With the new CBBC series The Lady Grace Mysteries releasing earlier this year, Fintan Buckard plays Lord Oliver Osborne in the screen adaptation of the children’s detective fiction novels by Patricia Finney, Sara Volger and Jan Burchett, with the series also featuring a cast including Ben Gettins (Ralph) and Toby Longworth (Cecil). Fintan plays regular character Ben Drake in Waterloo Road alongside Lindsey Coulson as head teacher and Ben’s grandmother Dame Stella Drake, working on a number of challenging storylines, and he is part of the upcoming short film Bump, which is written and directed by his Waterloo Road co-star Olly Rhodes. Further screen projects for Fintan have seen him appear in a couple of episodes of Coronation Street in 2024, have his first regular role as Ethan in BBC’s Phoenix Rise, and he has filmed numerous commercials such as for Cadbury’s ice cream in 2019. Chatting with us, Fintan told us about filming as Lord Oliver Osborne in The Lady Grace Mysteries, playing Ben Drake in Waterloo Road and his first regular role of Ethan in Phoenix Rise.
In the new CBBC series The Lady Grace Mysteries, you can be seen as regular character Lord Oliver Osborne; what is it like being part of a screen adaptation of the children’s detective fiction novels by Patricia Finney, Sara Volger and Jan Burchett?
I was beyond excited to be cast in this show, in the first series of an already established and beloved book, and to see the next generation enjoy its story. Along with, hopefully, the book’s original audience to come back and reconnect!
However, Osborne wasn’t in the books, but written for this adaptation. So I certainly felt less pressure compared to other cast to live up to any expectations for their character while filming. Which, to me, meant I could have fun with my portrayal!
For those who haven’t yet seen The Lady Grace Mysteries, can you say about the show and your character?
I LOVE this show, it’s a magical viewing experience, painted through its colourful characters, sharp storytelling, and gorgeous set and locations (which were just as gorgeous in person). It’s been a real treat to be connected to this project. Not many people can say they’ve been a lord, with a sword, riding a horse, surrounded by castles and corset dresses! A fair few pinch-me moments throughout this job, for sure.
How different is Lord Osborne to play to your previous characters, and what are the Elizabethan costumes like to wear?
What drew me to Osborne was his driving force and morals: he’s strong-willed and passionate. What I found was especially interesting to play was how he’s conflicted by his feelings towards Grace, yet bound by duty to his Queen.
Osborne is significantly dissimilar to anyone I’ve played before. For example, Ben (Waterloo Road), although similarly intelligent, is no where near as calculated, rather acting on impulse. But either way, both getting themselves into scrapes that I loved to portray equally.
Osborne wears various Elizabethan looks throughout the 10 episodes, each as phenomenal as the last. However, getting in and out of them took quite the feat. Them tight leather trousers do not want to come off after a day of stunt sword-fighting in the poorly ventilated historical Brussels architecture and European shining sun!
The costume department took great pride in playing with harsh and soft tones, showcasing the layers within his character through his costume, with our Osborne wearing a rugged dark leather jacket, then a lighter coloured floral vest underneath. This provided a new first for me on a TV set… getting stitched into my costume. Great fun when we wrapped and I could rip the stitching open like Superman! However, the novelty wore off after eating a big lunch, and I suddenly became sympathetic to the castmates in corsets.
Did you have any favourite scenes to film in Series 1 of The Lady Grace Mysteries, and what was it like working with your fellow cast members?
If I’m saying anything about our cast, it’s that we do not fall short of personality. Filming amongst these people was a hoot.
A moment that first comes to mind is when Ben Gettins (Ralph) and I discovered that you could, with remarkably little effort, trigger Toby Longworth (Cecil) to execute one of his many impressions, with always full commitment and a complete lack of awareness to his surroundings.
So, when we were filming in the great hall, we must have had near 100 supporting artists and all the cast and crew in this large room. Our poor AD team, led by the brilliant 1st Joanne Dunleavy Nelson, were trying their best to keep us all quiet. We’d wait until it was completely silent before whispering to Toby a line of gibberish somewhat resembling Jabba the Hutt. He’d immediately erupt with his booming voice a full impersonation of the alien. A perfect portrayal, might I add!
Oh really got Ben and I creasing, unknown to anyone else it was our doing!
Sorry, Jo.
What are you enjoying most about playing Ben Drake in Waterloo Road, and is there anything you find most challenging about taking on the role?
I’ve loved playing Ben. He’s confident, bright, and does what pleases him, which is great fun as it means there’s often a lot to play with in a scene.
Ben’s had some powerful and emotional storylines already so far. What’s been challenging is not knowing where your characters or the story is going next, and the pressure of hoping you are able to achieve what they throw at you.
How is it reading the scripts to the new Waterloo Road storylines and seeing the viewers’ response when the episodes are released on BBC?
I think, whenever I’m reading a script, regardless of the project, I like to consider how the audience would respond, or how I’d like them to anyway. Primarily as I believe it helps me pitch my performance.
So, with this in mind, reading the emotional Episode 4 of Season 16 was heartbreaking. I was tearing up just reading it, so through the powerful performances of Savannah Kunyo, Lindsey Coulson and Christine Bottomley, and the outstanding direction of Ruth Carney, I knew Hope would be a fan favourite. I had zero doubt about how people would be feeling while watching it.
What do you remember from your first day on set of Waterloo Road and what was it like meeting your fellow cast members – including Lindsey Coulson, who plays Waterloo Road headteacher and Ben’s grandmother Dame Stella Drake and Savannah Kunyo, who played your on-screen sister Hope – for the first time?
