Whilst at high school, Barry had two ambitions. He either wanted to be a food and beverage purser at sea or to go into Drama.
However, when he was offered a two week work experience programme at a 5 star hotel in Liverpool, he jumped at the chance.
After 2 weeks he was given a part-time job which rapidly became full-time, learning all aspects of the hotel trade and mingling with many celebrities like Cilla Black, Joan Collins and Danny Minogue, to name just a few. He served them all!
He started an NVQ level 2 in hospitality and catering at the same time as completing his GCSE's. By the time he was 17 he had almost completed the NVQ course.
He was offered a supervisory role at the Alton Towers hotel to take his NVQ up to level 3 Management, which he thought would look great on his C.V. So he jumped at the chance – he left the Woolton Redbourne Hotel and the celebrity’s behind after 2 years.
He worked in the magical Alton towers hotel for 11 months completing his NVQ 3 and absorbing the magical entertainment that makes the place so amazing. The lack of out of season trade, instigated a move back to Liverpool.
He began working with saga holidays. He was Second chef and he gained further experience whilst sailing up and down the river Rhine & Mosel. Once again, when the season came to an end, he found himself back in Liverpool.
He worked for 2 years as a head chef for a very busy outside caterers working sometimes 35 hours continually!!! – Running and managing functions for up to 800 people at any one time.
This position enabled him to work at many great locations including the Brookside & Hollyoaks sets. Abeing noticed by Phil Redmond, he invited Barry to be his personal chef on various occasions when he had guests.
He flew off on holiday to Tenerife when he was twenty. He didn't realise that he would be swept off his feet and meet someone who he wanted to send the rest of his life with.
He gave up everything in the uk and created a new life in Tenerife.
Not enjoying cooking in the heat and hustle and bustle of Tenerife he found a full time "front of house job" in a small restaurant in San Eugenio Alto where he stayed until the business was sold 6 ½ years later.
It was during tis time that his other ambition started to flourish. He decided, with a group of friends, to create a "naughty" pantomime which was created for Christmas. (Not realising what was going to become of dressing up as an ugly sister!).
The panto was a huge success! But with a cast of 7 there was no possible way of taking it onto the circuit and making money from it!
He then wrote a "naughty" comedy drag version of the sound of music which he managed to perform with a cast of four people. Once again ... it was a huge success and raised money for charity, primarily the Tsunami appeal! Once again, it was difficult to make enough money from the show for four people to earn a good living.
He then worked on a smaller solo show (mainly drag!).
He performed for good causes, especially for a good friend of his, Gemma Brown, whose 2 year old son had been diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukaemia.
He thoroughly enjoyed performing the show in the south of Tenerife – and what a huge success it was!
This is how his Drag Character, Dame Estos was born. She appeared weekly in a small bar in Tenerife Royal Gardens, and her overwhelming success created by far the busiest nights the bar had ever seen. It was time to do something with her!!!!!
As you can see by some of the photographs on this page, Barry has performed in Thailand with the famous Thai Ladyboys. He and his partner have become firm friends with them and often go over to visit and perform.
