This year saw Arthur Kayâs newest project High Hoops release on CBBC and BBC iPlayer in March, with Arthur attending the BAFTA screening event ahead of the release, working with a cast including Darci Hull as his on-screen sister Aoife and Robert Webb as Mr. Holt, and Series 2 of the comedy has been announced, with Arthur reprising his role of Conor. For Arthurâs first regular character on screen, he joined Series 4 of The Bay playing Lewis Walsh, and his further screen work include an episode of Brassic as Kaden and two episodes of Doctor Who, with his latest appearance being in 2018 alongside Jodie Whittaker as The Doctor. Alongside acting, Arthur is the lead singer of The Unnamed Band, with a local fanbase, and their first single Don’t You Know was released on all streaming platforms in April. Speaking with us, we found out from Arthur about playing Conor in CBBC comedy series High Hoops, joining Series 4 of The Bay as regular character Lewis Walsh and filming episodes of Doctor Who and Brassic.
The new comedy series High Hoops, in which you play regular character Conor, premiered on CBBC and BBC iPlayer in March; how has it been seeing the fan response to the series so far and how did you feel when it was released?
The release of Season 1 of High Hoops has felt really exciting. It has been a long wait since we finished filming in the summer of 2024, so itâs brilliant that everyone now has the opportunity to watch all the fun we had whilst making this first season! Seeing the reaction that has followed the release of High Hoops, and the enjoyment fans of all ages have shown online and in person, feels so fulfilling and has just added to the overall excitement of being involved in this fantastic project.
Can you tell us about High Hoops and was there anything that drew you to the series?
When I first got the details through for High Hoops early in 2024, I instantly knew it was something that I would love to be involved in. Being part of a comedy TV series is something I have always really wanted to do, and it felt even more special that it was a CBBC production. Comedy shows offer a real sense of freedom and positivity – I was a big So Awkward fan (and still am!) and so was over the moon to find out I was going to be part of this new CBBC show!
How would you describe Conor and what is the character like to play?
Conor is an awkward, unintentionally comedic, overly smart, yet sensitive character that I am loving developing and portraying. It is a complete contrast to the TV roles I have recently played and Conor has allowed me to unlock a style of acting I hadnât had the opportunity to explore yet. In reality, Conor is much closer to me than I realised⌠for instance, I can solve a Rubikâs Cube in 12.6 seconds â Conor would be proud!
What is it like filming with Darci Hull as your on-screen sister Aoife and with the rest of the cast, and what do you remember from your first day working on the project?
Darci, and all the other wonderful cast members I work with, are all so entertaining to be around. With it being a new comedy drama, we are all in the same boat and even the adults are joining in with our cheeky on set shenanigans at times… I vividly remember reading through some of our OâNeill family scenes on my first day of rehearsals with Darci Hull, Isy Suttie and Ian Curtis (one of our fab directors) – in that moment, I knew we were going to have a blast!
How was it finding out youâd booked the role of Conor and youâd be joining the regular cast of a new CBBC comedy?
Totally surreal! The realisation that I had booked this role was a complex mix of bewilderment and overwhelming excitement! I felt, and continue to feel, so incredibly fortunate to have such an amazing opportunity and I loved every second of filming last summer.
How did you find the experience attending the recent BAFTA screening event, and do you have a favourite aspect of working on High Hoops?
Being at the BAFTA screening event in January made everything suddenly feel very real! The build-up to attending BAFTA felt so special. I even got to hang out with one of my new friends, Hacker T Dog – which definitely is right up there as one of the peak moments of my career so far!
Amongst my favourite aspects of working on High Hoops is all the planned chaos we got to experience in the scenes we filmed together⌠from paintballing with everyone, to getting covered in chocolate sauce by Dylan Lakhanpaul (Clanger) – so many memories that I will always remember!
In Series 4 of The Bay, you played new regular character Lewis Walsh, can you tell us about Lewis and how was it getting into character?
