Appearance
S14 E12 – S15 E36
Job Title
Staff Nurse
First Words
Background
New nurse, Barney Wolfe, joins Holby A&E from S14 E12. Almost immediately there becomes an element of rivalry between Adam and Barney, when Adam attempts a joke about Barney’s name. Later on in the shift, Barney and Adam help Holly treat a man who has an abscess on his neck. After further examination, they realise that the abscess is caused by a botfly – an insect that lays eggs inside people. The larva of the insect is removed and Adam names it “Barney the Botfly”. In S14 E15, some of the staff are about to do a charity parachut jump. Barney drops some toy parachutes off the balcony above reception as a joke but it upsets Adam, as it is the same balcony that Sam fell from and brings back bad memories. Barney apologises and Adam says he over reacted. In S14 E17, Barney treats a patient who has been holed up in a bunker for several weeks convinced that the world would end at the turn of the millennium. When in reception he sees the Christmas decorations and asks the date. Amy says the 25th and he starts to panic, Barney pretends that Amy is not from England and it’s her countries tradition to keep the decorations up until the end of January. He pretends to talk to her in another language to try and calm Chris down. In S14 E19, after being hit Adam blurts out to Chloe and Barney that he is HIV. In S14 E21, Barney treats a woman who has been bitten after attacking her neighbour friend. In S14 E22, a patient asks Amy to look after his boat made out of matchsticks but Barney accidentally steps on it. Barney attempts to fix it, but Patrick tells him off for wasting time. When Charlie sees he is unhappy with Patrick reprimanding the nursing staff. Barney later asks Max to help him mend the boat. Barney also teases Amy about her first rehearsal with her band. In S14 E25, an old friend of Barney’s, Ewen, arrives at his flat to see him. Ewen has been stabbed but refuses to go to hospital as he’s worried about the police. As his condition deteriorates Barney pleads with Patrick to come back to his flat and treat Ewen. As Ewen’s condition stabilises, Patrick later tells Barney he risked his career for Ewen. Barney says he’s an old friend, and if he loses his job, so be it. Patrick says they’ll keep it between themselves and Barney thanks him. In S14 E26, a woman, Amber, brings in her dog who has been bitten by a snake. Barney is concerned for it and wants to treat it; Patrick tries to tell Amber to take it to a vet but she says there was no time. Later Patrick shows a sympathetic side.
In S15 E2, Colette tells Barney that at a previous job, they sorted out a rude consultant by fining him a pound every time he was rude. Barney says they should do the same for Patrick, and soon, the rest of the staff know about it. In S15 E3, Barney makes a comment to patient Trevor about his alcoholism. Chloe asks him why he said it – and why he is so mean to Spencer. Barney says that he hates drunks – his father was an alcoholic and violent. In S15 E9, Barney tells Chloe that he’s been thinking about the ‘E’ grade post, and can’t afford to miss it. He seems upset by the fact that they will have to compete for the same job. Chloe does little to reassure him; Barney tells her that he doesn’t think he’ll get the job. Chloe replies rather coldly that he hasn’t a chance with her in the running, and walks away. Dan, looking concerned, asks Barney if he and Chloe have fallen out. Barney replies sadly that it’s just some healthy career rivalry. In S15 E10, Barney befriends a father who has lost his son and blames himself. At the fireworks party, Barney tells Chloe that he’s upset that she was accused of theft. In S15 E12, Barney calls Spencer a liability when a fight erupts in the relatives room. Chloe tells Spencer not to take it personally. She tells him the reason Barney is so against him, because he reminds him of his alcoholic father. In S15 E13, Chloe and Barney both have job interviews for the E grade post. Chloe is very nervous and comes out of her interview saying it went terribly. Barney comes out feeling he’s done well (due to his lucky tie!). Later, Charlie tells Chloe she’s got the job. Charlie breaks the news to Barney, telling him they just felt Chloe had more experience. In S15 E14, Spencer is hanging