Casualty adds a new regular to its cast this weekend as George Rainsford makes his first appearance in the role of doctor Ethan Hardy.

Ethan's first episode sees him team up with Lily Chao (Crystal Yu) to treat a teacher named Alice, who is admitted to the ED following an incident at a shopping centre.

Later this month, fans will also be introduced to Ethan's brother Caleb (Richard Winsor), another new recruit at the hospital.

Digital Spy recently chatted to George to hear about Ethan's arrival and what's to come.

How is your time on Casualty going so far?
"I'm having a great time. Everyone has been very friendly and helpful, particularly with getting to grips with the crazy schedule and the labyrinth of corridors! I was a little nervous about joining such a well-established show, but everybody has really helped with that.

"It was great that everyone was so welcoming. All of our dressing rooms are on the same corridor and between scenes we run lines and catch up. It's really nice."

How did the part come about?
"I had two auditions - one in London and then we had a screen test in Cardiff, where the show is filmed. I screen tested with Richard Winsor who's playing my brother Cal on the show, and I think there was a chemistry straight away. That was really nice and I'd hoped that it would go my way, but you never really know. Once I found out that I did have the role, I was really relieved and happy."

How would you describe Ethan?
"The first time you meet Ethan, he's juggling ongoing care with his mum who is ill, as well as his first day at Holby. He's in a stressful situation and he copes with that by making slightly awkward jokes. He's just trying to get through the day, I suppose! Personality-wise he's quite serious, focused and cautious, but that can mean that he can be a little awkward socially."

Ethan and Lily treat a teacher named Alice
© BBC / Alistair Heap
Ethan and Lily treat a teacher named Alice

How good is Ethan at his job?
"Ethan is a very good and hardworking doctor. He's gentle with his patients and very thorough, but sometimes his methodical nature when it comes to medicine can mean that he slightly oversees the human aspect of particular cases. His brother Cal is very instinctive, while Ethan always tends to play by the rules."

Can we expect brotherly loyalty or tension between Ethan and Cal?
"I think at heart there's a brotherly love there, but on the surface there's a complicated family history. As they're so different personality-wise, there's lots of conflict and drama coming up as the series goes on."

Is Ethan single when he joins the hospital?
"He is, yes. I'd like to think that at some point he will find his match, but as he can be socially awkward, finding somebody who's suitable could be a slow process!"

You mentioned Ethan's jokes, so will he be providing some comedy in the show?
"I don't think Ethan is an out-and-out funny character, as he's actually very serious - but because he can be awkward, people might find that funny!"

George Rainsford as Ethan Hardy in Casualty
© BBC / Warren Orchard
George Rainsford as Ethan Hardy

What is Ethan's first episode like?
"He's thrown straight in at the deep end as he's dealing with a complicated case involving a lady who has been mugged in a shopping centre and ends up at the ED. I can't give too much away, but it all unfolds from there!"

Does Ethan make a lot of friends at the hospital?
"I think he's definitely got some allies. It takes him a while to get to know people because he's quite reserved and shy, but in Lily he sees someone who has similar social difficulties and he can relate to that. I think there'll be a strong bond there."

How are you finding the complicated medical scenes?
"It was certainly one aspect of the show that I was nervous about, because I wanted to make sure we were delivering a realistic depiction of medical procedures. Fortunately we've got an excellent team of advisors and nurses who are on hand to help us. They make sure we're doing everything in the right way and also pronouncing everything in the right way, so hopefully there'll be a good result."

Have the producers told you about the long-term plans for your character?
"We get told what's coming up a little bit in advance and I've already filmed a good 15 episodes now. Without giving too much away, there is a lot of drama coming up - particularly in relation to Ethan's brother Cal…"

Call The Midwife star George Rainsford joins Casualty
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Casualty airs on Saturday at 9.20pm on BBC One.