simon Barlow
Encyclopedia
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.
(Chris Gascoyne) also returned to the soap. Peter had been given custody of his son after his mother Lucy (Katy Carmichael
) was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Both characters' returns saw them slowly develop a father-son relationship.
Peter was later given custody of Simon when Lucy died of cancer in 2008. The two moved in with Peter's father, Ken (William Roache
) and his wife Deirdre
(Anne Kirkbride
) on their return to the Street. Peter was at first reluctant to take an active role in raising his son, but changed his mind when he found out that Lucy had left him everything in her will on condition that he raised Simon. Peter then purchased the local bookmaker's
shop, and moved into the flat with Simon. Soon after starting school, Peter upset Simon when he arrived drunk at his Nativity play and began a row with the teaching staff. This resulted in Simon staying with his grandparent, but moved back in with Peter when he agreed to stop drinking for Simon's sake. In March 2009, however, Peter fell asleep drunk with a lit cigarette in his hand and a fire subsequently began in the flat. Luke Strong
(Craig Kelly
) and Tony Gordon
(Gray O'Brien
) managed to break the door down after being alerted by Deirdre, whom Simon rang before he fell unconscious from smoke inhalation. Peter and Simon were rushed into hospital. The two made a full recovery, however, and Peter vowed once more to give up alcohol.
When his grandfather George Wilson (Anthony Valentine) took him there for a short holiday in Blackpool
in March 2010, Simon ran away after hearing George tell his wife that he intended to keep the boy rather than return him to his father. Simon safely arrived home in Weatherfield
when he turned up at Peter's front door, stating that he travelled home by his own means from Blackpool because he didn't want to be taken away from his dad.
In August 2010, Simon accidentally knocked Aadi Alahan (Zennon Ditchett) resulting in him hitting his head against a table. Simon didn't tell anyone and felt particularly guilty over the incident while Aadi's parents Dev
(Jimmi Harkishin
) and Sunita
(Shobna Gulati
) accuse childminder Claire Peacock
(Julia Haworth
) of being negligent. This caused Simon to reveal the truth about Aadi's injury to Peter after he questioned him about his erratic behaviour. Simon explained that was reluctant to tell the truth because he was frightened of being in trouble. Peter told Dev and Sunita that Simon was responsible for Aadi's injury, thereby clearing Claire's name.
In December 2010, he was in No.13 when the Joinery bar exploded and sent rubble flying, causing it to collapse and bring down part of the viaduct. This in turn brought an empty tram off the viaduct, causing the front carriage to smash into the Corner Shop, whilst the back carriage smashed into the Kabin: the results of the destruction also brought down a power line (plunging the street into darkness in the process), destroyed the post box and set No.13 on fire. Simon was upstairs and couldn't be found, until Jason Grimshaw
(Ryan Thomas
) found him and brought him out alive. He is devastated to find his father on his death-bed (he had been pulled out the wreckage of the Joinery), but relieved when he pulls through. However, his severe injuries left Peter unable to walk and would have to relearn.
In February, he is thrilled when Peter and Leanne Battersby
(Jane Danson
) renew their vows (their first wedding was the night of the tram crash, on Peter's death-bed) and the three go on honeymoon. They return in late March.
In June, Simon meets new Rovers manager Stella Price
(Michelle Collins
) and her boyfriend Karl Munro. However, Stella is revealed to be Leanne's mother at Leanne's 30th birthday. Simon is impressed and Stella later gets him a Nintendo DS
game for his 8th birthday.
claimed that Alex Bain's performance as a child actor in the role of Simon "seems to be the nations favourite". It also described the character as "undeniably cute" and "wise beyond his years", with "great onscreen chemisty with his dad". The author opined that his father Peter
's breakup with Leanne
would have been "much more tedious" without Simon's performance. The same article pointed out that Simon "has learned to be resourceful...he has survived a fire, a kidnapping, and has gone missing in Blackpool – from where he managed to make his way back to Weatherfield." It also stated that when Simon "joined forces" with Joshua Peacock, they made "a formidable team."
When the character of Simon ran away whilst in Blackpool
and later returned on his own to his father Peter
's doorstep, he said "Ah've been on two trains and a bendy bus...Nightmare. Don't suppose there's any chocolate milk going?". An article published to The Independent
opined that it was "a line that sums up the sweet-and-sour storylines that have kept Coronation Street going for nigh on half a century: 50 years of chocolate milk and nightmares".
Alex Bain won the "Best Young Performance" award in the British Soap Awards 2011
for his portrayal of Simon.
Character (arts)
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 British soap opera 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...
, 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
The character of Simon was re-intoduced in Late 2008 when his on-screen father PeterPeter Barlow (Coronation Street)
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...
(Chris Gascoyne) also returned to the soap. Peter had been given custody of his son after his mother Lucy (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...
) was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Both characters' returns saw them slowly develop a father-son relationship.
Storylines
Simon was born in July 2003 to Lucy Richards, who didn't want his father Peter to be involved with him because he was a bigamist. Lucy tricked Peter into thinking they had a future together, but in front of the pub regulars she announced she was moving to Australia with Simon. Peter resigned himself to the fact that he would never know his son, and left the Street soon after.Peter was later given custody of Simon when Lucy died of cancer in 2008. The two moved in with Peter's father, Ken (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 his wife Deirdre
Deirdre Barlow
Deirdre Anne Barlow is a long-standing fictional character in the UK television ITV Granada soap opera, Coronation Street...
(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:...
