Mark Labbett on The Chase
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EastEnders legend tipped to ‘become a Chaser’ as Mark and Shaun back ‘very, very good quizzer’

Which unlikely EastEnders icon could join The Chasers?

The Chase star Mark Labbett has tipped a former EastEnders legend to “become a Chaser” following two appearances on the show.

Branded a “very, very good quizzer”, the soap icon appeared on The Chase in 2021 and 2022 – walking away with an enormous jackpot prize on both occasions.

Shaun Williamson talking to Bradley Walsh on the stage of The Chase
Shaun Williamson first appeared on The Chase in 2021 – and won a massive prize in doing so (Credit: ITV/YouTube)

The Chase star Mark Labbett reveals which EastEnders star could join the team

Speaking to the website MyLondon behind the scenes of Beat the Chasers, Mark – known on the show as ‘The Beast’ – Labbett revealed which EastEnders star could himself become a Chaser.

“We’ve had some good celebs. The likes of Shaun Williamson are not far away from being a Chaser, and when you give him a 15-second start he just strolled home.”

Fellow Chaser Shaun Wallace – otherwise known as ‘The Dark Destroyer’ – concurred. “There are certain celebrities who are really good, I mean Shaun Williamson is a very good quizzer, very very good.”

Shaun Williamson on EastEnders
Shaun won The Chasers respect… and a lot of money (Credit: ITV/YouTube)

Shaun Williamson first appeared on The Chase in March 2021, winning £120,000 on Beat the Chasers. In his second appearance, Shaun played against Darragh ‘The Menace’ Ennis, with his team ultimately winning £150,000 against the Chaser.

Shaun was so popular with audiences that they took to social media following his appearances on the show – to demand that he come on full-time, as a Chaser himself.

Barry looking sad on EastEnders
Shaun is best known for playing EastEnders’ resident sad-sack Barry (Credit: BBC/YouTube)

Who did  Shaun Williamson play on EastEnders?

Viewers will best know Shaun for playing the role of Barry Evans on EastEnders. Between 1994 and 2004, Barry would become one of the show’s most popular and iconic characters – remembered for his good-natured affability and bumbling haplessness.

He would ultimately meet his end at the hands of wife Janine Butcher – who married him on the misconception that Barry was dying, intending to inherit all of his money once he had passed.

But, upon learning that Barry was not in fact dying, Janine broke off the marriage – and Barry’s head – pushing him off a cliff during an argument.

Barry dead on EastEnders
Barry was killed by Janine (Credit: BBC/YouTube)

What has Shaun Williamson been up to since EastEnders?

Since his time on EastEnders, Shaun Williamson has appeared as himself on the sitcom Extras, TV gameshow Richard Osman’s House of Games, and as a co-host on Al Murray’s Great British Pub Quiz, where he once again put his formidable quizzing brain to good use.

Read more: Complete EastEnders cast list for 2023 right here!

Barry Dies! | EastEnders

EastEnders usually airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One

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Joel Harley
Freelance Writer