Simon John Barlow (né Richards) is the son of Peter and Lucy Barlow. After living in Australia for the first few years of his life, he returned to Weatherfield with his father following his mother's death from cancer.
Biography
2003: Birth
Simon was conceived as a result of an affair between Lucy Richards and Peter Barlow. Peter was engaged to Shelley Unwin but secretly married Lucy shortly before Simon's birth, claiming to have broken up with Shelley. Lucy discovered that not only had Peter lied, he had also entered into a bigamous marriage with Shelley.
Simon as an infant with his mother, when Shelley finds out about Peter's affairs.
After the conflicts with Peter, Lucy decided to move to Australia with Simon, while Peter moved to Portsmouth, believing he would never see Simon again.
At an unknown point, Lucy and Simon returned to the United Kingdom, though Peter was not informed.
2008: Return to Weatherfield
In October 2008, Lucy died of breast cancer. Shortly before her death, she told Peter she wanted him to take Simon. Peter returned to Weatherfield, bringing Simon with him.
Simon and his father moved in with Ken and Deirdre Barlow, and while Peter was originally reluctant to raise his son, he changed his mind when he found that Lucy had left him everything in her will on the proviso that he raised Simon.
Peter then purchased the local bookmaker's shop, and moved into the upstairs flat at 9a Rosamund Street - with Simon. Upon starting Bessie Street School on 1st December 2008, Simon befriended fellow Street infant, Joshua Peacock. On 19th December 2008, he was upset when Peter arrived at his Nativity play heavily drunk. He stayed with his grandparents for the night saying, "I don't like it when Daddy shouts".
At Christmas time, Peter was allowed to have Simon back at their home when Peter insisted that he should stop drinking alcohol for Simon's sake. In early 2009, Peter drunkenly set fire to his flat trapping him and Simon inside before being rescued by Luke Strong and Tony Gordon.
Peter started a relationship with Leanne Battersby shortly after his return to Weatherfield who Simon saw as a mother figure. Although she moved to Leeds after Peter cheated on her, she eventually returned and resumed her relationship with Peter in September 2009, much to Simon's delight On 6th December 2010, Simon was trapped in 13 Coronation Street after a fire, which was an after-effect of a tram crashing off the viaduct and into the Corner Shop. Simon was playing hide and seek when this happened. He was hiding in a closet and was rescued by Jason Grimshaw. Peter and Leanne married shortly after this incident.
Peter and Leanne's marriage broke down in early 2012 and their feuding had an effect on Simon, causing him to drink a bottle of wine and land himself in hospital. Peter let Simon move in with Leanne and her new boyfriend (and later husband) Nick Tilsley, at 8 Victoria Court, as it was clear he preferred it there. However, when Leanne and Nick's marriage also broke down, Leanne and half-sister Eva Price reached a tenancy agreement with Dev Alahan and now rent 18a Victoria Street (the flat above Prima Doner).
In November 2013, Simon found himself bullied by Grace Piper and Faye Windass. After being paid by Tracy Barlow to walk Eccles and look after Simon and Amy Barlow, the pair caused chaos at No.1 upon their return, going through Tracy's clothes and smashing a vase. A frightened Amy ran upstairs but Grace pinned Simon down and with the help of Faye, they forced him into one of Amy's dresses and covered his face in make-up. Not being humiliated enough, the pair videoed the incident. Simon managed to escape and fled to Nick's Bistro for Leanne's help. The video eventually got around Weatherfield High, and made its way to Bessie Street School as some pupils acquired it from older relations at the school.
In September 2014, Simon started at Weatherfield High. He was distraught when his father was found guilty of murdering Tina McIntyre and requested that he wanted his name changed back to Richards. However Peter was eventually cleared when Rob Donovan was revealed as the real culprit. Simon felt guilty for believing his father was a killer and was even upset when Peter took the decision to leave Weatherfield for Portsmouth once more. Simon had a heart-to-heart with his father, and even stepmother Carla promised that she would run him down to Portsmouth to see Peter any time.
2015: Violent streak
Simon was living with Leanne and her boyfriend Kal Nazir, when Kal died in a fire during June 2015. Shortly after these events, Simon began to show anger problems. This escalated into violence and rebellion, when he threw a remote control at Leanne and became drunk with his friends in the bistro. Any attempt Leanne made to discipline him would result in an aggressive response, leading to an incident where Simon cut his arm and Leanne being hospitalised after she was thrown against a table.
Leanne kept quiet about Simon's aggression and temporarily sent him to stay with his dad. Eventually, she began to open up to friends, and when Simon hit cousin Amy during an argument, Leanne admitted to Ken what had been going on. Simon was sent to counselling.
In February 2016, Simon broke another boy's leg in a football match. Leanne decided she had no choice but to report his abuse to the police out of fear of what he could do next. Simon refused to speak to her, as it later transpired that the boy's injury was an accident. Soon afterwards, they made up.
Background information
- Simon was played by twins Jake & Oscar Hartley as an infant in 2003. He was also played briefly by Daniel Whelan in the same year. Since the character's return in 2008, he has been played by Alex Bain.
Quotes
"Tired" (First line)
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"Don't worry, this happens every year." (to Max Turner when his mother, Kylie Platt drunkenly arrives for the school's nativity play)