I didn't get Cold Feet about portraying a brilliant bully

Robert Bathurst joins Casualty tonight as a highly successful if ruthless surgeon with a patronising attitude towards women. Widely regarded as one of the nicest people in showbiz, he admits he jumped at the chance to play such a flawed character

- By Christine Smith

FROM Cold Feet to Downton Abbey, Robert Bathurst has enjoyed a stellar career over the past four decades — regularly playing the posh, repressed husband or father.

But tonight as he makes his debut on the BBC’s long-running medical drama, Casualty, it’s an altogether different character we will be seeing.

Robert is taking the role of Russell Whitelaw, a gifted surgeon who has saved hundreds of lives but whose highly questionable attitude towards his colleagues — especially women — is often patronising, bullying and deeply inappropriate.

The ultimate alpha male and the exact opposite of the real-life Robert, who is joined by Call the Midwife’s Olly Rix for the new “box set” of episodes that will run over the next 12 weeks. It’s hoped they will shine an important light on the power struggles that can not only go on in a hospital, but also any modern-day workplace.

And for the 68-year-old star — widely regarded as one of the nicest actors in the TV industry — the opportunity to play such a ruthless character was one he couldn't turn down.

“Russell is charming, talented and he is very quick to tell people that he has saved the lives of several hundred,” explains Robert in an exclusive interview ahead of his arrival in the Saturday night series.

“But this somehow also gives him the licence to behave how he wishes! He believes he is propping up the reputation of the entire hospital, even though his behaviour is less than exemplary. He is also not particularly worried about what people think of him either. He certainly wouldn’t see his behaviour as out of order.”

Ever the professional, Robert doesn’t want to divulge too much about how the storyline will play out, but suffice to say, there will be plenty of twists and turns.