Casualty actor Barney Walsh admits he's still pinching himself about getting to star in one of his favourite dramas. Not only that, but the actor and presenter is currently taking centre stage as nurse Cameron "Cam" Mickelthwaite in the medical drama’s hard-hitting 12-part storyline Storm Damage, which this Saturday is set to reach a critical turning point.
"To play a character in Casualty who's the focus of such an important story is a dream come true," says Barney, 26, who joined the cast of the long-running BBC One drama in April 2023. "I feel really blessed because it's something that I've wanted to do since I was a child. It's honestly been a lifelong ambition!”
This week's episode Absolution sees Cam enter emotional waters when his former mentor Jamie Cleveland (played by Emmerdale's Ryan Hawley), who sexually abused him as a child, is brought into Holby ED in a critical condition after being found trapped in his car at the bottom of a gorge.
Here, in an exclusive interview, Barney tells us more…
Casualty exclusive with Barney Walsh
How do you feel about Cam being at the heart of such a powerful storyline?
"I feel absolutely honoured. I mean, Casualty is such an incredible show and it tells such amazing, important stories, so it’s real 'mission complete' for me."
What is Cam's reaction when Jamie is brought into the ED at death’s door?
“Jamie did some awful things to Cam, but Cam doesn't want Jamie to die. Cam's a carer through and through, and when someone comes into the ED, he’ll do everything he can to save them. Of course, there's a whole bundle of emotions that comes from the fact that this person in the hospital bed is the person who did all those awful things, and that makes it really tricky to navigate for Cam. He’s kind of in a state of shock."
Why do you think Jamie has had such a hold over Cam up until this point?
"This whole situation has been a roller coaster of emotions, and it's been somewhat torture for Cam because, growing up, he thought that by burying it, it would be forgotten and no one would ever speak about it again. He thought he'd managed to start a new life, make new friends, and get a job he liked - against his dad's wishes, because Owen (played by Simon Sherlock), didn't want him to be a nurse. But, of course, with all of that, he's burying something that can’t just be buried. With Jamie coming back into his life, that's where we started to see Cam's turmoil and fear that 'everyone's going to find out what happened to me as a child.'"
Cam confides in his boss, Clinical Lead Siobhan McKenzie (Melanie Hill), who encourages him to get answers before it’s too late. How does that play out on screen?
"Cam confronts Jamie and it’s a real turning point because he finally faces his demons. Cam has it in his mind that Jamie will say sorry. But there's a real gear shift when Jamie says something so shocking to Cam that he realises, 'Wow, this person really is a monster.' But there's also that added question of, 'Is Jamie going to die?'"
How do you get into the right emotional space when you have tough scenes like this to film?
"For that particular scene, the make-up and prosthetics team did such a phenomenal job that seeing Ryan Hawley looking so bruised and battered was a shock for me personally, so that really helped. We also worked with charities SurvivorsUK and We Are Survivors and they were instrumental in the scriptwriting process and how to handle the story with sensitivity."
You have some very emotional two handers with Melanie and Ryan. How has it been working so closely with both of them?
"Oh, it's been absolutely phenomenal. First off, Ryan's an amazing actor. To bring him on to play Bobby [Bobby Morton is played by Ryan J Mackay] was incredible. We connected over the storyline and we were able to really sit down and discuss what we want to get from certain scenes. There are some amazing scenes coming up with Ryan, it’s not over for Bobby, he will be back.
"And then with Mel, it’s such a joy to work with her, because she's such an incredible actor. For me as a young actor starting out to work alongside someone like Mel is a real honour. And we really get on, we’re good friends so it's been amazing to have these scenes with her."
Can you share any insights into what the future holds for your character after the events of this week’s episode?
"There's a moment where he feels he can’t go forward. But with the help of Siobhan and by reconnecting with his friends Rida Amaan (Sarah Seggari) and Jodie Whyte (Anna Chell), he’s able to grow and flourish, and finally come into his own as a nurse.
"We’ll almost see a rebirth of Cam. I like to think of it as a caterpillar-to-butterfly moment. This whole process has been an incubation period for him to face his demons and come out the other side stronger."
Do you have a dream future storyline for Cam?
"That’s a tricky question because the writers at Casualty are so brilliant and they take the characters’ stories in ways we’d never expect. So in the future, where will Cam go? I’m not sure, but I have every faith the writers know what they’re doing. All I know is I love playing Cam and there's a lot more to come!"
Finally, you’re also currently busy filming Series 2 of BBC One game show Gladiators. Have any of your Casualty colleagues come along to support you?
"I’ve had quite a few of my mates in the audience like Michael Stevenson [AKA paramedic Iain Dean] and Melanie Hill. And William Beck [who plays Dr Dylan Keogh] is coming for the final. The brilliant thing is that they’re all bringing their kids and grandkids. So Mike's little twins are big fans of Sabre and Diamond and they got to meet them, which was lovely!"
Absolution airs on Saturday 24 August at 9.10 pm on BBC One. The episode is available on BBC iPlayer from 6am.
If you are affected by any of the storylines in this week's Casualty, please know that help and support is available from BBC Action Line: https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline/
