History repeats for the Barlows
Peter Barlow has always had a strained relationship with his dad Ken on Coronation Street. And it seems, despite the best of intentions, Peter is heading down a similar path with his own son, Simon. James Rampton reports.
For some residents of Coronation Street, the hardest thing facing them in life is what drink to order in the Rovers Return at lunchtime. But not Peter Barlow. His life at present is harder than titanium. All manner of torment has been tipped on his head lately. And among his many troubles is the fact that Toyah has been deceiving him and Susie is not, in fact, his baby. Chris Gascoyne, who plays Peter, reflects on his alter ego’s woes. “He is totally devastated. He has not only found out that she (Susie) is not his baby, but also that his real baby had died and Toyah kept it from him. “He’s at a loss to know what she was thinking. He is grieving the loss of his child, but it is so complex and hard for him to understand and he is really struggling with it.” A by-product of all this emotional upheaval is that Peter has failed to notice the extent to which his son Simon’s behaviour is deteriorating. According to Gascoyne, who is married to fellow actor Caroline Harding, “Peter was aware that Simon was playing up and mixing with the wrong crowd, but he thought he had sorted it all out. He has taken his eye off the ball. “He had a lot on his plate with the baby and running the pub, and Simon has suffered as a consequence. “Peter thinks he has been a good dad recently,
but just because he is around, it doesn’t mean he has been present. He has been distracted.”
Peter has also missed the fact that Simon (Alex Bain) has fallen in with a bad crowd.
“Simon has always been looking for something – for a family,” says Gascoyne.
“He has never felt like he belonged and this gang make him feel like he is part of something. It is sad really because all his life he has never felt like he fitted in.”
Unsurprisingly, Peter holds himself responsible for what has become of Simon.
“Peter blames himself for a lot,” Gascoyne says, “and how Simon has turned out is a source of real guilt for him.
“Peter has his own issues with his dad (Ken) and he wanted it to be different for him and Simon, but history is repeating itself.”
It is only right to point out, of course, that Peter has had his fair share of ups and downs in his life. He is a recovering alcoholic and gambler.
“Peter has a self-destruct button,” Gascoyne acknowledges. “Even if he doesn’t do something wrong on purpose, things have a way of falling apart around him. He makes some seriously flawed choices.”
For all that, Peter is clearly the wronged party in this situation with Toyah.
Gascoyne considers whether his
character could ever forgive Toyah for what she has done.
“I can’t see how. They have been through such a lot together and he truly loved her, but this is another level of betrayal.
“Peter has done some crazy things in his time, but I think this even transcends anything he has done. What she did was really cruel and it has made him question whether he even knows his woman at all.” All this turmoil inevitably has an effect on Peter’s business.
Gascoyne, 50, who has also starred in New Street Law, The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole and Soldier Soldier, muses that, “The last place Peter wants to be at the moment is playing Mein Host behind the bar with Toyah.
“Living at number one with his dad is far preferable as an option, which says it all really.”