Andrew Whyment on losing Chesney

I'm filling up already. Andrew Whyment, who plays the wonderful Kirk, talks to Inside Soap this week about the upcoming plot which sees Chesney Battersby-Brown being taken into care.

It turns out it's do-gooder Claire Peacock who calls in Social Services after discovering what a pit Kirk and Chesney are living in. "I don't think she calls Social Services expecting them to take Chesney into care," Andy says. "She just thinks they can... maybe have a word with Kirk and persuade him to look after the boy better."

Kirk has lost his job at the butcher's, but gets an interview at a local kennels. He ends up missing that, and goes for a pint with Tyrone - but social workers are already at the house. "When he arrives home he finds a note saying Chesney's been removed under a protection order," Andy says. "Schmeichel's put in a van to be taken to the pound, too."

Heart-of-gold, fists-of-steel Becky Grainger thinks the snitch must have been Norris, but when she finds out it was Claire she wants to take a swing at her, "But Kirk doesn't blame Claire - he thinks the whole thing is his fault."

Kirk is most terrified of what Fiz will say when she finds out. She's away at the time, but Andy says, "Kirk's absolutely bricking it, because he knows he's going to have to admit all the awful facts to her. And he's missing Chesney like mad. It's a desperately sad situation."

Desperately sad for Kirk, but great fun for Andy, who enjoyed getting to play some more emotional scenes. "While I do love the comedy side of my role, it's been brilliant for me to do some serious work rather than light-hearted material. And it's also great to have more to say than just, 'I'll have a pint please, Betty.'"