diff --git a/packages/grafana-data/src/text/string.test.ts b/packages/grafana-data/src/text/string.test.ts
index b99614c0406..b9cd3eb0866 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-data/src/text/string.test.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-data/src/text/string.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
-import { stringToJsRegex, stringToMs } from './string';
+import { escapeStringForRegex, stringToJsRegex, stringToMs, unEscapeStringFromRegex } from './string';
 
 describe('stringToJsRegex', () => {
+  it('should just return string as RegEx if it does not start as a regex', () => {
+    const output = stringToJsRegex('validRegexp');
+    expect(output).toBeInstanceOf(RegExp);
+  });
+
   it('should parse the valid regex value', () => {
     const output = stringToJsRegex('/validRegexp/');
     expect(output).toBeInstanceOf(RegExp);
@@ -51,3 +56,35 @@ describe('stringToMs', () => {
     }).toThrow();
   });
 });
+
+describe('escapeStringForRegex', () => {
+  describe('when using a string with special chars', () => {
+    it('then all special chars should be escaped', () => {
+      const result = escapeStringForRegex('([{}])|*+-.?<>#&^$');
+      expect(result).toBe('\\(\\[\\{\\}\\]\\)\\|\\*\\+\\-\\.\\?\\<\\>\\#\\&\\^\\$');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('when using a string without special chars', () => {
+    it('then nothing should change', () => {
+      const result = escapeStringForRegex('some string 123');
+      expect(result).toBe('some string 123');
+    });
+  });
+});
+
+describe('unEscapeStringFromRegex', () => {
+  describe('when using a string with escaped special chars', () => {
+    it('then all special chars should be unescaped', () => {
+      const result = unEscapeStringFromRegex('\\(\\[\\{\\}\\]\\)\\|\\*\\+\\-\\.\\?\\<\\>\\#\\&\\^\\$');
+      expect(result).toBe('([{}])|*+-.?<>#&^$');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('when using a string without escaped special chars', () => {
+    it('then nothing should change', () => {
+      const result = unEscapeStringFromRegex('some string 123');
+      expect(result).toBe('some string 123');
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/grafana-data/src/text/string.ts b/packages/grafana-data/src/text/string.ts
index dd95136abbb..83754d51e01 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-data/src/text/string.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-data/src/text/string.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,32 @@
+const specialChars = ['(', '[', '{', '}', ']', ')', '|', '*', '+', '-', '.', '?', '<', '>', '#', '&', '^', '$'];
+
+export const escapeStringForRegex = (value: string) => {
+  if (!value) {
+    return value;
+  }
+
+  return specialChars.reduce((escaped, currentChar) => escaped.replace(currentChar, '\\' + currentChar), value);
+};
+
+export const unEscapeStringFromRegex = (value: string) => {
+  if (!value) {
+    return value;
+  }
+
+  return specialChars.reduce((escaped, currentChar) => escaped.replace('\\' + currentChar, currentChar), value);
+};
+
+export function stringStartsAsRegEx(str: string): boolean {
+  if (!str) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  return str[0] === '/';
+}
+
 export function stringToJsRegex(str: string): RegExp {
-  if (str[0] !== '/') {
-    return new RegExp('^' + str + '$');
+  if (!stringStartsAsRegEx(str)) {
+    return new RegExp(`^${str}$`);
   }
 
   const match = str.match(new RegExp('^/(.*?)/(g?i?m?y?)$'));
diff --git a/public/app/core/components/FilterInput/FilterInput.tsx b/public/app/core/components/FilterInput/FilterInput.tsx
index b69f7d9651d..5505166befa 100644
--- a/public/app/core/components/FilterInput/FilterInput.tsx
+++ b/public/app/core/components/FilterInput/FilterInput.tsx
@@ -1,32 +1,5 @@
 import React, { forwardRef } from 'react';
-
-const specialChars = ['(', '[', '{', '}', ']', ')', '|', '*', '+', '-', '.', '?', '<', '>', '#', '&', '^', '$'];
-
-export const escapeStringForRegex = (value: string) => {
-  if (!value) {
-    return value;
-  }
-
-  const newValue = specialChars.reduce(
-    (escaped, currentChar) => escaped.replace(currentChar, '\\' + currentChar),
-    value
-  );
-
-  return newValue;
-};
-
-export const unEscapeStringFromRegex = (value: string) => {
-  if (!value) {
-    return value;
-  }
-
-  const newValue = specialChars.reduce(
-    (escaped, currentChar) => escaped.replace('\\' + currentChar, currentChar),
-    value
-  );
-
-  return newValue;
-};
+import { escapeStringForRegex, unEscapeStringFromRegex } from '@grafana/data';
 
 export interface Props {
   value: string | undefined;
diff --git a/public/app/core/components/TagFilter/TagFilter.tsx b/public/app/core/components/TagFilter/TagFilter.tsx
index 845b0838a4c..e17425b5e63 100644
--- a/public/app/core/components/TagFilter/TagFilter.tsx
+++ b/public/app/core/components/TagFilter/TagFilter.tsx
@@ -4,12 +4,11 @@ import React from 'react';
 import { components } from '@torkelo/react-select';
 // @ts-ignore
 import AsyncSelect from '@torkelo/react-select/lib/Async';
-
+import { escapeStringForRegex } from '@grafana/data';
 // Components
 import { TagOption } from './TagOption';
 import { TagBadge } from './TagBadge';
-import { NoOptionsMessage, IndicatorsContainer, resetSelectStyles } from '@grafana/ui';
-import { escapeStringForRegex } from '../FilterInput/FilterInput';
+import { IndicatorsContainer, NoOptionsMessage, resetSelectStyles } from '@grafana/ui';
 
