Gary Bolton is the father of Robbie Jackson, Sophie, Jane and Kevin Bolton as well as the husband of Helen Bolton. He made his first appearance on 17 May 2001, and his last on 10 July 2001. He was portrayed by Bruce Byron.
Backstory[]
Gary lived with Carol Branning as her boyfriend, as well as acting as a father figure towards her daughter Bianca Branning until two weeks before Robbie's first birthday, when he leaves the family for a woman called Helen. When David Wicks is revealed as Bianca's father in 1994, Carol tells Robbie she had left his father because he was having relationships with under-age girls; however, this is not mentioned when the character appears in 2001. He tries to get in touch with Robbie on his eighteenth birthday by phoning Carol's father Jim Branning but Jim refuses to give Gary Carol's number.
Storylines[]
In May 2001, Robbie and his half sister Sonia go to Portsmouth to find Gary. They find his number when they see an advert for a builder called G. Bolton. When they go to his house, Gary gives Robbie a present he has saved from his first birthday and a cheque to make up for "backdated pocket money". Robbie then meets his half brother, Gary's son Kevin Bolton, and when he realises that Gary had left Carol to be with Kevin's mother, he throws the cheque back at Gary and leaves. In June, Gary arrives in Walford to talk to Robbie. He tells Robbie he will pay for him to go to college, but Jim tells him to leave. Later, in July, Gary returns to Walford and is happy to see old friend Mo Harris. Gary and Mo spend the day reminiscing in The Queen Victoria pub, and when Robbie comes in, Gary gives him a cheque for £10,000. This is the last time Gary is seen. Robbie uses £1,000 of his money to travel to India, and gives Sonia £9,000 to pay her college fees.