Producer Bryan Kirkwood said that he thought Dawson was a "brilliant actor", and added, "Ashley's one of those people that can do comedy and pathos within the blink of an eye". Kirkwood said that "Darren's one of my favourite characters". Fellow producer Paul Marquess spoke positively of Dawson's performance in an interview with "Digital Spy", stating, "I think Ashley Taylor Dawson, who plays Darren, is a really strong actor, and by the end of this year we'll see a very different side to his character". Co-star Kieron Richardson commented on Dawson's performance as Darren, calling Dawson one of the serial's "strongest actors", adding that Dawson compelled him to watch when he was on screen. Richardson added that Dawson "makes me laugh, he does comedy really well and he does vulnerability really well".