Garry Hobbs is a fictional character in the
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
soap opera
A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...
''
EastEnders
''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the ...
'', played by
Ricky Groves
Richard Groves (born 23 April 1968) is an English actor best known for playing Garry Hobbs in ''EastEnders'' from 2000 to 2009, before making a brief return in 2025. Before his role in ''EastEnders'' he appeared in the series ''Burnside (TV se ...
. He made his first appearance on 18 September 2000, alongside the
Slater family. It was announced on 26 March 2009 that Groves and co-star
Kara Tointon
Kara Louise Tointon (born 5 August 1983) is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Dawn Swann in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. In 2010, she won the BBC competition series ''Strictly Come Dancing'', and in 2015, she appeared a ...
, who played
Dawn Swann, would be written out of the soap, and he made his final regular appearance on 27 August 2009 after nearly nine years on the show. Garry made an unannounced return on 12 February 2025 with
Minty Peterson (
Cliff Parisi
Cliff Parisi (born Clifford R Manley; 24 May 1960) is an English actor and businessman, known for his roles as Minty Peterson in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' and Fred Buckle in the BBC period drama ''Call the Midwife''. In 2019, he ...
) who attended
Billy
Billy may refer to:
* Billy (name), a name (and list of people with the name)
* Billy (surname), a surname (and list of people with the surname)
Animals
* Billy (dog), a dog breed
* Billy (pigeon), awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945
* Billy ( ...
(
Perry Fenwick
Perry Fenwick (born 29 May 1962) is an English actor. He is known for portraying the role of Billy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', a role which he has played since 1998.
Career
Television
Fenwick's first regular television rol ...
) and
Honey Mitchell’s (
Emma Barton
Emma Louise Barton (born 26 July 1977) is an English actress. She is known for her role as Honey Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', which she has portrayed since November 2005. Before her role in ''EastEnders'', Barton appeared in ...
) joint 'sten' do.
Creation and development
Garry was played by
Ricky Groves
Richard Groves (born 23 April 1968) is an English actor best known for playing Garry Hobbs in ''EastEnders'' from 2000 to 2009, before making a brief return in 2025. Before his role in ''EastEnders'' he appeared in the series ''Burnside (TV se ...
. introduced in 2000 as part of the new
Slater family, a replacement for the di Marco family. The Slaters were said to cause ructions among the already-established characters. Garry was described as having "a roving eye".
Storylines
Garry comes to
Walford
Walford is a fictional borough of East London in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. It is the primary setting for the soap. ''EastEnders'' is filmed at Borehamwood in Hertfordshire, towards the north-west of London. Much of the location wor ...
on 18 September 2000 on the day of
Ethel Skinner's Funeral, along with his girlfriend
Lynne Slater (
Elaine Lordan) and her family. Thinking himself a big hit with the ladies, Garry flirts with numerous women and is unwilling to settle down. Eventually he and Lynne get engaged and, on 7 December 2001, marry despite
Beppe di Marco (
Michael Greco) trying to stop the wedding. Beppe declares his love for Lynne but she marries Garry.
He finds work as a mechanic and lives with the Slaters. However, Lynne has an affair with her ex-fiancé,
Jason James (
Joseph Millson). The couple pull through and decide to try for a baby. In November 2002, Garry has a drunken one-night stand with
Laura Beale
Laura Beale (also Dunn) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Hannah Waterman. She first appeared on 17 February 2000 and became a regular on the programme until the character was killed off on 30 April 2004 ...
(
Hannah Waterman
Hannah Elizabeth Waterman (born 22 July 1975) is an English actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Laura Beale in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (2000–2004). She is based in Sydney in Australia.
Early life
Waterman was born on ...
) and is stunned on Christmas Day when she tells him that she is expecting his baby.
Her husband
Ian Beale
Ian Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Adam Woodyatt. He is one of four remaining original characters, the others being his mother, Kathy Beale ( Gillian Taylforth), his long standing best friend an ...
