Gay Irish actor Aidan O’Callaghan has been attracting attention through his new role on the British soap EastEnders. The Corkman plays newcomer Lewis Butler, the manager of the show’s gay bar ‘The Prince Albert’.Appearing for the first time in an episode that aired on Monday, April 11, Lewis is reported to be at the centre of an upcoming queer storyline.
While on the job in the pub opened by Kathy Beale in 2019, he befriends Ben Mitchell and Callum Highway, a married gay couple whose relationship has been challenged as a result of a homophobic attack.
Lewis himself has faced homophobia during his scenes this season, and his character has already made an impact on the show’s devoted viewers.A post shared by Aidan O'Callaghan (@aidan_ocalla)According to reports, EastEnders bosses are keen to give more airtime to ongoings in The Prince Albert.
While it is unclear how long he will remain on the show, some are calling for Lewis to be a permanent character.One fan tweeted: “I’m pleased that Lewis has joined the show – I just hope that he’ll become a full-time character,” while another said, “I hope that Lewis won’t be a one-off.