My first day on set was a treat. They’d clearly intentionally scheduled two gentle scenes, where my character was more secondary to the action of the scene, which allowed me to observe the etiquette and vibe of the job through my scene partners and crew.
My scenes both being with Lindsey, who is just so calming and supporting, helped me settle into working with such ease. And honestly, this precedent was across the board, with Zak Sutcliffe taking me under his wing, introducing me to the social side of the job and connecting with everyone.
Even less than a week in, I’m on a five-hour hike across Manchester with Cory McClane on our day off. Just recalling this is a reminder to what a true joy and privilege this job has been to be a part of!
Working with Savannah was very sweet, even if she did upstage me in every scene. Truly amazing actor. I only wish the storyline could have lasted a bit longer…
Can you tell us about Ben, and how has it been developing the character so far?
Ben always seems to be growing and developing. He’s not the same lad I played at the start of Series 16, for sure. But not always changing for the better.
It’s very exciting opening the scripts and seeing where he’s going in the episode, or what nonsense he’s getting up to next.
You are in the cast of the upcoming short film Bump (which is written and directed by your Waterloo Road co-star Olly Rhodes), what was this like to work on?
Bump was great fun to work on. Produced by Olly Rhodes, Oli Mortimer and Francis Johnson, bringing together crew from an assortment of prior jobs, meaning everyone on set was someone the producers had both valued professionally and enjoyed the company of – excellent combination!
Everyone had a great rapport, and the three-day shoot flew by. Very excited to see this back at a screening and, hopefully, a festival run!
How did you find the experience filming for episodes of Coronation Street in 2024?
Corrie was the first time I’d worked on TV since Phoenix Rise, after an 18-month gap. A day’s work, over two episodes and four fun scenes, playing a character far from my own.
I filmed about a month before my final A-level exam, and then booked Waterloo Road less than two months later. To me, it felt like an assurance I’m in the right career. It was an extra push before I was out of college, and a refresher as to what working professionally is like before I took on a longer contract.
What was it like finding out you’d booked the role of Ethan in Phoenix Rise and what do you feel you learnt from having him as your first series regular character?
I was ecstatic!
It’d been about four years of auditioning for film and TV up until that point and, although I’d never imagined stopping, it didn’t feel like anything was going to happen – or at least not until the future. So yeah, it didn’t feel quite real.
I had a lot to learn from Phoenix. Up until that point, I’d never said any lines on screen professionally. With screen acting classes commonly focusing on stillness and naturalism (especially during COVID and limited to Zoom), I’d never thought about how I should physically move or carry myself within a scene.
Personally, I found it quite humbling coming on set as an actor and then struggling with how to sit on a bench or write in a workbook.
But it was my first job, and my issues stemmed from that. I didn’t yet understand continuity, etiquette, callsheets etc… so from Phoenix I learned there’s more to being an actor than just acting.
Do you have any stand-out memories from your time working on Phoenix Rise that you can share?
Well, with it being my first TV job, the majority of what springs to mind is my attempt to navigate myself around the set.
We usually filmed in a disused school, but a moment that particularly comes to mind is when we were filming a scene in a locker room at a small sports centre adjacent to the school, which I’d assumed was part of the school campus. Unfortunately, at this time, I didn’t know it was still in use.
So, after my costume checks, right before a first take, being nosy and unable to sit still, I decided to look around and step into a shower… A shower connected to running water with an automatic sensor… Awful.
Coincidentally, it was Halloween and half the crew were dressed up in costume. I was mortified, sopping wet, and apologising to Mario and Luigi.
Hilarious!
How did you get into acting and was it always something you wanted to do professionally?
I’d always been very decisive when it came to what I wanted to do.
When I was nine, I watched my first musical, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda The Musical in the West End. As far as I can remember, there wasn’t any thinking involved – just a clear, “Oh! This is what I’m going to do!”. It was quite definite after that. (However, uniquely, I don’t think it was the musical element that spoke to me, just performance in general.)
I started taking local acting classes then and, by the time I was the age when you start thinking of a career, nothing else came to mind.
In my classes, I thrived off the collaboration and fun that came with devising, messing around until you had something you wanted to show off, and then discovering the thill of performing.
We understand you have been involved with commercials, including your first professional role for Cadbury’s ice cream in 2018, can you tell us about some of the commercials you’ve filmed?
Following off the back of the previous question, it was that first job – the Cadbury’s ice cream commercial – which solidified this was something I wanted to take down a professional route.
Though I don’t think my 12-year-old self quite had the etiquette down yet, as I gave a good go at polishing off the ice cream in-between takes… in my defence, it was starting to melt anyway. And if anything, that’s on the producers for overlooking the appetite of a pre-teen…
I shot about one commercial a year from being 12 to 16. One of which was memorable, as I played Harry Potter in a short clip advertising the Cricket World Cup in 2019.
Unfortunately, I can confirm I won’t be reprising my role, nor taking on other roles in the new HBO series. I take it the casting team weren’t in attendance of my prior performance, but that’s fine…
How do you like to spend your time away from acting?
Very much depending on circumstance, had it been a light work week, I love to watch your proper British dramas. Had it been a heavy and emotional work week, I couldn’t think of anything worse and end up watching cartoons and colouring.
I love a good hike, not that I get too much chance to go on them. And I’ve finally gotten around to watching Broadchurch. Brilliant. I binged it in a very short space of time. One of my new favourites that.
Do you have any projects coming up that you can tell us about, and what are you hoping 2026 brings?
I’ve got some exciting filming again, on a three-month shoot, over the summer (there goes my plans to tan).
But genuinely, I’ve been quite content the last year, so for 2026 I’m just hoping it continues!
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