(
Adam Woodyatt
Adam Brinley Woodyatt (born 28 June 1968) is an English actor. He is known for his role as Ian Beale in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', a role he has portrayed since the show's inception in 1985, making him one of the shows longest ...
) throws her out, assuming she has been unfaithful so Lynne takes pity on Laura and allows her to stay, much to Garry's horror, until Ian tells her that Garry is the father of Laura's baby. Lynne is distraught but eventually forgives Garry. However, the couple separate in July 2003 after Garry misses a date with Lynne to support Laura during labour. After being thrown out by the Slaters, Garry and Laura lived together, naming their son
Bobby
Bobby or Bobbie may refer to:
People
*Bobby (given name), a list of names
* Bobby (surname), a list of surnames
* Bobby (actress), from Bangladesh
* Bobby (rapper) (born 1995), from South Korea
* Bobby (screenwriter) (born 1983), Indian screenwrit ...
(Alex Francis), in honour of Garry's favourite
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...
Bobby Moore
Robert Frederick Chelsea Moore (12 April 1941 – 24 February 1993) was an English professional footballer. He captained West Ham United for more than ten years, and was the captain of the England national team that won the 1966 FIFA ...
. When Bobby needed a blood transfusion, Laura discovered that Ian was in fact Bobby's father, as Garry's blood group was incompatible. On returning from hospital, Laura tried to get Ian interested in Bobby but when he refused to have anything to do with her or baby Bobby, she kept quiet about Bobby's paternity, because she wanted him to have a father.
Garry and Laura's relationship didn't last as he was still in love with Lynne and they eventually reconciled after Garry had a fling with Lynne's sister
Belinda Peacock (
Leanne Lakey) in November 2003, making Lynne realise that she still loved Garry. Lynne later became pregnant with his child.
After Laura's death on 30 April 2004, Bobby moved in with Garry and Lynne. Lynne struggled to accept him but was relieved when
Pat Evans (
Pam St. Clement) revealed that Ian was Bobby's father after finding Bobby's birth certificate. Garry was persuaded to give Bobby to Ian, devastating him; further upset occurred in July 2004, when Lynne, unconscious after a fairground accident, needed an emergency caesarean.
Lynne survived but their daughter, Vivienne, was stillborn. Unable to forgive Garry for allowing the operation, she left Walford after Vivienne's funeral. Devastated, Garry tried to commit suicide but was saved by
Minty Peterson (
Cliff Parisi
Cliff Parisi (born Clifford R Manley; 24 May 1960) is an English actor and businessman, known for his roles as Minty Peterson in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' and Fred Buckle in the BBC period drama ''Call the Midwife''. In 2019, he ...
). Garry moves in with Minty and they become good friends, surviving Garry's dislike of Minty's girlfriends...and Minty's brief engagement to
Hazel
Hazels are plants of the genus ''Corylus'' of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family, Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K ...
(
Kika Mirylees
Kika Mirylees (born Christina Kika Le Fleming Mirylees; 23 September 1953) is a South African-born British actress and councillor. She is best known for her roles as Fliss in ''Not Going Out'' and Julie Johnston in '' Bad Girls'', Doc Newton i ...
) - Garry's mother.
In November 2004, Garry is shocked when Lynne’s teenage cousin
Stacey Slater
Stacey Slater (also Branning and Fowler) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Lacey Turner. She first appears in episode 2826, originally broadcast on 1 November 2004. The character is introduced as a feis ...
(
Lacey Turner
Lacey Amelia Turner (born 28 March 1988) is an English actress. She gained prominence in the BBC One, BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' for her portrayal of Stacey Slater, a role she initially played between 2004 and 2010 before returning in 2014 an ...
) moves in with the Slaters and seduces him by kissing him on the lips, just as Lynne’s father
Charlie (
Derek Martin) walks in.
