Since the revelation her husband Mark is a convicted paedophile, nurse Rita Freeman has taken rock bottom and redefined it.
Rita’s turned to drink to numb her shame and pain when the story came to light. But now her drinking is out of control and the after-effects of lonely all-night boozing are beginning to show at work in the form of lateness, hangovers and mistakes.
In the previous epsiode her doctor pal Ash (Patrick Robinson) caught Rita doing a shot of vodka in the staff room. This week the troubled nurse doesn’t turn up for work because she’s terrified of being sacked. Concerned, Ash pays her a visit but doesn’t like what he sees – her flat’s littered with empty bottles and Rita’s clearly in torment...
Chloe told What’s on TV: “For Rita it’s about the shame of everybody knowing that she told this huge lie about her husband. Now she’s dealing with it in her own way to numb the pain.
“The impact of this raw emotion has quite dire consequences for her.”
Chloe also reveals there’s good news for Rita fans, as the popular nurse will eventually recover: “Rita does get a grip and sort herself out. She’s supported and will be okay!”
See Chloe hit her latest low in Casualty on Saturday, September 20 on BBC1.
