# Emma Barton
**Emma Barton** is an English actress best known for playing Honey Mitchell in the BBC soap opera *EastEnders*, a role she has held on and off since November 2005. Born in 1977 in [Hampshire](https://www.edgepedia.org/hampshire), England, she trained at the Guildford School of Acting and has worked across television, musical theater, and stage comedy, in addition to competing on *Strictly Come Dancing* in 2019.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Emma Louise Barton |
| Born | 1977 in Hampshire, England; sources give Portsmouth[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2051016/bio/) or Waterlooville[2](https://eastenders.fandom.com/wiki/Emma_Barton) |
| Training | Guildford School of Acting, graduated 1998[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2051016/bio/) • [3](https://www.gsauk.org/alumni/emma-barton) |
| Signature role | Honey Mitchell in *EastEnders*, first appearance 22 November 2005; regular 2005 to 2008, guest return 2014, regular again from 2015[4](https://eastenders.fandom.com/wiki/Honey_Mitchell) • [5](https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/entertainment/2019/07/31/news/emma-barton-from-walford-to-strictly-dancefloor-1675131/) |
| *Strictly Come Dancing* | 2019 contestant, finished 2nd with professional partner Anton Du Beke[2](https://eastenders.fandom.com/wiki/Emma_Barton) |
| Notable stage roles | Roxie Hart in *Chicago* (Cambridge Theatre, West End, and UK tour); Dolly in *One Man, Two Guvnors* (National Theatre production, UK tour); Lily in *Annie* (West Yorkshire Playhouse, 2019)[6](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/emma-barton/) • [7](https://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/arts-and-culture/emmas-on-easy-street-2390639) |
| Charity work | Patron of the Down's Syndrome Association and Portsmouth Down Syndrome Association; Ambassador for Dementia UK[6](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/emma-barton/) |
## Early life and training
Barton was born in 1977 in Hampshire. Her biography on IMDb gives [Portsmouth](https://www.edgepedia.org/portsmouth) as her birthplace[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2051016/bio/), while the *EastEnders* fan wiki gives [Waterlooville](https://www.edgepedia.org/waterlooville), also in Hampshire[2](https://eastenders.fandom.com/wiki/Emma_Barton). She trained at the Guildford School of Acting, graduating in 1998[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2051016/bio/) • [3](https://www.gsauk.org/alumni/emma-barton).
## EastEnders and Honey Mitchell
Barton made her first appearance as Honey Mitchell (originally Honey Edwards) on 22 November 2005, introduced by producer Kate Harwood[4](https://eastenders.fandom.com/wiki/Honey_Mitchell). Honey married [Billy Mitchell](https://www.edgepedia.org/billy-mitchell), played by Perry Fenwick, and the couple's storylines included the birth of their daughter Janet, who was diagnosed with Down's syndrome[4](https://eastenders.fandom.com/wiki/Honey_Mitchell). Barton has described that storyline as a responsibility she and Fenwick wanted to handle well, and the shared work brought the two actors closer[8](https://www.whattowatch.com/eastenders-main/eastenders-news/emma-barton-when-eastenders-expressed-interest-in-honey-returning-i-was-like-yes-please-177317).
She left the show in 2008 when her contract was not renewed, a decision she said came as a shock[5](https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/entertainment/2019/07/31/news/emma-barton-from-walford-to-strictly-dancefloor-1675131/) • [8](https://www.whattowatch.com/eastenders-main/eastenders-news/emma-barton-when-eastenders-expressed-interest-in-honey-returning-i-was-like-yes-please-177317). She returned for a guest stint in 2014 and became a series regular again in 2015[5](https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/entertainment/2019/07/31/news/emma-barton-from-walford-to-strictly-dancefloor-1675131/). Later storylines have included Honey's bulimia, her support of [Lola Pearce](https://www.edgepedia.org/lola-pearce) during Lola's terminal cancer storyline, and a plot in which the manipulative [Bea Pollard](https://www.edgepedia.org/bea-pollard) isolated Honey from her friends and family[9](https://tollbit.radiotimes.com/news/soaps/eastenders/2020-02-12/emma-barton-honey-return/) • [10](https://thecinemaholics.com/exclusive-eastenders-star-reveals-honeys-future-after-beas-dramatic-exit/). In 2023 she and Fenwick were jointly nominated for Best Partnership at the Inside Soap Awards[2](https://eastenders.fandom.com/wiki/Emma_Barton).
## Stage career
Musical theater has been a constant alongside her soap work. Before *EastEnders* she had appeared in stage musicals including *Grease*, in which she played Marty at the Victoria Palace Theatre, and *The Secret Garden* for the [Royal Shakespeare Company](https://www.edgepedia.org/royal-shakespeare-company)[6](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/emma-barton/) • [11](https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/emma-barton-on-chicago_15894/). After leaving the soap in 2008 she toured the UK as [Roxie Hart](https://www.edgepedia.org/roxie-hart) in *Chicago*, first with [Jimmy Osmond](https://www.edgepedia.org/jimmy-osmond) and later with Gary Wilmot, and also played the role at the Cambridge Theatre in the West End[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2051016/bio/) • [6](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/emma-barton/). She has said the part would probably never have been offered without her *EastEnders* profile[8](https://www.whattowatch.com/eastenders-main/eastenders-news/emma-barton-when-eastenders-expressed-interest-in-honey-returning-i-was-like-yes-please-177317).
