Holby City’s Guy Henry learned to become a bus driver between acting jobs

Guy’s been on a real busman’s holiday.

Holby City star Guy Henry had the ultimate busman’s holiday during his two-year absence from the BBC medical drama.

Coach-crazy Guy took advantage of gaps between acting jobs to learn to be a bus driver.

And he put his new skill to good use by picking up tourists and even American singer Lana Del Rey.

“I did a lot of film, TV and theatre work when I was away, but when you’re not doing a big weekly drama like Holby the jobs tend to be quite short,” said Guy, who has just returned as new hospital CEO Henrik Hanssen.

“Driving a coach was a childhood ambition of mine. While other kids had model racing cars, I had coaches.

“I went to a training centre and in five days I got my Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) licence. And then I thought that there was no point in having it and not using it.

“So, I applied to a couple of local firms and one of them, in Wimbledon, took me on. I had a whale of a time driving students and American tourists.

“And I went to Luton airport and picked up Lana Del Rey and her team off a private jet, which was interesting.

“It was a fantastic opportunity and I’ll do some more of it in the future when I get a chance.”

As one of the most recognisable faces from one of the BBC’s biggest dramas, as well as having Harry Potter films to his credit, Guy admits many passengers did double takes when they saw him.

“I did tell people not to panic, I was never a qualified surgeon but I am a fully qualified bus driver,” laughs Guy, 54.

“Having said that, I did scrape about six metres of coach along a taxi once when I was looking for somewhere to park and hadn’t checked my mirrors properly.

“But the other coach drivers were really nice. Instead of thinking of me as some chancer off the telly trying to take their work, they said you aren’t a real coach driver until you’ve had a scrape.”

Guy spent three years playing the enigmatic Swedish surgeon before taking his leave, feeling he had become a bit “stale”.

But when show bosses came calling again he admits it didn’t take much persuasion to return.

There was a mixture of attractions not least topping up the Henry coffers.

“To be offered a job where you work constantly and get paid constantly is a fantastic opportunity,” Guy said.

“So, to be paid a very decent living is absolutely one of the reasons I went back.

“But I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t love the role. Hanssen is a weird and wonderful part to play.

“When I left I didn’t close the door completely and, thankfully, nor did they. He’s at his best when he’s weird and witty and not all of the writers are as free-flowing with his stuff as others.

“So I do change a few of the lines if I think something could be said in a more Hanssen-esque way.

“When I first joined I said I didn’t want to be one of those actors who says, ‘Oh, my character wouldn’t say that’ and now I’ve found myself doing exactly that.”

It’s not just a case of knowing what his character will say that’s now second nature for Guy, it’s what he’ll wear too.

“When I started the big bosses at the BBC made no bones that they expected big things,” adds Guy, who played Pius Thicknesse from the Ministry of Magic in the final two Harry Potter films.

“I was frightened as it’s a lot of responsibility. But they get to know your strengths and weaknesses.

“And one of mine is definitely wearing surgical scrubs and operating.

“It’s not my greatest look so, if you’ll forgive the pun, they doctor things to focus on the things you can do well.”

Holby is back on our screens on Tuesday.