Richard Wisker most recently played Jake in Marc Zammit’s new horror film Jitters, which had the film premiere at London’s Piccadilly Circus in March, and is available to download on paid-platforms such as Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video. Richard played co-lead character Declan in BBC iPlayer series Flatmates, having originally played the character in Series 4 and 5 of CBBC’s Millie Inbetween, and he was in the cast opposite Dani Harmer playing Rich in Dani’s Castle, with the CBBC comedy series filming on location at Killyleagh Castle in Northern Ireland. For Richard’s first screen regular role, he worked with Dani Harmer (Tracy Beaker) for the first time when he played Liam O’Donovan in Tracy Beaker Returns, and he reprised his role for episodes of The Dumping Ground in 2014 and 2018, including Mike’s (Connor Byrne) Wedding episode. Further acting projects for Richard include having guest roles in Casualty as Daniel Pemberley, Stepping Up as Luca, and he played George in the two-part Lost in Time episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures. As a presenter, Richard was an original cast member of the CBBC entertainment show Friday Download, and he went on to play the fictionalised version of himself in the 2015 spin-off film Friday Download: The Movie. Away from acting, Richard has written and produced a series of commercials, and he is involved with talent headshot shoots, which he will continue with in the future. We caught up with Richard, who talked to us about playing Jake in Marc Zammit’s new horror film Jitters, his co-lead role of Declan in Flatmates, his time over the years as Liam O’Donovan in Tracy Beaker Returns and being in the original cast of Friday Download.

In Marc Zammit’s new horror film Jitters, you play the role of Jake; can you tell us about the film and character, without giving spoilers?

Jake’s someone who thinks he understands what’s going on… until he really doesn’t. That’s what makes him interesting. The film plays with tension and perception, and Jake sits right in the middle of that. He’s quite grounded at the start, but things slowly unravel around him and within him.

What was it like working with Marc Zammit on one of his new films and how was it attending the film premiere at Piccadilly Circus in March?

Marc’s very clear in his vision but still open to collaboration, which is the best combination. You feel trusted. The premiere at Piccadilly Circus was surreal – seeing it up there, in that environment, makes it all feel very real very quickly.

What was it like being in the cast of the BBC iPlayer series Flatmates as co-lead character Declan, and is there anything you miss most about filming?

Flatmates was a great balance – light, quick, and character-driven. Declan was fun because he didn’t take himself too seriously. What I miss most is the atmosphere on set – those everyday moments between takes that you don’t really think about until they’re gone.

Having originally played Declan in Series 4 and 5 of Millie Inbetween for CBBC, what was Declan like to play and how was it developing the character across both shows?

That was the interesting part – taking a character from one tone and letting him evolve into another. You find new layers, slightly shift how he reacts, but keep the core of who he is.

What did you enjoy about playing Rich in Dani’s Castle and starring as a lead character in a CBBC comedy series?

Comedy timing. That’s everything in a show like that. Rich had a lot of energy, a lot of personality, and it gave you freedom to push things a bit further.

How was it filming on location at Killyleagh Castle in Northern Ireland?

Filming at Killyleagh Castle didn’t feel like work half the time. It’s one of those locations that adds something automatically. It feeds into the performance without you needing to do much.

For your first screen regular role, you played Liam O’Donovan in Tracy Beaker Returns; do you have any favourite memories from your time on set that you can share?

It was the start of everything for me. There’s a real sense of learning as you go, figuring things out on set, and building relationships. It’s hard to pick one memory, it’s more the feeling of it.

How familiar were you with the Tracy Beaker franchise before booking your role, and how is it knowing The Dumping Ground is still popular many years later?

I knew it growing up, so stepping into that world was a big moment. The fact it’s still going shows how strong those stories are – they connect.

What was Liam like to play and how was it filming his storylines?

Liam had depth. He wasn’t one-note. There was a lot going on beneath the surface, which always gives you something to work with.

You reprised the character for episodes of The Dumping Ground in 2014 and 2018, how was it returning to the show and reuniting with the other returning cast members for Mike’s Wedding episode?

Coming back felt familiar in the best way. Reuniting with people, picking things back up – it’s rare you get to revisit a character like that.

Over your acting career so far, your further roles have included guest character Daniel Pemberley in Casualty, Luca in Stepping Up and George in the two-part Lost in Time episodes of The Sarah Jane Adventures, can you tell us about some of them?

Each one’s completely different. Casualty’s fast-paced and high-pressure. Sarah Jane had that legacy behind it. You adapt quickly, and that’s part of the job I enjoy.

As a presenter, you were part of the original cast of Friday Download; what was it like presenting a CBBC show that grew a big fan base?

It was chaos, in a good way. Live energy, quick turnarounds, and a real connection with the audience. It built a strong fan base because it felt real.

How was it playing a fictionalised version of yourself in the 2015 spin-off film Friday Download: The Movie?

Strange at first – you’re playing a version of yourself, but it’s still scripted. You find a balance between reality and performance.

Where does your love of acting come from and how did you get into it?

It started young. I just enjoyed it – being part of something creative, telling stories. It stuck.

Do you have any favourite films and TV shows to watch?

Anything that’s well written. I lean towards projects where the storytelling is strong as that’s what holds everything together.

What do you enjoy doing away from acting?

I’ve been spending more time behind the camera, developing ideas, producing, shaping projects. That side of it has really grown for me.

Do you have any upcoming projects that you can tell us about, and what are you hoping this year brings for you?

I’ve been writing and producing a series of commercials for a brand, which has been a great shift creatively. I’m also heavily involved in talent headshot shoots – I genuinely believe the headshot is the doorway to a performer’s shop window, so getting that right matters.

This year is about building more on that – continuing to develop projects, staying creative, and enjoying the process from both sides of the camera.

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