He arrived in Holby with a spark. Charismatic, funny, full of bravado — Casualty’s Tariq Hussein didn’t take long to win over the viewers or the ED staff. As the cousin of Rash Masum, he had a built-in connection. As a medical professional, he brought energy and attitude to every shift. But now, just months into his arc, Tariq is making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

A patient fell. A secret was buried. And now, as one of Casualty’s most talked-about storylines unfolds, the man behind the character — actor Manpreet Bachu — is stepping forward to explain what’s really happening beneath the surface of Tariq’s dramatic descent.

The Fall That Changed Everything

The turning point was a party.

Yasmin — a patient Tariq had been secretly seeing outside of hospital protocol — fell from a balcony in a terrifying incident that immediately put lives and reputations on the line. Rather than report the incident, Tariq chose the path of least resistance — and most danger.

He covered it up.

Worse, he dragged Rash into it, begging his cousin to help clean up the mess. For Rash, a man of integrity and caution, it was an impossible position. For fans, it was the moment Tariq crossed a line.

From being Holby’s new golden boy, Tariq suddenly became a wildcard. But according to Manpreet Bachu, that’s exactly the point — and it’s more nuanced than it looks.

“He’s Flawed — Just Like Us”

Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Manpreet opened up about how viewers are reacting to Tariq’s recent behavior. “If fans get turned off,” he admits, “I understand. But I really believe we can win them back. Because this isn’t a story about malice — it’s a story about human flaws.”

Manpreet is quick to clarify: “Tariq doesn’t operate with cold calculation. He’s not like Rash. He lives in the moment. He makes messy, impulsive choices. And I think a lot of people can relate to that.”

According to Manpreet, what makes the storyline so powerful is how honest it is about failure — especially in people we admire. “We all have moments where we go too far. Where fear clouds judgment. Where love makes us reckless. Tariq is showing us what happens when charm and confidence crash into consequence.”

“He’s Treading on Thin Ice — And He Knows It”

Since Yasmin’s fall, the tension on screen has only grown.

Rash is heartbroken, betrayed, and visibly shaken. Yasmin’s fate remains unclear. And Tariq? He’s walking the halls of Holby with guilt on his back and desperation in his eyes.

“I think part of him is excited by the danger,” Manpreet says bluntly. “There’s something in him that’s drawn to the edge. But that doesn’t mean he’s evil. It means he’s broken.”

This is where the character is about to evolve — or fall apart.

Manpreet teases that we’re about to see the full scope of Tariq’s internal world. “We’re going to learn more about his past, his family, the weight he’s been carrying. The story is about to show us all the grey areas.”

And grey it is.

The Road to Redemption — Or Ruin

The question gripping fans now is simple: can Tariq come back from this?

Manpreet is hopeful. “There’s redemption coming. Slowly. But it’s not easy. He’s going to have to earn it. And that’s what makes it worth watching.”

What makes this arc so gripping is the fact that Casualty doesn’t paint Tariq as a villain. It paints him as a man unraveling under pressure. A man who made a terrible mistake for reasons he thought were right. A man who’s about to learn just how fragile forgiveness really is.

But will the audience forgive him?

Social media has been split. Some viewers call for accountability. Others see the raw humanity in his flaws. All of them, however, are watching.

Because at its heart, this isn’t just a hospital drama. It’s a story about people on the edge — of disaster, of redemption, of change.

And Tariq Hussein, once the life of the party, is now the one who could lose everything.

Is this just a detour on Tariq’s journey — or the beginning of his downfall? And more importantly… will Holby forgive him before it’s too late?