In 2014 she joined the UK tour of the National Theatre comedy *One Man, Two Guvnors* as Dolly, a straight comedic role she described as a change from the ditsy characters she was used to playing[6](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/emma-barton/) • [12](https://www.thestateofthearts.co.uk/features/an-interview-with-emma-barton-from-richard-beans-one-man-two-guvnors/). In 2019 she played Lily, a villainous role, in Nikolai Foster's production of *Annie* at the West Yorkshire Playhouse[7](https://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/arts-and-culture/emmas-on-easy-street-2390639).
## Television and other work
Beyond *EastEnders*, her screen credits include the spy drama *[Spooks](https://www.edgepedia.org/spooks-tv-series)* (also known as *MI-5*), the BBC daytime medical drama *Doctors*, the [Channel 4](https://www.edgepedia.org/channel-4) program *Secret History*, the UKTV sitcom *You, Me & Them*, and the 2013 film *Who Needs Enemies?*, in which she played Catherine[6](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/emma-barton/) • [5](https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/entertainment/2019/07/31/news/emma-barton-from-walford-to-strictly-dancefloor-1675131/). She has also appeared as a contestant or guest on shows including *The Weakest Link*, *Blankety Blank*, *Pointless Celebrities*, and *Celebrity MasterChef*[13](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/emma-barton/) • [8](https://www.whattowatch.com/eastenders-main/eastenders-news/emma-barton-when-eastenders-expressed-interest-in-honey-returning-i-was-like-yes-please-177317).
In 2019 she competed in *Strictly Come Dancing*, reaching the final and finishing second with [Anton Du Beke](https://www.edgepedia.org/anton-du-beke)[2](https://eastenders.fandom.com/wiki/Emma_Barton). Her *EastEnders* schedule was reduced during the competition to accommodate it[9](https://tollbit.radiotimes.com/news/soaps/eastenders/2020-02-12/emma-barton-honey-return/).
## Charity work and personal life
Barton is a patron of the Down's Syndrome Association and the Portsmouth Down Syndrome Association, and an Ambassador for Dementia UK[6](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/emma-barton/). In 2019 she ran the [London Marathon](https://www.edgepedia.org/london-marathon) with other *EastEnders* cast members as one of Dame Barbara Windsor's "Revolutionaries", raising money for the Dementia Revolution campaign; Windsor, her former co-star, had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2014[5](https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/entertainment/2019/07/31/news/emma-barton-from-walford-to-strictly-dancefloor-1675131/). She has also hosted BBC events including VE 75, D-Day 80, and VE 80, and presented *The Petcast* podcast for the animal charity Blue Cross[6](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/emma-barton/).
She was married to Nigel Stoate from June 2002 until their divorce in 2006[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2051016/bio/). In interviews she has spoken about the precariousness of acting work: after her first *EastEnders* stint and a couple of years touring in *Chicago*, work dried up for about three years, during which she returned to a clothes shop job she had held at drama school before the soap called her back[14](https://www.aol.com/news/eastenders-emma-barton-out-of-work-065634091.html).
## References
1. [Emma Barton – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2051016/bio/)
2. [Emma Barton, EastEnders Wiki (Fandom)](https://eastenders.fandom.com/wiki/Emma_Barton)
3. [Emma Barton, Guildford School of Acting alumni](https://www.gsauk.org/alumni/emma-barton)
4. [Honey Mitchell, EastEnders Wiki (Fandom)](https://eastenders.fandom.com/wiki/Honey_Mitchell)
5. [Emma Barton: From Walford to Strictly dancefloor, The Irish News (31 July 2019)](https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/entertainment/2019/07/31/news/emma-barton-from-walford-to-strictly-dancefloor-1675131/)
6. [Emma Barton, United Agents](https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/emma-barton/)
7. [Emma's on Easy Street, Wakefield Express (28 February 2019)](https://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/arts-and-culture/emmas-on-easy-street-2390639)
8. [Emma Barton: When EastEnders expressed interest in Honey returning, What to Watch (11 November 2015)](https://www.whattowatch.com/eastenders-main/eastenders-news/emma-barton-when-eastenders-expressed-interest-in-honey-returning-i-was-like-yes-please-177317)
9. [Emma Barton calls for Honey and Billy reunion as she returns to EastEnders, Radio Times (12 February 2020)](https://tollbit.radiotimes.com/news/soaps/eastenders/2020-02-12/emma-barton-honey-return/)
10. [Exclusive: EastEnders star reveals Honey's future after Bea's dramatic exit, Cinemaholic](https://thecinemaholics.com/exclusive-eastenders-star-reveals-honeys-future-after-beas-dramatic-exit/)
11. [Emma Barton On… Chicago, WhatsOnStage (28 October 2009)](https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/emma-barton-on-chicago_15894/)
12. [An Interview with Emma Barton from Richard Bean's 'One Man, Two Guvnors', The State of the Arts (3 November 2014)](https://www.thestateofthearts.co.uk/features/an-interview-with-emma-barton-from-richard-beans-one-man-two-guvnors/)
13. [Emma Barton, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/emma-barton/)
14. [EastEnders' Emma Barton was 'hanging by a thread' without work, AOL (5 June 2022)](https://www.aol.com/news/eastenders-emma-barton-out-of-work-065634091.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Soap operas and continuing serials › British and Australasian soaps and characters › EastEnders › EastEnders cast members*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license