Callum "Halfway" 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. Callum is introduced as a friend of the Carter family, which was not publicised beforehand. Callum is a comedic character who is jovial, dopey and "happy-go-lucky" who wears shabby clothing and beanie hats. Callum'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 Callum departs in the episode first broadcast in the United Kingdom on 16 February 2018. Afterwards, Clay was invited back to reprise his role and Callum returns two months later after serving in the army. His experience in the army and his relationship with Whitney are explored upon his return. He later breaks up with Whitney and forms a relationship with Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden), whom he later marries. Producers introduced Callum's brother, Stuart Highway (Ricky Champ); their relationship is initially portrayed as dark, but later becomes supportive. Clay's portrayal of Callum 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".
Storylines
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.