Casualty favourite Charlie Fairhead (Derek Thompson) is leaving the BBC soap after 38 years, and we've been given a first look at his exit episode.
Derek has been a huge part of Casualty since 1986, and has decided to leave the soap. His exit scene is upon us this weekend (Saturday, March 16) and it's looking like it could be a dramatic outcome.
In last week's episode, Charlie was brutally stabbed by a patient which left viewers horrified. With his life now hanging in the balance, fans will have to tune in to see if Charlie survives the unexpected attack. For more details, check our Casualty spoilers.
In upcoming scenes, the team frantically starts treatment to save his life, and Charlie slips in and out of consciousness and flashes back to the 80’s to a definitive day at the start of his career. Young, cocky, and arriving hungover in his iconic yellow Beetle, Charlie finds himself on a shift from hell... which you can watch in the clip below...
Speaking about his most memorable moment on the soap with us, Derek admitted that it is this moment that will stick with him: "Charlie was in his little yellow Beetle coming over the Bristol suspension bridge and winding through the streets of Bristol, ending up at the hospital. Charlie gets out of the car in his bomber jacket, hair all over the place... it was like 'Noddy goes to hospital’!"
He added: "He looks up at the building, raises a cigarette to his lips and goes “let’s do this!”. It gave you the notion that these people have a good sense of humour about themselves. It was the first time that everyone could see what was possible with the show. It’s an image that has stayed with me throughout my time on Casualty."
Charlie's first shift wasn't the warmest of welcomes, though, and there was a lot to contend with straight off the bat. A nail bomb exploded, and the emergency department was quickly filling up with serious casualties.
In these scenes, young Charlie (played by Jack Franklin) and his beloved Charge Nurse, Shirley (Annette Badland) quickly get to work on helping the injured.
But will Charlie survive the horrible ordeal? There's only one way to find out...
Casualty airs at 9:25 pm on Saturday, March 16 on BBC One. The episode will also be available on iPlayer.
