Casualty legend reveals she is making a huge return to the BBC drama – seven years after quitting show

A Casualty legend has revealed she is making a shock return to the hit BBC drama after quitting seven years ago.

During an episode of Loose Women on Friday, Sunetra Sarker announced she is returning to the wards at Holby City Hospital.

The actress, 50, who played doctor Zoe Hanna, revealed her return will coincide with Charlie Fairhead’s (Derek Thompson) departure from the show.

She said: ‘This week I was in hospital – but not as a patient. I may have gone back to a particular hospital I worked at a while ago called Holby City Hospital.

‘I’m going back after about… it must be seven years. I left in 2016, so it’s been a while.

Exciting: During an episode of Loose Women on Friday, Sunetra Sarker announced she is returning to the wards at Holby City Hospital

‘I’m going back for a special double episode because our dear Charlie, who has always been there, is leaving the show.

“So I’m going back to make sure I get to spend my last moment with him.”

Derek, 75, revealed in May that he was finally hanging up his stethoscope and quit BBC drama Casualty after almost four decades.

The actor revealed that ‘the time has come’ – and his final scenes will air next year.

Derek has played a central role in the show since it was first shown in 1986, and the BBC said his departure would culminate in a “gripping” storyline with his character “front and centre” of the action.

Discussing his departure, Derek said: ‘The time has come for me to hang up Charlie’s scrubs after the best 37 years.

‘Charlie Fairhead was inspired by a real nurse: Pete Salt. Together with the writers and producers, I have tried to convey to Charlie the compassion, kindness, heroism and good judgment that we all see and appreciate in Pete, and I want to thank Pete and everyone else who has inspired me during that time. bringing this character to life.”

Emergency room nurse Charlie Fairhead has appeared in nearly 900 episodes and is the longest-serving cast member on the medical drama.

Drama: The actress, 50, who played Doctor Zoe Hanna, revealed her return will coincide with Charlie Fairhead’s (Derek Thompson) departure from the show (pictured in 2016)

She said: ‘This week I was in hospital – but not as a patient. I may have gone back to a certain hospital I worked at a while ago called Holby City Hospital’ (pictured in 2009)

Charlie is the backbone of the fictional emergency department at Holby City Hospital, with the character having been involved in some huge, hard-hitting storylines over the years.

He was run over by an ambulance on his wedding day, suffered a near-fatal cardiac arrest during a gang siege and had a loving relationship and a heartbreaking parting with his fellow nurse Duffy (Cathy Shipton).

Duffy died on the show in 2020 after being diagnosed with dementia. In heartbreaking scenes, Charlie found her in the snow after she wandered off.

Duffy was taken to hospital with hyperthermia and subsequently suffered a bleed in her brain, causing Charlie to realize that nothing more could be done for her.

Charlie recently faced further devastation when he was forced to say goodbye to nurse Robyn Miller (Amanda Henderson), whose daughter, Charlotte, was named with him in mind.

Robyn was involved in a catastrophic car accident while on her way to start her new life with Charlotte and partner Paul (Paul Popplewell).

Jon Sen, executive producer of Casualty for BBC Studios, said: “Derek and I often joked that, after such a long and dramatic career in the NHS, there was almost nothing Charlie hadn’t seen.

“So it was a wonderful surprise for me when Derek arrived with a brilliant idea for Charlie’s departure as part of an upcoming storyline that was too good to pass up.

Hanging up his stethoscope: Derek, 75, revealed in May that he was finally hanging up his stethoscope and quit BBC drama Casualty after almost four decades

Throwback: Since appearing in the first series in 1986 (pictured), the 75-year-old star has appeared in almost 900 episodes and is the longest serving cast member in the BBC medical drama

‘We will all miss Derek very much. Over almost four decades, Derek has created an iconic character intertwined with British TV history.

“We will miss his craftsmanship, his humor and his screen presence.

“We’re also going to miss a friend, so over the next few months we’re going to spend the next few months filming Charlie’s final chapter.”

Casualty airs on Saturdays on BBC One and streams on BBC iPlayer.