Callum Highway

**Callum Highway** is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Tony Clay. He was introduced in the episode first broadcast in the United Kingdom on 1 January 2018. Halfway is introduced as a friend of the Carter family, which was not publicised beforehand. Halfway is a comedic character who is jovial, dopey and "happy-go-lucky" who wears shabby clothing and beanie hats. Halfway's initial stint on the show focuses on his relationship with the Carter family and establishing a relationship with Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty).

The actor was only contracted for two months and Halfway departs in the episode first broadcast in the United Kingdom on 16 February 2018. Afterwards, Clay was invited back to reprise his role and Halfway returns two months later after serving in the army. His experience in the army and his relationship with Whitney are explored upon his return. Producers introduced Halfway's brother, Stuart Highway (Ricky Champ); their relationship is initially portrayed as dark, but later becomes supportive. Clay's portrayal of Halfway has received a positive response from critics, with a Soaplife columnist describing him as "a welcome ray of sunshine in the bleak world of Albert Square", and Laura-Jayne Tyler of Inside Soap opining, "Square chiefs had clearly found a diamond in the rough with actor Tony Clay".

Callum sends Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) a text message saying he is coming to his area. Callum later shoots Mick when he is robbing a van that Callum is in, not realising it was Mick under a mask. However, Callum recognises Mick and tries to help him by accompanying him to his home, The Queen Victoria public house, with his wife, Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), and mother, Shirley Carter (Linda Henry). It emerges Callum knows Mick and Linda because he was friends with their son, Lee Carter (Danny-Boy Hatchard), as a teenager. The following day, he offers his assistance in The Queen Vic as an apology, although annoys the Carters when he accidentally orders too much alcohol and breaks glasses. Tiffany Butcher (Maisie Smith) sets Callum up to spend time with her adoptive sister, Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty). Callum offers to buy Whitney food and makes her laugh, so she considers meeting him again. They arrange to meet for a drink in The Queen Vic, and Whitney turns up in casual clothes and wearing no makeup but Callum has prepared for a date, giving her a rose and having candles. He asks if she fancies him and then pulls a ring from his pocket, to which Whitney says she will not marry him but he says he only wants her to be his girlfriend. She turns him down and leaves, and he follows, leaving the ring behind. Mick finds the ring and has it valued at £20,000, telling Callum that he could use the money to buy back The Queen Vic, and Callum agrees, revealing that he found the ring during the robbery. When the ring turns out to be worth £200,000, Callum tells Mick to save his pub as long as there will always be a room for Callum if he needs it.

Whitney is touched when Callum recalls how his grandfather brought him up to treat women with respect. When Callum leaves for army duty, Whitney apologises to him and they share a sweet goodbye. After leaving his bag behind, he returns and passionately kisses Whitney, before leaving again. Callum and Whitney stay in contact via video calls. When Callum returns, he is hiding a wound from his abdomen but later tells Whitney that he was injured by shrapnel in an explosion. He and Whitney have sex for the first time. Callum reveals that he saved a child's life in the explosion and he is hailed a hero by the Carters, who throw him a party, but Callum dislikes the attention. Callum’s brother, Stuart Highway (Ricky Champ) arrives and realises Callum is lying about his injury. Callum tells Mick that when he saved the child, his friend lost his legs and the child's mother was killed, but Mick says Callum was not to blame. Mick and Callum later assist Stuart in his work exposing paedophiles. Hoping to prove himself to Stuart, Callum confronts Fred Lewis (Malcolm Freeman), but lets him go when Mick threatens him with violence. When Linda finds out, she warns Mick and Callum that they could get hurt. Regardless, Callum tells Stuart that he wants to confront Fred again; Stuart confronts him instead and posts a video online about it.

After discovering that Stuart attacked Mick's aunt, Tina Carter (Luisa Bradshaw-White), when they were younger, the Carters reject Stuart and warn Callum to do the same. Stuart manipulates Callum into leaving the Carters and moving into his apartment; Callum tells the Carters that Stuart needs someone to believe him. Whitney visits Callum, who tells her that Tina attacked Stuart. After Whitney visits Stuart, he tells Callum that Whitney tried to kiss him; Callum ends their relationship. When Stuart confesses that he lied, Callum disowns him and leaves. After receiving a silent voicemail from Stuart, Callum panics that he is suicidal; he and Shirley visit Stuart's apartment where she finds a defaced photo of Callum. With Shirley's help, Whitney and Callum reunite. Callum meets Stuart and they argue. Stuart later asks for Callum’s help and he protects Stuart from the Carters, claiming that he is in Dublin, as Stuart burns photos of Callum with the Carters. Stuart is later shot in The Queen Vic by an unknown assailant with Callum and the Carters being interviewed by the police. Shirley argues with Callum when she accuses him of shooting Stuart, which he denies. Stuart admits to Callum that he shot himself, before claiming that Mick shot him; Mick is arrested and Callum and the Carters vow to prove his innocence. Mick is later released, and Stuart is rejected by Callum.

Whitney and Callum panic when she tells him that she may be pregnant. Whitney turns out to not be pregnant, but they decide they would like a baby and they agree to try for one. Callum later tells Whitney they should put the baby on hold and save up to buy an apartment instead. Callum is called up to the army again and his doctor, Dr. Cosslett (Hywel Simons), deems him fit to return. Upset by the result of the assessment, Callum tries to harm himself, which is witnessed by Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden). Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) is impressed with Callum when he gets one of his clients, Mrs. Coombes (Jonna Wake), to upgrade her husband's funeral plan and offers him a job as an undertaker at the funeral parlour. Whitney and Callum also move into the apartment above the parlour.

Callum angrily confronts Ben over selling him a stolen van and it leads to a charged moment between the pair. Ben accuses Callum of being attracted to men as well as women, but he denies it. Ben tells Callum he should not hide who he is and they end up kissing. Still confused about his sexuality, Callum proposes to Whitney, who happily accepts. Callum later contacts his estranged father, Jonno Highway (Richard Graham), and he comes to Walford. Jonno berates Callum for his lifestyle and they fall out. Afterwards, Ben comforts Callum and kisses him, which Stuart witnesses. Stuart confronts Callum about the kiss, so Callum confesses; Stuart then attacks Ben.

The guilt over cheating on Whitney eats away at Callum. Not wanting to begin their life together with a secret hanging over them, Callum confesses to Whitney he cheated on her with Ben. Whitney is devastated, but she still decides to go through with the wedding. However, Whitney changes her mind and jilts Callum at the altar, telling him she loves him too much to let him live a lie. Later, Hunter Owen (Charlie Winter) holds the pub hostage, shooting Ben in the process. Callum decides to be open with everyone in his life; he tells Stuart he is gay and is accepted by him. Later at the hospital, Ben awakens and asks Callum on a date, to which he accepts.