Gays of our Lives (January 12, 2009)

In this edition of Gays Of Our Lives, we introduce “In The Spotlight,” a new recurring feature where we examine in depth a particular series, character or storyline of gay interest.

First up, Casualty’s Dr. Toby De Silva, played by Matthew Needham, who bid goodbye this past week to the long running BBC medical series after a story arc during which the character struggled not only with his sexuality, but with his decision to become a doctor as well.

When Toby first joined the show in September 2007, his conflict over whether or not to be a doctor was quickly apparent as we learned that his overbearing parents had forced him into medicine. And while his relationships with women were rare, fleeting and usually disastrous, there hadn’t been much of an inkling regarding Toby being gay – at least not until he was found in bed with Ben Harding (Mark Letheren), who had been counseling Toby on his problems, personal and professional.

At first Toby was happy about his newfound relationship and looked forward to seeing Ben again. That was until he learned Ruth (Georgia Taylor), a fellow physician, had seen them together and knew the truth about Toby’s sexuality. While Ruth wasn't particularly judgmental about it, Toby didn’t like being seen as gay and not only insisted Ruth forget what she’d seen, he informed Ben that it was over between them.

Mark Letheren as Ben Harding

Due to a series of misunderstandings, Ruth came to believe Ben had used his position as Toby's counselor to coerce him into having sex and she reported Ben for breach of medical ethics. Unable to admit the sex was consensual, Toby lied, leading to Ben’s subsequent suspension. Eventually Toby came clean and in his naiveté, assumed Ben would forgive him. Ben, outraged and angry at having his career jeopardized, did not forgive him and ended their relationship. Ben's rejection, along with the continued stress of being a doctor when he didn’t wish to be, eventually caused Toby to resign.

Matthew Needham as Toby De Silva

Unable to deal with the downward spiral his life had taken, Toby got drunk and caused a scene at the staff holiday party, which led him to put his life is at risk where there was apparently no one around to help him.

There are a number of nice moments here such as the touching resolution of Toby’s ongoing rivalry with Ruth, his dispatching of the man that caused the train wreck (and the comic incident that followed) and especially his surprising reunion with Ben, a relationship we didn't see enough of during the actual story arc.

Toby may have failed as a doctor, but he is a better and stronger person for being able to admit that isn’t what he wanted and to start fresh. While it’s hard to believe that his life could be wrapped up in such a tidy ball, this is a nice send off for one of the more real and likeable characters on the show. One hopes the series revisits Toby some day so we can find out how his life and his relationship with Ben turned out.