Olly Rix has opened up about his "all-consuming" role on the BBC medical drama, Casualty, as well as his "full circle" moment moving back to his birthtown of Cardiff, where the show is filmed.
Chatting with HELLO! in an exclusive interview, the former Call the Midwife star revealed how the series has "kept him on his toes" and what the future holds for him on the show.
"It's been overwhelmingly busy", said the 40-year-old about joining the continuing drama as former Special Forces medic Flynn Byron.
"It's all-consuming. The set itself is quite extraordinary and such an immersive experience. Those two factors weave together perfectly.
© BBC STUDIOS"Really, I do feel as though I've spent the past year legitimately pretending to be a doctor, doing long shifts and finishing with sore feet and an aching back. It's been quite the journey," he explained, adding: "Joking aside, I do like the themes and the topics that we tackle as a show. I don't think we shy away from asking uncomfortable questions."
Olly, who moved to Cardiff for the role, said there was "something poetic" about returning to his birthplace.
© BBC STUDIOS"There's something poetic about coming full circle," he said. "I don't really have any memory of Cardiff. My parents left when I was about a year old, but my dad worked at Debenhams in the St David's Shopping Centre. It's not a store any more, I went to it.
"I'm literally treading ground that my parents trod. It's pretty lovely," he added.
(Warning! Spoilers for episode ten of Casualty: Internal Affairs ahead.)
© BBC STUDIOSWith two more episodes of the miniseries to go, Olly revealed that "a big question" the show tackles is "whether or not Flynn is going to do the right thing" after discovering the wrongdoings of his father-in-law, Russell Whitelaw (played by Robert Bathurst).
"That's a sort of dilemma that we've set up all the way along," he explained. "He's just witnessed an assault between Russell and Rida Amaan (Sarah Seggari). There's plenty of blackmailing to be done."
He continued: "I think the series poses the question of whether or not somebody in Russell's position ever really does face true justice, or whether they're just protected by the system that they're within."
But it's not just heavy subject matter that Olly had to contend with while filming the show. The actor also underwent physical and weapons training with ex-Special Forces operators in preparation for the role.
© CARL OSMOND at END STATE, Darkprism/Andarta"I did so much training with some ex-Special Forces operators at a place called Andarta and Dark Prism," said the actor. "They helped me with the physical stuff, showed me weapons handling and helped me gain an understanding of the world that Flynn comes from. It's been extraordinary."
Teasing the upcoming series, Olly added: "I'm taking some of that medical experience and military experience into the character of Flynn. That becomes very relevant in the series we're about to start filming, where there's a big military storyline."
© CARL OSMOND at END STATE, Darkprism/AndartaAs for his future on the show, Olly revealed that Flynn "isn't going anywhere".
"We've been filming for a year, and you've only had ten episodes. We have 40 something in the bank now," he said, adding: "So, Flynn's not going anywhere."
Casualty airs on BBC iPlayer and on BBC One on Saturday nights. Previous episodes are available to stream on BBC iPlayer now.
