96 Facts About Lofty Chiltern

Ben "Lofty" Chiltern is a fictional character from the BBC medical dramas Casualty and Holby City, played by actor Lee Mead.

Lofty Chiltern first appeared in Casualty twenty-eighth series episode "The Last Chance Saloon", broadcast on 1 March 2014.

Lofty Chiltern is portrayed as a nice person who is likeable and popular.

Lofty Chiltern's clumsiness often leaves him in awkward situations although he is a brilliant nurse and a team player.

In Casualty, Lofty Chiltern develops friendships with Robyn, Max and Dylan Keogh.

Mead took a sabbatical from the show in 2015 and Lofty Chiltern departs after feeling responsible for the death of an agency nurse.

Lofty Chiltern first appears in the series nineteen episode "Project Aurous", broadcast on 16 May 2017, when he joins the fictional Keller ward as a staff nurse.

The character of Lofty Chiltern was written with Mead in mind.

Lofty Chiltern believed that he had delivered what they wanted, but was not sure he was "in the frame" for the character.

Lofty Chiltern was originally signed to the serial for a year and expressed a possibility in renewing his contract.

Lofty Chiltern later made an appearance on the show as patient Harry Timms in the series twenty-six episode "Starting Out".

Lofty Chiltern added that he found learning the terminology enjoyable and formed an interest in the show's prosthetic department.

Lofty Chiltern described the show's twelve hours a day routine as "very intense".

Lofty Chiltern added that he the show had provided him with a "fantastic" experience.

Lofty Chiltern is billed as a "likeable and popular nurse with a less-than-ordinary background".

Lofty Chiltern is a good person who is cheerful and happy.

Mead found that Lofty Chiltern is normally "in his own little world", which leads to the "awkward situations" he finds himself in.

Lofty Chiltern's energy creates a nice working environment; a contributor to BBC Online said that the ED are fortunate to employ such a positive person, who has "energy and spark".

Lofty Chiltern is a fantastic nurse and excels in helping children.

Lofty Chiltern retains similar characteristics when he joins Casualty spin-off series, Holby City.

Lofty Chiltern is described as enjoyable and uncoordinated, while Mead calls Lofty a "happy-go-lucky" character.

Mead believed that Lofty Chiltern is enjoyable because he is a different and unconventional, which appears sweet to an audience.

Lofty Chiltern stated that another angle to Lofty's personality would be displayed in Holby City.

Mead thought that Lofty Chiltern had an unconventional method of treating patients and opined that he resembles fictional detective Sherlock Holmes.

Lofty Chiltern is a trained nurse who was living with his parents and using their money to party.

Lofty Chiltern repeatedly told his parents that he would apply for a job and find somewhere to live, which he never did.

Lofty Chiltern's parents grew tired of him and his father asked him to move out so Lofty lied and told them he had found a house.

Mead explained that Robyn is able to see that Lofty Chiltern is a good person and so, as well as helping him receive a job, she offers him a place to live.

The writer expected Lofty Chiltern to have good relations with Robyn, Max, and Noel Garcia.

In early 2015, Robyn developed feelings for Lofty Chiltern and tries to form a relationship with him.

Lofty Chiltern told Brown that the characters formed a "funny bond" and found them a strange pairing that developed over time.

In Holby City, Lofty Chiltern has a good relationship with his superior, Sacha Levy, as they share similar personalities and Sacha understands that Lofty Chiltern is trying his best.

Lofty Chiltern agrees to help Dixie and they hire a campervan and take the mother and son to the seaside.

Lofty Chiltern added that the son's reunion with his mother is "uplifting" because they have a damaged relationship.

Lofty Chiltern is punished for his actions; Mead revealed he would be "demoted for a while and sent to another part of the hospital".

In November 2017, Lofty Chiltern learns that Morven Digby is estranged from her mother, Evelyn Chapman.

When Evelyn is admitted into the hospital with stomach pains, Lofty Chiltern starts treating her.

Lofty Chiltern added that Dylan would feature heavily in the storyline with Lofty.

The storyline begins in February 2016 when Lofty Chiltern is challenged to run the ED in the absence of senior nurses Charlie Fairhead and Rita Freeman.

Mead explained that as a senior staff nurse, Lofty Chiltern has been waiting for such an opportunity.

Diane reveals her husband recently left her and her teenage daughter so Lofty Chiltern offers her a second chance.

Lofty Chiltern revealed that he became emotional when he watched the episode.

Dylan is "adamant" that neither of them were to blame and encourages Lofty Chiltern to be "firm" with the board, but when Lofty Chiltern meets Diane's mother, he questions whether he is to blame.

The board allow Lofty Chiltern to continue working, but he decides to resign regardless due to his feelings surrounding Diane's death.

Mead explained that Lofty Chiltern needs "distance and time" to understand the events surrounding Diane's death and to decide whether he can return to the hospital and "confront those demons within himself".

Lofty Chiltern decides to take a break from his job and travel Australia and New Zealand while retraining as a bereavement counsellor.

Mead explained that Lofty Chiltern feels disappointed in himself and decides that he needs to move "as far away as possible".

Mead reassured fans of the show that he could reprise the role since Lofty Chiltern still had a job at the hospital.

Lofty Chiltern promised that he would return to the drama.