Garry becomes infatuated with
Dawn Swann (
Kara Tointon
Kara Louise Tointon (born 5 August 1983) is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Dawn Swann in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. In 2010, she won the BBC competition series ''Strictly Come Dancing'', and in 2015, she appeared a ...
), but his attempts to make her notice him are rebuffed. Dawn dates other men and uses Garry's generosity on various occasions. Garry supports Dawn after the death of her fiancé,
Jase Dyer (
Stephen Lord
Stephen Lord (born 1 October 1972) is an English actor, known for playing Jase Dyer in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 2007 to 2008 and Dominic Meak in the Channel 4 comedy drama series, '' Shameless'', between 2012 and 2013. In 2021, ...
), and, believing she has romantic feelings for him, proposes.
When Dawn refuses, he storms off, terrifying the locals when his car is found at a popular suicide spot. Fearing Garry has killed himself, Dawn realises her true feelings for him and tells a crowded Queen Vic that she loves him, only for Garry to enter and overhear. Despite her initial shock, Dawn and Garry begin dating, eventually becoming engaged but in July 2009, Dawn has an affair with Garry's boss,
Phil Mitchell
Phil Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Steve McFadden. He was introduced on 20 February 1990 and was followed by his brother, Grant ( Ross Kemp), sister, Sam ( Danniella Westbrook/ Kim Medca ...
(
Steve McFadden
Steve Robert McFadden (né Reid; born 20 March 1959) is an English actor whose career has spanned three decades. He rose to prominence for his role as longstanding character Phil Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'', which he has ...
).
Minty finds out and tells Garry, who punches Phil and decides to leave Walford on his and Dawn's wedding day. He goes to a canal and boards the boat he and Minty have been keeping and, as he is sailing away, Dawn arrives and runs alongside, telling him how much she loves him. He docks the boat, letting Dawn and her daughter,
Summer
Summer or summertime is the hottest and brightest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, daylight hours are the longest and darkness hours are the shortest, with day ...
, onboard and they sail away together on 27 August 2009.
Garry returns to Walford with Minty in February 2025, when both arrive at Billy and
Honey Mitchell's (
Emma Barton
Emma Louise Barton (born 26 July 1977) is an English actress. She is known for her role as Honey Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', which she has portrayed since November 2005. Before her role in ''EastEnders'', Barton appeared in ...
) joint stendo. He lies that he is a football broadcaster with some wealth, however, Minty reveals that he is now a bingo caller. Minty also reveals that Dawn has broken up with Garry after a few years of travelling together, wanting a more stable life for her and Summer, and that Garry has since moved in with Minty and his new wife.
Reception
For his role as Garry, Groves was nominated for "Funniest Performance" at the
2007 ''Inside Soap'' Awards. In September 2012, ''
Inside Soap
''Inside Soap'' is a weekly soap opera and television listings magazine published in the United Kingdom. The magazine is currently released every Tuesday. It covers storylines featured in British and Australian soap operas that are broadcast in t ...
'' named Dawn and Garry's exit as their number 4 happy ending, "When Dawn said she'd marry Garry, we suspected it was only because of a shared obsession with having a needless double in their names. (Frankly, she could do a lot better.) But off they chugged along the Grand Union Canal to a happy future – Garry and Dawn smiling, Summer cheerfully picking her nose. We'd like to think they're still together. But it's a long shot." In 2020, Sara Wallis and Ian Hyland from The ''
Daily Mirror
The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily Tabloid journalism, tabloid newspaper. Founded in 1903, it is part of Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), which is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the tit ...
'' placed Garry 81st on their ranked list of the best ''EastEnders'' characters of all time, calling him "Luckless" and "one of life's chancers" that received his "happy ever after" with Dawn.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hobbs, Garry
EastEnders characters
Fictional mechanics in soap operas
Television characters introduced in 2000
British male characters in soap operas
Slater family (EastEnders)