Exclusive: Robert Bathurst on Casualty villain Russell Whitelaw: ‘He engages in deniability as far as he can take it…’
As Casualty chapter Internal Affairs comes to a close this week, it’s no secret that guest star Robert Bathurst is bowing out of the show. But don’t worry, Teflon-like surgeon Russell Whitelaw is not getting a quiet exit.
Initially introduced to BBC1’s medical drama earlier this year as a skilled surgeon with old-fashioned charm, Russell’s true nature was revealed to viewers after he sexually assaulted nurse Rida Amaan (played by Sarah Seggari) before going on to physically attack her when she attempted to record him confessing to his crimes.
Now, after weeks of abuse and bullying, Rida bravely breaks her silence despite signing an NDA. Yet, whether remorseless Russell manages to sneer his way out of repercussions remains to be seen.
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Here, we caught up with Cold Feet and Downton Abbey star Robert, 68, to find out whether the character will get his comeuppance…
What is your take on Russell, Robert?
“I think he’s an old-school villain, but he also catches you by surprise. When I took on the role, the phrase the producer used was, ‘We’re not making him moustache-twirling’. I loved the idea of a character who engages in deniability as far as he can take it.”
How have Casualty fans reacted to the character?
“I went to the races recently and the guy who took my ticket looked up and said, ‘Get your hands off that nurse.’ So this storyline seems to be striking a chord, and I think that’s because it’s well written, with grey areas and complications.”
This week Russell has some nasty news for his cheating son-in-law, clinical lead Flynn Byron (Olly Rix). What can you tell us?
“Russell’s protective of his daughter, Claire [Elisabeth Hopper], but the chance to turn the screw on his son-in-law is something he finds very appealing. Being the person he is, he likes to exercise power once he’s got a hold on someone…”
There are even more shocking scenes when nurse Rida Amaan agrees to sign a non-disclosure agreement if Russell takes early retirement. How has he managed to wrangle this deal?
“The fact is, people like that do wiggle through. He’s managed to delete Rida’s recording, there’s no evidence, and everything against him is anecdotal. As far as Russell’s concerned, he’s saved hundreds of lives at Holby and the hospital board is behind him, so he’s prepared to ride it out and play the system…”
Sarah Seggari as nurse Rida Amaan. (Image credit: BBC STUDIOS.)
How does Rida react when she later learns Russell’s getting an operating theatre named after him?
“She challenges him in front of everyone at his retirement party! But no one in the room joins in with her criticism for their own professional advancement. Russell’s career isn’t over, he’s moving out of this situation to a hospital teaching job in London. He’s got power – they depend on a good word from him for promotion, so there’s tension there.”
How have you found working with Sarah, who plays Rida, on this storyline?
“Sarah’s got great screen presence and has been absolutely brilliant. They built an operating-theatre set for these 12 episodes and provided wonderful medical advisors, including a surgeon and a scrub nurse, which was so valuable to us. How Russell draws Rida into his surgical microcosm is like a play within a play.”
Have the surgical scenes been tricky to film?
“I think I’m naturally squeamish! I remember having to remove a spleen in a scene and, when looking down at the open abdomen, my first reaction was, ‘I’m not touching toad-in-the-hole ever again.’ The prosthetics are impressively realistic.”
Did anything else surprise you while working on the show?
“I’ve never done a continuing drama before and I really enjoyed Casualty‘s filming process; they take time and everyone is so committed and engaged.“I really enjoyed working with the cast – and I even managed to beat Sammy Dobson [doctor Nicole Piper] at darts, so I was very pleased by that!
“Although, I kept getting lost on the set! For the first week I was so disoriented, I had to be led back to the dressing room. I almost needed a ball of string.”
The conclusion of Internal Affairs is under wraps. But can you hint if Russell gets his comeuppance?
“Russell has deniability on his side, but Rida knows better… I will be watching the episode when it airs – it will be interesting to see what people think… and if I get any abuse on the street!
Regardless of Russell’s fate, this will be your final Casualty episode. What’s next for you?
“Yes, Russell is history! I’m playing Max Clifford in the upcoming ITV drama The Hack with David Tennant. I’ve also got a comedy coming out and there’s a film in the works called Fetch – it’s a musical about dogwalking and Paul Heaton from The Beautiful South has written songs for it. It’s in the planning stages at the moment, but it has an oddness about it, which I find really appealing.”
Catch Robert Bathurst in his final episode of Casualty on BBC1 on Saturday 7 June 2025 at 8.40pm. You can also watch all twelve episodes of Internal Affairs on BBC iPlayer from 6am.
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