Lofty Chiltern reflected on the role in May 2017, commenting that he missed the show as he created "strong bonds" on the show.

Mead believed that he would never reprise the role, but felt that Lofty Chiltern could be further explored so he was pleased to receive the call.

Lofty Chiltern's contract was later extended to September 2017, with the potential to extend the contract beyond that.

Lofty Chiltern's reintroduction was publicised on 10 February 2017, when it was announced that he first appears in Spring 2017.

Lofty Chiltern added that he missed portraying Lofty as he is a "great character".

Lofty Chiltern is introduced to Holby City in the nineteenth series episode "Project Aurous", broadcast on 16 May 2017.

Lofty Chiltern arrives for a shift on Keller ward as an agency nurse and first appears straddling a patient whose heart has stopped, giving them CPR.

Mead told Duncan Lindsay, a reporter for the Metro, that at time of bumping into Robyn, Lofty Chiltern "keeps getting stuff wrong and he's on the brink of giving up again".

Lofty Chiltern initially decides to leave after his agency shift so he can continue travelling, but after realising how much he misses the profession, he decides to stay.

Mead told Laura-Jayne Tyler of Inside Soap that he had filmed a guest appearance in Casualty, which features Lofty Chiltern attending the funeral of Caleb Knight, who was killed off in a recent episode.

Lofty Chiltern added that he hopes for another crossover appearance and suggested that Lofty could visit Robyn.

Lofty Chiltern told Victoria Wilson of What's on TV that they wanted to focus on the "matter of fact" aspect to the story and how the audience discover a new side of Lofty.

Lofty Chiltern added that director Jermaine Julian helped him with the storyline.

Lofty Chiltern liked exploring Lofty's personal life since it has not previously been explored.

Mead explained that Lofty Chiltern is angry with Lenny for revealing his secret to his new colleagues.

When Lofty Chiltern joins Holby City, he clashes with cold CT2 doctor Dominic "Dom" Copeland who dislikes Lofty Chiltern's friendly personality.

Lofty Chiltern explained that Lofty would display a level of "resilience and kindness" towards Dom which would become the centre of their relationship.

Ames explained that their relationship would a long-running plot as Lofty Chiltern is shy and unsure, while Dom has a history of destructive relationships.

Mead explained that Lofty Chiltern rejects Dom because he is surprised by his actions.

Lofty Chiltern added that Lofty did not realise that Dom has feelings for him.

Lofty Chiltern told a reporter from What's on TV that Lofty wants security in his relationship.

Lofty Chiltern is embarrassed and becomes jealous when Dom squashes his theory.

Mead opined that Lofty Chiltern had created a complex situation for himself.

Lofty Chiltern is involved in a charity fun run in memory of Arthur Digby.

Lofty Chiltern is envious of Dom's relationship with Freddie Chapel, who runs the race.

Lofty Chiltern added that Lofty could return to Keller ward in the future.

Lofty Chiltern told Tyler, "Lofty wants to support Dom but it's about Dom trusting someone again".

Lofty Chiltern teased that there would be "some lovely interactions" between Lofty and Dom.

Lofty Chiltern enjoyed portraying the happier scenes between Dom and Lofty after spending 18 months portraying more dramatic stories and named the story's "silliness and lightness" as his personal highlight.

Sheilagh is admitted to the AAU following a fall in the garden; when Lofty Chiltern becomes upset, Dom supports him.

Mead explained that Lofty Chiltern is concerned about his grandmother's safety and wants to make her "comfortable and safe".

Lofty Chiltern considers moving Sheilagh into a care home, but she is adamant that she does not want that.

Mead told Victoria Wilson of What's on TV that Lofty Chiltern "freaks out a bit" over Dom's proposal, but understands that it is "a kind gesture".

Lofty Chiltern tells Dom that he is not comfortable with living with Dom and Sheilagh, which makes Dom question whether Lofty Chiltern has feelings for him.

Lofty Chiltern decides to propose to Dom after being given his grandfather's ring by Sheilagh.

Mead explained that Lofty Chiltern takes Sheilagh's words "literally" and believes that he has a future with Dom.

Lofty Chiltern has to hide Carole from Dom throughout the shift and then has to lie about why she is at the hospital.

However, when Carole and Dom do speak, she reveals that Lofty Chiltern is planning to propose.

Since Lofty Chiltern is not around, Dom does not share his problems, creating "a big breakdown in communication" between the husbands.

Lofty Chiltern was nominated for Best Newcomer at the 20th National Television Awards in January 2015, but lost out to EastEnders Maddy Hill for her role as Nancy Carter.

Lofty Chiltern described Mead as "a charismatic addition to the ED".

Lofty Chiltern dubbed Lofty "the Care Bears version of Dr Tanya Byron".

Lofty Chiltern later developed a negative view of Lofty's actions, quipping that "Lofty simply must know what is wrong at the heart of the household" and that he "has a hotline to everyone's innermost feelings".

Lofty Chiltern did praise Lofty's "calm common sense" as he "[came] to the rescue" following the black alert at a nearby hospital.

Catherine Kielthy of What's on TV described Lofty Chiltern's shift running the ED as a "horror shift".

Graham noted that the death of agency nurse, Diana, left Lofty Chiltern "[moping] in extremis" and "tormented by guilt".

Lofty Chiltern added that it made him "[roam] the emergency department looking like a tormented poodle".