Former Casualty star Derek Thompson hung up his scrubs after 38 years in 2024 – but in a move that will stun viewers, the actor is reportedly set to reprise his role.
Thompson, 77, played senior charge nurse Charlie Fairhead in the hospital drama, and was the longest-serving cast member when he bowed out, having starred in almost 900 episodes.
Despite the character’s tearful farewell, it appears he’s been lured back to the wards of Holby City, with reports claiming Thompson is already filming.
“Fans will be delighted to see Charlie,” a source told The Sun. “The character was never killed off and the door was left open for a return. Viewers will have to wait to see how Charlie’s storyline pans out.”
It’s claimed Thompson’s role will be a temporary appearance rather than a permanent return as a fixed cast member. The Independent has contacted the BBC for comment.
At the time of his departure, the corporation described Charlie as the “lynchpin of the hospital’s emergency department”, who has been at the centre of “countless major storylines which explored challenging and thought-provoking subjects”.
Thompson explained that the character was inspired by a real nurse called Pete Salt, saying: “Together with the writers and producers, I have tried to bring to Charlie the compassion, kindness, heroism and sound judgment that we all see and love in Pete.
“I want to say thanks to Pete and everyone else over that time who has inspired me in bringing this character to life,” he said.
During his time on the show, Charlie was run over by an ambulance on his wedding day, suffered a near-fatal cardiac arrest during a gang siege, and had a memorable relationship with fellow nurse Duffy (Cathy Shipton).
His final episode arrived after his life hung in the balance after being stabbed by a drug-dealing patient, which left him in a coma. However, he survived the attack and one of his final scenes was a nostalgic flashback to his debut episode, from 1989, featuring an emotional goodbye from his old colleagues.
In 2017, the actor was the top earner in the scripted TV (drama and comedy) category, ranking above stars such as Danny Dyer and Peter Capaldi, according to figures from the BBC’s annual report.
Recent examples of soap stars returning to key roles include Ross Kemp, who this week returned to EastEnders as Grant Mitchell for a moving dementia storyline; Kemp first appeared in the series in 1990 and left in 1999. Meanwhile, Patsy Kensit will soon be returning to Emmerdale as the villainous Sadie King – a role she originally quit in 2006 after two years on the series.
