Roy Evans

Name: Roy Evans
First Appeared: 26th December 1994
Last Appeared: 17th March 2003
Played by: Tony Caunter

Roy Evans’ arrival in Albert Square in December 1994 marked the beginning of a rollercoaster relationship with Pat Butcher. They met at a car sales auction, and with her husband Frank having absconded months earlier, Pat and Roy quickly hit it off. Roy moved into Pat’s home and revamped Deals on Wheels, running the car lot alongside David Wicks. Just when Pat thought Frank was gone for good, he reappeared on Christmas Day 1995, sparking a confrontation with Roy. In the end, Pat chose Roy, and Frank moved to Manchester.

The late 90s brought health challenges for Roy, who suffered a heart attack in 1998, straining his marriage with Pat. Frank returned to Walford, and despite the tension from their past, he and Roy became business partners. The two even went to Paris for the World Cup in 1998, though Roy remained wary of Pat and Frank’s lingering connection. The jealousy was palpable, especially with Pat and Frank living so close.

By early 2000, financial troubles led Roy into shady dealings with Phil Mitchell, buying stolen cars. When Janine Butcher, Frank’s daughter, discovered the dodgy business, it set off a chain of events that saw Peggy Mitchell getting involved to raise money. Roy’s situation worsened during a holiday in Spain with Frank and others when Pat rekindled her affair with Frank. Though they planned to run away together, Pat had a change of heart. The affair came to light, leading Roy to punch Frank and reaffirm his distrust. Frank left Walford alone that night.

Despite the tumult, Pat and Roy patched things up and Roy focused on keeping his son Barry out of trouble. Their world was rocked again when Roy’s lovechild, Nathan, arrived, causing friction but eventually earning Barry’s forgiveness. However, Barry’s resentment towards Pat for her affair with Frank lingered. In March 2003, Roy died of a heart attack, and in a fit of grief and betrayal, Barry threw Pat out onto the street.