Taken from ‘The CASUALTY Fan Club’ in March 2000; an Interview with Bernard Gallagher, who played Ewart Plimmer.
Q. What was it like working in CASUALTY back in 1986, when it had first began?
A. Very exciting, as it had a serious purpose, to question the funding of the NHS – something which at that stage wasn’t done on popular television.
Q. Did you ever think then how popular CASUALTY was to become?
A. No, we hoped it would make a second series
Q. How did you get the part of Ewart, and did you enjoy playing his character?
A. I was interviewed by the producer and offered Ewart, which I greatly liked playing – though I hated the name and asked them to change atleast half of it.They wouldn’t.
Q. Who were your main friends on Set and did you get up to any pranks?
A. I was the oldest member by far, so I let them do the pranks! We were a very close group with no special partnering in particular.
Q. Why were you written out of CASUALTY in Series 3, was it your decision to leave?
A. I’d decided to leave after a 4th series, but they chopped me in the 3rd.
Q. What are your best memories of being in CASUALTY?
A. The team spirit and drinking Paddy Irish Whisky in a pub in Montpelier.
Q. What have you been doing since leaving CASUALTY?
A. Fortunately I’ve kept busy ever since, my last TV appearance was in Heartbeat, and I’m currently rehearsing for the Shakespeare in Shoreditch project by the Almeida Theatre, in which Ralph Fiennes is playing Richard II and Coriolarius. It’s very exciting.
Q. Do you think CASUALTY has changed a lot since you were in it?
A. I don’t watch it often, but certainly the CRASH ward scenes seem to have the same urgency and authenticity.
Q. And finally, what do you consider your biggest achievements?
A. Supporting myself and my family by being in one of the most hazardous professions you could enter.
