Kacey Barry is a former pupil of Waterloo Road. She is the daughter of Carol Barry and sister of Barry and Dynasty. Her father and brother were both in jail when the show ended. She has some discipline problems, and when she first arrives, is put in the PRU along with her brother.
When Kacey arrives at Waterloo Road in Series 8, she quickly realises she has gender identity issues. She is seen binding her chest with bandages and seems to experience some form of gender dysphoria. She is helped through this by Tom Clarkson and Nikki Boston. Her brother Barry doesn't accept the situation and acts violently towards her when he finds out. Her mother does not understand either, and Dynasty is the only family member that supports her through this. For a short time, she uses the name Robbie Barry, before deciding to detransition and think more on her gender identity when she is older. Kacey becomes good friends with Lula Tsibi and Harley Taylor.
Kacey is a talented football player and was on the school football team, originally founded only for boys. With the support of the coach, Tom Clarkson, and the players Jack MacAlister, Kevin Chalk and Connor Mulgrew, she becomes the team's captain. When Tom dies after falling from the roof, Kacey has some hard times, for example being angry at Tom for putting himself in danger while trying to save Kyle Stack from committing suicide.
In Series 9, it's Nikki Boston who helps Kacey to accept Tom's death and not be angry at him. After Tom's death, Kacey has some problems about playing football and discovers a love for boxing. She wants to go to Miami to train to be a professional boxer, but her brother did not agree. Her sister and (after some persuasion) her mother think it is a great idea, and she is supported by Nikki.
When Barry Barry discovers that his sister is going to leave for the USA, he steals all of the money that had been fundraised for it. Kacey then finds out and exposes him to the school. Carol then chucks him out of the family, and in tears says to Kacey, "Come on Rocky. The plane won't wait". As she is walking out, she looks back at the school and says "see ya, Waterloo Road" and walks backwards away from the school.
When Kacey returns from Miami, she gets into a climbing wall challenge with Gabriella Wark, and ends up falling off when Gabriella stamps on her hand. After this, Kacey goes to hospital, where she is told she has a broken wrist, and gets her wrist put in plaster for 12 weeks. She is told that her wrist may be permanently damaged and she might not be able to box again. Kacey had been accepted for shortlisting for the Commonwealth Games, but then broken wrist prevents her from being able to go.
Gabriella returns in Series 10, which causes some stirs for Kacey. In the end however, she saves Gabriella from drowning. She, along with Harley Taylor and Gabriella, leave the show at the end of the first half of Series 10.
Personality
Feisty, selfless, clever and highly competitive, Kacey displays extreme emotional issues such as anger-management breakdown, mental tenacity to the extreme, and considerable levels of social problems. She is daring and enthusiastic about sport, particularly football and later boxing, and is a target for bullying from Darren Hughes and even her own older brother. However, much like the other women in her family, she rises above this and shows her daring several times, and is exceedingly supportive of other people. She is vindictive when she needs to be and disowns Barry from the family, as did the other Barrys. Kacey is selfless and supportive and encourages people to do several things, such as stand up for themselves, and when she manages to help Harley Taylor up the climbing wall when the latter briefly suffers from vertigo. Kacey can also be violent and ferocious: when she is angry, she lashes out senselessly, wrecking everything in her path. This is often a weakness with her, as it heightens her emotional ferocity. Her anger leads Nikki Boston to help her take up boxing so that she is able to control her anger.
Quotes
- "Her skirt gets any shorter, you'll see her teeth." (first line)
- "Are you gonna take that from some bloke who topped his dad?"
- "What? You want me to be like her, all lippy and boobs?"
- Zoe: "You're not like any other lad I've ever met."
- Kacey: "Um...did I say I was a boy? I don't think I did, but, I mean, maybe...If I did, then-"
- "I'M NOT A GIRL, I'M A BOY!"
- "Mum, you can't make me be someone I'm not. All I want...alls I've ever wanted is to just be meself. This is really hard, and...I can't do it on me own. I need your help. All of you."
- "It's my name. I'm not Kacey no more. I'm Robbie."
- Kacey: "I'm Robbie now, Barry!"
- Barry: "Nah. You can wear trousers all you like, call yourself 'Alf'. But you're still a girl."
- Kacey: "What is it with some boys? It's like they're in their own group that no-one else can fit into, it's pathetic!"
- Jack: "It's called testosterone, it's the moron hormone. Beats me why you'd want some."
- Lula: "Who do you think you are?"
- Kacey: "Robbie Barry, you got a problem with that?"
- Kacey: "Can't you see what the problem is? It's me, I'm a fake."
- Tom: "In what way?"
- Kacey: "I've been telling everyone that I'm a boy. But that's crap, and they know it. I'm not a boy, I'm a girl."
- Tom: "Look at the Arsenal Ladies - twice as good as the men."
- Kacey: "Three times."
- Tom: "Hey, you're missing the party!"
- Kacey: "I'm not really a party girl."
- Tom: "So, what d'you think we should call it?"
- Kacey: "Call what?"
- Tom: "The Waterloo Road girl's team we're starting next year. I wanted some input from my captain."
- Kacey: "That's where he fell. Right there."
- Nikki: "Why don't you come back inside?"
- Kacey: "Cos one poxy minute isn't gonna bring him back!"
- Kacey: "Darren's the only boxer who can beat himself up."
- Darren: "Go bake a cake."
- Kacey: "I'm trying to convince Boston to get me a fight."
- Barry: "So you can have your brains smashed to a pulp?"
- "But I love it. And I'm alright at it. I could be good! Like, really good!" (about her boxing)
- "If I was ever ill like that stupid brother of mine, I'd want my mum to be there for me. And I'm sure Eve would feel the same way."
- Kacey: "You just don't get it, do you? See, this is what's freaking me out! Everyone expecting me to be someone that's just not me! Maybe I don't wanna leave my friends and family, maybe I don't wanna fight Nicola Adams and look like a complete idiot!"
- Nikki: "What? Are you saying you don't want this? I won't believe it! We have worked too hard for you to suddenly turn around and say you don't want it!"
- Kacey: "So, when do I say it? Because I haven't had much chance, have I? It seems like it's been more your dream than mine!"
- "No! You had to push it, didn't you? Make me believe in something that just doesn't happen for kids like me! Well, thanks. Thanks for nothing. You know, you've ruined my life. I hate you!"
- Kacey: "What a beautiful speech, Barry. I'm actually quite choked. What a lucky sister I am. But...but it's all lies, isn't it? All of it. Every word he said."
- Barry: "Are you alright, Kace?"
- Kacey: "My money, the money that you all raised for me, was stolen by him. My brother. The brother that loves me so much, he stole it. Can you believe that?"
- "See you, Waterloo Road." (final line of her first stint)
- "What about Barry? I got on an earlier flight! Thought I'd surprise you." (first line upon her return in S9E19)
- "Your photos from the insurance claim? They seem to have gone viral." (to George)
- Carol: "To my Dynasty. No matter what you do, I'll always be proud of you."
- Kacey: "Even if she is a copper."
- "I don't think it really hit me at first...but watching the Commonwealth Games, and seeing some other girl take a medal that could've been mine...I trained for months. I never even got a chance to try."
- "Bye, sir. And thanks. You were one of the good ones." (to Simon)
- Allie: "He's not in prison, Kacey. He's being held in police custody."
- Kacey: "Same difference. A cell's a cell." (final line)