In The Bay, Lewis Walsh was featured as a misunderstood bully who made poor choices that ultimately led to his downfall. Lewis was a polar opposite of both the character of Conor and, thankfully, of myself! However, it gave me a great opportunity to stretch myself as an actor â playing a baddy can actually be fun – especially when you can act that horribly, safe in the knowledge that those around you wonât actually be affected.
How familiar were you with The Bay before auditioning and what was the show like to be part of?
I was only 13 at the time I was cast in the role of Lewis and hadnât seen much of The Bay myself. However, both of my parents are actors and had previously worked with the amazing Erin Shanagher, who is so lovely and a hilarious person to be on set with.
What was it like on set of The Bay and what do you feel you learnt from having Lewis as your first regular character on screen?
Everyone on the set of The Bay added to a really supportive and rewarding experience. It was great to continue to learn and advance my knowledge of working on a TV set in the world of such a well-loved show, with such an experienced cast and crew. I also had the novelty of having my mum and dad on set with me â my mum was cast as Lewisâ on-screen mum, Kim Walsh, and my dad was chaperoning me on set each day.
How was it filming for an episode of Brassic – Series 3 as Kaden?
The short answer is that it was hilarious! There was so much going on all the time on the Brassic set and I felt so privileged to be involved at just 12 years old. It was also very funny for âlittle meâ to be hearing so many rude words that I had never even imagined saying in my everyday life! I remember having a very inspirational pep talk from Joe Gilgun, as well as him sending a video to my dad⌠I have never looked so giddy as I did in that video!
We understand you were involved with two episodes of Doctor Who, most recently as Smithy in 2018 with Jodie Whittaker as The Doctor, what did you enjoy most about filming for Doctor Who?
Doctor Who was my first proper TV experience in the professional acting world. Every element of it, from my name on my dressing room to the huge cameras on set, blew my eight-year-old mind! Jodie herself is so awesome and gave me lots of tips and tricks. Everyone on set was really accommodating and definitely had a massive impact on my incredible experience. Iâm also a huge fan of Bradley Walsh; have you ever seen a speechless eight-year-old? I was definitely that kid!
How did you get into acting and was it always something you wanted to do professionally?
Both of my parents, Julian Kay and Kate Hampson, are professional actors and so I have always had a glimpse into this industry. I was Joseph in my school nativity and got bitten by the acting bug from that point onwards. Most recently, I played the role of Seymour in my schoolâs production of Little Shop of Horrors! For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be an actor, much to my parentsâ mock dismay – they have always joked about wanting me to get a âproper jobâ like a tech wizard or a cosmetic dentist!! They have, of course, supported me every step of the way as I follow in their footsteps!
What are some of your favourite films and TV shows to watch?
Ask any of my friends this question and they will confidently tell you how big a fan I am of West Side Story (1961 original version) and Hot Fuzz featuring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. I love everything about these two films and they would be my go-to recommendation for a brilliant movie night! I am really impressed by the iconic Brooklyn Nine-Nine â personally, I donât think you can go far wrong with a classic American comedy police show! Also, I hear that High Hoops is pretty good⌠catch it now on CBBC and iPlayer!
How do you like to spend your time away from acting?
Away from acting, I am the lead singer of The Unnamed Band. We have lots of fun and have created a local fanbase as well as releasing our first single Donât You Know on all streaming platforms. I am also a massive supporter of York City Football Club who, at the point of writing this, are in the Semi-Finals of the National League Playoffs (fingers crossed we will have secured promotion by the time this is being read). I love hanging out with my friends and my family and my awesome dog Eric (who is, of course, my favourite)!
It has been announced that High Hoops will be returning for a Series 2; what are you looking forward to for getting back to filming as Conor, and do you have any further projects coming up that you can talk about?
I am so happy that High Hoops has been recommissioned for a second season and I cannot wait to return to set, the tropics of Halifax and the awesome group of new friends I made last year. We have all stayed in touch and it will be lovely to get the gang back together! Iâm super keen to have a sneaky peak at the new scripts for Season 2 and see whatâs in store for everyone at Midvale High. I canât talk about future projects at the moment, but you never know what is on the horizon!
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