) on their return to the Street. Peter was at first reluctant to take an active role in raising his son, but changed his mind when he found out that Lucy had left him everything in her will on condition that he raised Simon. Peter then purchased the local bookmaker's
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...
shop, and moved into the flat with Simon. Soon after starting school, Peter upset Simon when he arrived drunk at his Nativity play and began a row with the teaching staff. This resulted in Simon staying with his grandparent, but moved back in with Peter when he agreed to stop drinking for Simon's sake. In March 2009, however, Peter fell asleep drunk with a lit cigarette in his hand and a fire subsequently began in the flat. 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:...
) and 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,...
) managed to break the door down after being alerted by Deirdre, whom Simon rang before he fell unconscious from smoke inhalation. Peter and Simon were rushed into hospital. The two made a full recovery, however, and Peter vowed once more to give up alcohol.
When his grandfather George Wilson (Anthony Valentine) took him there for a short holiday in Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
in March 2010, Simon ran away after hearing George tell his wife that he intended to keep the boy rather than return him to his father. Simon safely arrived home in Weatherfield
Weatherfield
Weatherfield is a fictional town, based on Salford in North West England, which serves as the setting for the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street...
when he turned up at Peter's front door, stating that he travelled home by his own means from Blackpool because he didn't want to be taken away from his dad.
In August 2010, Simon accidentally knocked Aadi Alahan (Zennon Ditchett) resulting in him hitting his head against a table. Simon didn't tell anyone and felt particularly guilty over the incident while Aadi's parents Dev
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....
) and Sunita
Sunita Alahan
Sunita Alahan is a fictional character from the British ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street, played by Shobna Gulati. She made her first on-screen appearance on 23 March 2001 and remained in the show until 2005, when the character was axed from the serial by producer Tony Wood...
(Shobna Gulati
Shobna Gulati
Shobna Gulati is an English actress, writer, and dancer of Indian origin, best known for playing Anita in Victoria Wood's Dinnerladies, and Sunita Alahan in the long-running soap opera Coronation Street from 2001 to 2006, a role to which she returned at the end of 2009...
) accuse childminder Claire Peacock
Claire Peacock
Claire Peacock , is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Julia Haworth, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 9 April 2003, as the new nanny of established character Ashley Peacock's son Joshua...
(Julia Haworth
Julia Haworth
Julia Louise Haworth is an English actress best known as Claire Peacock on ITV's Coronation Street, a role she has played since 2003...
) of being negligent. This caused Simon to reveal the truth about Aadi's injury to Peter after he questioned him about his erratic behaviour. Simon explained that was reluctant to tell the truth because he was frightened of being in trouble. Peter told Dev and Sunita that Simon was responsible for Aadi's injury, thereby clearing Claire's name.
In December 2010, he was in No.13 when the Joinery bar exploded and sent rubble flying, causing it to collapse and bring down part of the viaduct. This in turn brought an empty tram off the viaduct, causing the front carriage to smash into the Corner Shop, whilst the back carriage smashed into the Kabin: the results of the destruction also brought down a power line (plunging the street into darkness in the process), destroyed the post box and set No.13 on fire. Simon was upstairs and couldn't be found, until Jason Grimshaw
Jason Grimshaw
Jason Grimshaw, is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Ryan Thomas, the character first appeared during the episode airing on 25 December 2000, when he comes looking for mother Eileen at the Battersbys' home.Jason is very much the...
(Ryan Thomas
Ryan Thomas
Ryan James Thomas and is an English actor who is currently starring as the character, Jason Grimshaw on ITV's Coronation Street.-Career:...
) found him and brought him out alive. He is devastated to find his father on his death-bed (he had been pulled out the wreckage of the Joinery), but relieved when he pulls through. However, his severe injuries left Peter unable to walk and would have to relearn.
In February, he is thrilled when Peter and 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:...
) renew their vows (their first wedding was the night of the tram crash, on Peter's death-bed) and the three go on honeymoon. They return in late March.
In June, Simon meets new Rovers manager 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...
) and her boyfriend Karl Munro. However, Stella is revealed to be Leanne's mother at Leanne's 30th birthday. Simon is impressed and Stella later gets him a Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
game for his 8th birthday.
Reception
An article discussing young child actors published to The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
claimed that Alex Bain's performance as a child actor in the role of Simon "seems to be the nations favourite". It also described the character as "undeniably cute" and "wise beyond his years", with "great onscreen chemisty with his dad". The author opined that his father Peter
Peter Barlow (Coronation Street)
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...
's breakup with Leanne
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....
would have been "much more tedious" without Simon's performance. The same article pointed out that Simon "has learned to be resourceful...he has survived a fire, a kidnapping, and has gone missing in Blackpool – from where he managed to make his way back to Weatherfield." It also stated that when Simon "joined forces" with Joshua Peacock, they made "a formidable team."
When the character of Simon ran away whilst in Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
and later returned on his own to his father Peter
Peter Barlow (Coronation Street)
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...
's doorstep, he said "Ah've been on two trains and a bendy bus...Nightmare. Don't suppose there's any chocolate milk going?". An article published to The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
opined that it was "a line that sums up the sweet-and-sour storylines that have kept Coronation Street going for nigh on half a century: 50 years of chocolate milk and nightmares".
Alex Bain won the "Best Young Performance" award in the British Soap Awards 2011
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...
for his portrayal of Simon.
External links
- Simon Barlow at ITV.comItv.comitv.com is the main website of ITV plc, the UK's largest commercial television broadcaster which operates 11 out of 15 regions on the ITV network under the ITV1 brand. The website offers on-line streaming, ITV archive, news, sport, entertainment, games, soaps, lifestyle, drama and an interactive TV...