▁Mc M ah on ▁to ▁play ▁Mitch ▁in ▁his ▁absence . ▁Wel sh ▁said ▁it ▁felt ▁" we ird " ▁seeing ▁another ▁actor ▁playing ▁Mitch ▁but ▁as ▁he ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁a ▁" big ▁story line " ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁produ cers ▁were ▁left ▁with ▁no ▁other ▁option . ▁After ▁his ▁return , ▁Wel sh ' s ▁scenes ▁as ▁Mitch ▁started ▁air ing ▁once ▁again ▁from ▁ 3 ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Wel sh ▁fil med ▁a ▁came o ▁for ▁the ▁serial ' s ▁ 4 0 0 0 th ▁episode , ▁which ▁saw ▁Mitch ▁return ▁for ▁Alf ▁Stewart ' s ▁( R ay ▁Me ag her ) ▁birth day . ▁Wel sh ▁later ▁became ▁Home ▁and ▁A way ' s ▁producer . ▁He ▁said ▁that ▁playing ▁Mitch ▁helped ▁give ▁him ▁a ▁better ▁understanding ▁when ▁it ▁came ▁to ▁producing ▁the ▁serial . ▁For ▁his ▁port ray al ▁of ▁Mitch , ▁Wel sh ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁the ▁" Best ▁New ▁Male ▁Tal ent " ▁Log ie ▁Award ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁James ▁Joy ce ▁of ▁The ▁New castle ▁Her ald ▁said ▁that ▁Mitch ▁made ▁a ▁big ▁impact ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁episode ▁on - screen . ▁He ▁later ▁op ined ▁that ▁Mitch ▁and ▁Hay ley ' s ▁first ▁kiss ▁was ▁" long - await ed " ▁and ▁had ▁that ▁the ▁pair ▁had ▁" l ust ful ▁eyes " ▁for ▁one ▁another . ▁When ▁they ▁face ▁" fr ustration " ▁after ▁the