BBC1 EastEnders’ Honey’s dramatic real life from Stephen Mulhern romance to rockstar love
When it comes to romance, EastEnders' Honey Mitchell is possibly best known for her on-off relationship with Billy Mitchell, but the actress who plays her is currently 'smitten' with a rockstar
It’s fair to say EastEnders’ Honey Mitchell (Emma Barton) has had her fair share of heartbreak, having to contend with on-off partner Billy Mitchell’s (Perry Fenwick) various lies, affairs, and dodgy deeds. Away from Albert Square, actress Emma has also had a few ups and downs when it comes to affairs of the heart, but appears to have found happiness with ’90s rocker Jason Perry, who sang in the alternative rock band ‘A’.
The couple’s romance came to light earlier this year, and the clearly smitten pair will often share loved-up snaps via Instagram, from city breaks in New York to art gallery trips. In the caption of one adorable couple’s selfie shared back in August, Jason wrote: “A year ago today me and [Emma] met up for coffee and I’m so happy to say that we carried on meeting up for coffee. Thanks for the most amazing year, Emma. I love ya.”
With Emma loved up with her rockstar beau, we take a look back at some of the other significant partners in her life – from Stephen Mulhern to a co-star fling.
Emma has found love with rockstar Jason Perry (
theemmabarton/Instagram)
They appear to be very happy together (
theemmabarton/Instagram)
Painful divorce
In 2005, at exactly the same time Emma was on a career-high after joining EastEnders, she was also going through a heartbreaking divorce. The 46-year-old actor married lawyer Nigel Stoat in 2002, but their marital bliss sadly didn’t last, with the pair calling it quits just three years later.
It’s understood that Emma and Nigel were left “devastated” by the breakup, with a mutual friend telling People that they had both “desperately wanted things to work out”. The source continued: “Ultimately it was Emma who decided they couldn’t go on. It hasn’t been easy on either of them.”
Sparks flew behind the scenes between Emma and Joel (
Getty Images)
Emma met Stephen while working on a production of Snow White (
WireImage)
Co-star fling
Two years after joining the soap, in 2007, Emma found romance after heartbreak with co-star, Joel Beckett, who played Alfie Moon’s (Shane Ritchie) cousin Jake Moon. Things weren’t to last, however, with Emma and Joel calling it a day in 2009 after two years together. Speaking with the Mirror at the time, a source revealed that the split had been amicable, with a friend stating: “Emma is making the most of being single.”
Stephen Mulhern
Emma has also previously dated TV presenter and magician Stephen Mulhern, with the pair having first locked eyes on the set of a 2008 production of Snow White. They decided to part ways in 2011, with Stephen stating that the relationship had simply come to its “natural end”.
