Eastenders and Hollyoaks

hen Callum Highway arrived in Walford on New Year’s Day 2018, no one could have predicted that the dopey soldier gazing wistfully at Whitney would go on to become one half of possibly the hottest gay couple in soap.

But two years on, the character formerly known as ‘Halfway’ has ditched his beanie hat and found the love of a good man – well, a bad one, actually – called Ben Mitchell. It certainly gives stars Tony Clay and Max Bowden plenty to talk about as they join Stacey Dooley for Eastenders: Secrets from the Square this week.

‘We look back at our first days on set and how we built up a rapport over time,’ Tony, who plays Callum, tells us. ‘I think it shows that we gelled very quickly.

‘There’s a trust between Max and I. We have a really good understanding of each other, and how we work. He’s a really good friend of mine now, too, so I love working with him.’

‘Ballum’, as fans call them, are the latest in a long line of iconic gay Walford couples, including Colin and Barry and Christian and Syed. Much like their predecessors, the pair are the unlikeliest of matches. Trainee cop Callum respects the law, while, in true Mitchell style, Ben does not.

But just like pie and mash – or, rather, a cup of tea and a cheese roll from Kaff’s cafe – they work. It was Ben who gave Callum the courage to come out, while Callum has given Ben the kind of unconditional love that is sometimes lacking from his father Phil.

‘Callum brings balance to Ben’s life,’ says Max. ‘Ben has never felt understood. Callum at least tries to understand him.’

‘They are two working-class boys who have found each other,’ adds Tony. ‘I think they’re relatable to a lot of people. Granted, some of the things they get involved with are a bit extreme, but at its core are two people who’ve found love in this mad world.

‘I think they’re quite exciting as well. There’s a lot to them as characters. You never know where their relationship is going to go next!’

W