EXCLUSIVE: Casualty star Barney Walsh has opened up on what playing the role of staff nurse Cameron “Cam” Mickelthwaite means to him.

Casualty star Barney Walsh, who plays staff nurse Cameron “Cam” Mickelthwaite in the hugely popular long running BBC medical drama, has opened up about taking on the role after the cancellation of The Larkins.

“The Larkins was great and we made two great seasons and a lovely Christmas special and we really enjoyed it and it was a lovely heartfelt 1950s 1960s Britain twee very, very lovely,” he exclusively told Express.co.uk at the Inside Soap awards.

“But this [Casualty] is an incredible job to do because it’s so true and so real and we’re honouring the NHS which is so important to me so this is an incredible thing to be a part of,” he said.

Barney played PC Harness both seasons of The Larkins, which was the latest adaptation of H. E. Bates’ novel The Darling Buds of May and which also starred his father Bradley Walsh as Pa Larkin.

Unfortunately for all the cast and crew the cancellation of the show was announced in February this year following a decline in ratings.

Barney Walsh has played Cam in Casualty since April this year (Image: BBC)

Barney Walsh played PC Harness in The Larkins for two series (Image: ITV)

In March it was announced that Barney would be joining the cast of Casualty and he made his debut in the show in April.

His opening episode found him working with Casualty legend Derek Thompson, who plays Charlie Fairhead, who has been in the show since the very first episode.

Derek is soon to leave the show and Barney also revealed that he is part of his exit storyline and described the “honour” of working with him.

“Being a newcomer to Casualty, we haven’t been there relatively long to everyone else, so for Charlie to be a part of our first episode and to be a part of Charlie’s last episode is a massive, massive honour,” Barney enthused.

Derek Thompson is soon to leave the role of Charlie Fairhead in Casualty (Image: BBC)

“To be able to be part of that it’s an historic moment, because that’s what it is really,” he said.

Casualty is currently on an extended break, but is scheduled to return later this year.

Fans will have to wait until early next year to see how Charlie exits the show.

However a teaser trailer reveals that fan favourite Zoe Hanna (Sunetra Sarker) is returning for his farewell episodes and shows that there is plenty of action ahead.