Charmed & DANGEROUS

Casualty star JAMIE GLOVER on whether his deceiving doctor will finally get his comeuppance

- ELAINE REILLY

CASUALTY SATURDAY, 8.30PM, BBC1 DRAMA

Jamie Glover is in the middle of rehearsals for his new play, A Child of Science, at the Bristol Old Vic theatre when TV Times calls him for an exclusive chat about his screen role as unscrupulous medic Patrick Onley in BBC1 drama Casualty.

‘Would you believe I am playing another doctor and he’s also called Patrick?! The play is about a real person called Patrick Steptoe, a pioneer of IVF, and the medicine that led to the first “test-tube baby”,’ says the actor, adding that, profession and first name aside, the character couldn’t be more different from his Holby alter ego, whose duplicitous dealings haven’t found favour with fans!

‘Patrick on Casualty is loathed by everyone! It’s quite fun portraying someone who blames others for his mistakes and is the focus of such vitriol!’

Introduced as a strong and charming new clinical lead in March, Patrick has proven to be a relentless bully and a danger to those in his care. Now, following a fall from grace last week when he almost killed a patient and tried to pin the blame on a junior doctor, viewers are hoping that he’ll get his comeuppance in the final instalment of 12-part storyline Breaking Point.

But, here, Jamie, 54, explains why the slippery surgeon may yet slither his way out of trouble…

There’s a sense of chilling realism to Patrick’s villainy. Was that part of the character’s appeal for you?