George Rainsford: ‘I live with my on-screen Casualty brother in real life!’

Programme Name: Casualty Series 29 - TX: 04/04/2015 - Episode: Casualty Series 29 (No. 25) - Picture Shows: Ethan Hardy (GEORGE RAINSFORD), Charlie Fairhead (DEREK THOMPSON), Caleb Knight (RICHARD WINSOR) - (C) BBC - Photographer: Alistair Heap (Image credit: BBC/Alistair Heap)

On-screen brothers Ethan Hardy and Cal Knight are going through some tough times, but in real life, actors George Rainsford and Richard Winsor, who play them, couldn’t be closer. In fact, they share a home together!

Chatting to What’s on TV about his role as Casualty’s book-smart doctor Ethan, George Rainsford revealed: “Weirdly Richard and I live together in both the show as well as in Cardiff, where Casualty’s filmed. It’s quite helpful in the evening when we’re running lines!"

He explained their friendship blossomed during the Casualty auditions: “The process for getting the roles of Ethan and Cal was rigorous, as they’d written these two brothers who have a testing but loving relationship. I had two auditions in London, the second of which I did some scenes with Richard. Then we came to Cardiff to do a screen test in full costume and make up. It was pretty nerve-wracking!"

George, who previously starred in Call the Midwife, added: “Luckily Richard and I got on well from the start. We realised we had a lot in common - both our families live in the Midlands and we’re both Tottenham Hotspur fans. We ended up getting the train back to London together and having some beers. [At the time] we’d felt we’d done a good job together and so are really pleased it worked out!”

George and Richard, alongside, Derek Thompson, as they appear on Casualty

Casualty fans will see the brother’s relationship tested to breaking point this week when Cal steals Ethan’s inheritance to give to his girlfriend’s charity. Could this spell the end of their brotherly relationship for good?

George hinted: “With Ethan and Cal being so different there will always be events that test their relationship, but recently they’ve been getting along much better. This big storyline really tests their friendship and everything they’ve established since they’ve been getting on well and living together.”

Read our reveal here

 

Elaine Reilly
Writer for TV Times, What’s On TV, TV & Satellite Week and What To Watch

With twenty years of experience as an entertainment journalist, Elaine writes for What’s on TV, TV Times, TV & Satellite Week and www.whattowatch.com covering a variety of programs from gardening and wildlife to documentaries and drama.

 

As well as active involvement in the WTW family’s social media accounts, she has been known to get chatty on the red carpet and wander into the odd podcast. 

After a day of previewing TV, writing about TV and interviewing TV stars, Elaine likes nothing than to relax… by watching TV.