up Christmas decorations in Reception. Patrick asks Barney to help him, but he refuses. Spencer leans too far forward on the ladder and falls off, breaking the Christmas lights. He has cut his arm. Duffy asks Barney to see to Spencer. He is obvioulsy reluctant, but does as he is asked. As Spencer is being treated he tries to talk to Spencer and lets slip that he knows about him having an alcoholic father. Barney is outraged and starts a fight which Patrick breaks up. Duffy gets the tail end and gets them into the office for an explanation. Chloe tries to make peace with Barney for telling Spencer, but he tells her that he doesn’t need reminding that she got promoted and he didn’t. In S15 E15, Barney apologises to Chloe. He offers to buy her a drink later and kisses her on the cheek. After the shift, Barney joins the girls in a club. He goes over to Chloe at the bar and is concerned that she is being bothered by two other men. He later sees the men spiking Chloe’s drinks and confronts them. The argue and Barney attacks one of them. They are thrown out of the club. The girls try to restrain Barney but the men taunt him and as the police arrive he goes for them again. He is taken away in a police car. In S15 E16, Barney arrives for work with a black eye. Charlie asks him for a word. Charlie says Barney’s been spoiling for a fight for months. He says Barney needs to start dealing with whatever’s going on his life. He tells Barney to go home. Barney says that special leave is all he needs on his record, but Charlie says it’s off the record, as an early Christmas present. Barney goes to the staff room on his way out, and Patrick is there. He asks if it’s about Spencer, and says it would be best to talk to Spencer, to get things out in the open. Barney says all he’d have to say was that he doesn’t like Spencer because he’s an alcoholic. Patrick says Spencer might help him find out who he really doesn’t like, and tells Barney he can’t keep bottling it up. In S15 E18, when Spencer calls for a truce between him and Barney, he gets a cold and spiteful reaction. As Barney storms off outside Spencer follows him. They then hear cries from a woman he has fallen down a hole. Between the two men they manage to get her out, however Barney gets his foot stuck and in his struggle to pull himself free he bursts a water pipe and the hole begins to fill. When Spencer returns to Barney after taking the woman inside. He finds Barney up to his neck in water. Spencer leaps into help him. After many attempts he manages to get Barney loose and they clamber out of the water coughing. Luckily, nothing is hurt- apart from their pride when Charlie catches them. In S15 E25, Barney is with the paramedics as they transfer a patient to another hospital. On their way they are forced to stop to assist a woman in labour. In S15 E31, Barney and Anna play tricks on new receptionist Jack – he later gets his revenge. In S15 E33, Chloe asks Barney to accompany her to a wrestling match, where she will be working, ready to patch up the wrestlers. She tells him he owes her a favour after the stunt he and Jack played on Anna, and Barney reluctantly agrees. However after a fire, Chloe and an old lady are trapped in the building. Barney goes back in to rescue them. Barney goes back to Chloe’s for a drink. He tells her she was really brave today; Chloe says so was he. They toast each other. Barney then kisses her. Chloe responds and they fall back onto her bed. In S15 E34, Chloe and Barney both feel awkward with eachother. They both don’t want to ruin their friendship by taking things further and when they eventualy talk to eachother are relieved to hear it’s what both of them wanted. In S15 E36, a teenage cancer vistim asks Barney if he would kiss her, as she’s never been kissed before. He refuses, saying he would get the sack and discusses the dilemma with Jack. Later, Jack pays her a visit and gives her dying wish. We last see Barney in S15 E36 – his exit is never explained the next series.
Memorable Moments
- S14 E25 – Barney asks Patrick to help treat his friend who has been stabbed back at his flat.
- S15 E15 – Barney spends the night in a cell after a fight in a club.
- S15 E18 – Spencer saves Barney from drowning in a hole.
- S15 E33 – After a fire at a wrestling match, Barney and Chloe kiss.
