Tony O’Callaghan is glad to be back on the box.
“Oh blimey, this is the Queen Vic!”
That was what was running through former Bill star Tony O’Callaghan’s mind when he walked in through the doors of the legendary Albert Square boozer.
After some time in the acting wilderness Tony, who played Sergeant Matt Boyden on the ITV cop show for 12 years, is delighted to be back after joining the cast of EastEnders.
And he admits his acting chops were pushed to the limit by playing allotment owner Ollie Walters his horticultural skills are so bad his wife has banned him from the garden!
He said: “I’m useless I really haven’t a clue what I’m talking about.
“But it’s lovely to be on the box again.
“I’ve done bits and pieces like Holby and Doctors but it’s great to have a nice character in a high profile show. I went up for a smaller part and didn’t get that. But they called me up about Ollie and I gave it a shot.
“I didn’t hear and I’d actually started thinking about a theatre tour when the call came right out of the blue. I’d almost forgotten about it and couldn’t quite believe it.”
And Tony admits there were more than a few butterflies as he headed for the Queen Vic.
“I’ve done a fair bit of telly in my time and been round the block a bit,” he confides.
“But you know what, I still felt nervous the first time I turned up at EastEnders.
“It’s a big, iconic show and very prestigious. I think it’d be stupid for any actor to pretend they weren’t just a little bit nervous.
“The stuff on the allotment was fine as it was a bit like being on location.
“But walking into the pub for the first time was particularly strange.”
Ollie’s first scenes are at the allotment when he bumps into Jean Slater and tries to offer her some gardening advice.
“He means well but he overcooks it and she storms off,” explains Tony.
“So he tries to make up for it by doing her weeding for her and then meets her again at a speed dating session at the bar.
“She starts to see he’s not so bad and they have a little picnic together. It’s a nice, gentle, humorous story.
“I truly don’t know how the storyline is going to progress but I have a feeling it’ll be positive and good. Jean’s been through a lot and I think she deserves that.”
Although Ollie is, as it happens, an ex-copper, Tony says he’s nothing like dodgy womaniser Boyden.
“I really like not being a baddie for once,” he admits.
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