 export interface TermCount {
   term: string;
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/panel/table/renderer.ts b/public/app/plugins/panel/table/renderer.ts
index 4e8d2a2dcf5..752ec2c0893 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/panel/table/renderer.ts
+++ b/public/app/plugins/panel/table/renderer.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,19 @@
 import _ from 'lodash';
 import {
   dateTime,
-  getValueFormat,
-  getColorFromHexRgbOrName,
-  GrafanaThemeType,
-  stringToJsRegex,
-  ScopedVars,
+  escapeStringForRegex,
   formattedValueToString,
+  getColorFromHexRgbOrName,
+  getValueFormat,
+  GrafanaThemeType,
+  ScopedVars,
+  stringStartsAsRegEx,
+  stringToJsRegex,
+  unEscapeStringFromRegex,
 } from '@grafana/data';
 import { ColumnStyle } from '@grafana/ui/src/components/Table/TableCellBuilder';
 import { TemplateSrv } from 'app/features/templating/template_srv';
-import { TableRenderModel, ColumnRender } from './types';
+import { ColumnRender, TableRenderModel } from './types';
 
 export class TableRenderer {
   formatters: any[];
@@ -44,7 +47,10 @@ export class TableRenderer {
       for (let i = 0; i < this.panel.styles.length; i++) {
         const style = this.panel.styles[i];
 
-        const regex = stringToJsRegex(style.pattern);
+        const escapedPattern = stringStartsAsRegEx(style.pattern)
+          ? style.pattern
+          : escapeStringForRegex(unEscapeStringFromRegex(style.pattern));
+        const regex = stringToJsRegex(escapedPattern);
         if (column.text.match(regex)) {
           column.style = style;
 
diff --git a/public/app/plugins/panel/table/specs/renderer.test.ts b/public/app/plugins/panel/table/specs/renderer.test.ts
index 1f7f8dc82e1..09cc7e34bbd 100644
--- a/public/app/plugins/panel/table/specs/renderer.test.ts
+++ b/public/app/plugins/panel/table/specs/renderer.test.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,25 @@
 import _ from 'lodash';
 import TableModel from 'app/core/table_model';
 import { TableRenderer } from '../renderer';
-import { getColorDefinitionByName } from '@grafana/data';
-import { ScopedVars } from '@grafana/data';
+import { getColorDefinitionByName, ScopedVars } from '@grafana/data';
 import { ColumnRender } from '../types';
 
+const sanitize = (value: any): string => {
+  return 'sanitized';
+};
+
+const templateSrv = {
+  replace: (value: any, scopedVars: ScopedVars) => {
+    if (scopedVars) {
+      // For testing variables replacement in link
+      _.each(scopedVars, (val, key) => {
+        value = value.replace('$' + key, val.value);
+      });
+    }
+    return value;
+  },
+};
+
 describe('when rendering table', () => {
   const SemiDarkOrange = getColorDefinitionByName('semi-dark-orange');
 
@@ -173,22 +188,6 @@ describe('when rendering table', () => {
       ],
     };
 
-    const sanitize = (value: any): string => {
-      return 'sanitized';
-    };
-
-    const templateSrv = {
-      replace: (value: any, scopedVars: ScopedVars) => {
-        if (scopedVars) {
-          // For testing variables replacement in link
-          _.each(scopedVars, (val, key) => {
-            value = value.replace('$' + key, val.value);
-          });
-        }
-        return value;
-      },
-    };
-
     //@ts-ignore
     const renderer = new TableRenderer(panel, table, 'utc', sanitize, templateSrv);
 
@@ -407,6 +406,51 @@ describe('when rendering table', () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe('when rendering table with different patterns', () => {
+  it.each`
+    column                 | pattern                        | expected
+    ${'Requests (Failed)'} | ${'/Requests \\(Failed\\)/'}   | ${'<td>1.230 s</td>'}
+    ${'Requests (Failed)'} | ${'/(Req)uests \\(Failed\\)/'} | ${'<td>1.230 s</td>'}
+    ${'Requests (Failed)'} | ${'Requests (Failed)'}         | ${'<td>1.230 s</td>'}
+    ${'Requests (Failed)'} | ${'Requests \\(Failed\\)'}     | ${'<td>1.230 s</td>'}
+    ${'Requests (Failed)'} | ${'/.*/'}                      | ${'<td>1.230 s</td>'}
+    ${'Some other column'} | ${'/.*/'}                      | ${'<td>1.230 s</td>'}
+    ${'Requests (Failed)'} | ${'/Requests (Failed)/'}       | ${'<td>1230</td>'}
+    ${'Requests (Failed)'} | ${'Response (Failed)'}         | ${'<td>1230</td>'}
+  `(
+    'number column should be formatted for a column:$column with the pattern:$pattern',
+    ({ column, pattern, expected }) => {
+      const table = new TableModel();
+      table.columns = [{ text: 'Time' }, { text: column }];
+      table.rows = [[1388556366666, 1230]];
+      const panel = {
+        pageSize: 10,
+        styles: [
+          {
+            pattern: 'Time',
+            type: 'date',
+            format: 'LLL',
+            alias: 'Timestamp',
+          },
+          {
+            pattern: pattern,
+            type: 'number',
+            unit: 'ms',
+            decimals: 3,
+            alias: pattern,
+          },
+        ],
+      };
+
+      //@ts-ignore
+      const renderer = new TableRenderer(panel, table, 'utc', sanitize, templateSrv);
+      const html = renderer.renderCell(1, 0, 1230);
+
+      expect(html).toBe(expected);
+    }
+  );
+});
+
 function normalize(str: string) {
   return str.replace(/\s+/gm, ' ').trim();
 }