EastEnders star Maddy Hill joins Casualty in an explosive new role as paramedic Ruby Sparks. Here we look more closely at her arrival...
On EastEnders, Maddy Hill was involved in some of the soaps most explosive storylines as troubled Nancy Carter. Now it looks like Maddy’s bringing a big dollop of her dramatic magic to Casualty when she joins the medical drama next month!
Speaking about her new role as paramedic Ruby Sparks in Casualty Maddy, 28, said: “I'm incredibly excited to be working with the BBC again on Casualty. It's such a well loved and respected show and the role of Ruby is like no one I've ever played before.”
While large elements of Ruby’s future storylines are embargoed here are five things we know for certain about the new paramedic…
Already a fan favourite
Maddy’s debut as inexperienced paramedic, Ruby, is due to air on BBC1 on Saturday 14 July. Ruby’s first day is eagerly anticipated by Casualty fans, not least because it marks the end of Casualty’s two-week summer break!
Casualty fans on Twitter have already voiced their approval of Maddy's new role:
Yet... Ruby is destined to be unpopular!
While Maddy is being welcomed to Casualty by fans, it seems Ruby will provoke the opposite reaction from her co-workers. Ruby is thrown into the deep end of the NHS ambulance service when she’s partnered up with brave, experienced paramedics Sam Nicholls (Charlotte Salt) and Iain Dean (Michael Stevenson). Will they warm to their seemingly timid new colleague? If Casualty's Summer trailer is anything to do by, it seems not…
Head versus heart dilemmas!
As is Casualty tradition, Ruby’s first day working in Holby is a baptism of fire that leaves her questioning everything she thinks she knows and grappling for answers. We have it on good authority Ruby will be placed in an uneasy ethical situation and forced to make a life-changing decision…
Jan considers getting shot of Ruby!
After only a short time on the show Ruby’s actions cause paramedic boss Jan Jenning (Di Botcher) to consider whether or not the rookie medic’s future lies in Holby. Jan, who recently started working in Holby, will even go so far as to discuss Ruby’s probation period with Sam! Could Ruby’s time as a Holby City paramedic be short-lived?
Essential player in Year of the Paramedic
Maddy’s presence as a new paramedic coincides with Casualty’s plans to focus on the lives of the medical drama’s paramedics, in what is being called ‘The Year of the Paramedic.’ Maddy seems an ideal candidate for Casualty, as she’s experienced with working on an intense production from her time on EastEnders where she played Nancy Carter from 2014 until 2016.
Nancy, is the daughter of Mick and Linda Carter, who run the soap’s iconic pub, The Queen Vic. During her time in the soap Nancy revealed her younger brother Johnny was gay and was also heavily involved in her mother’s harrowing rape storyline, while Maddy was praised for her portrayal of someone with epilepsy. Nancy left EastEnders in April 2016 with boyfriend Tamwar Masood to go travelling around the world.
Our verdict: Maddy sounds like a perfect fit for Casualty! But is her placement in Holby a perfect fit for Ruby?
Casualty is currently on a two-week break returning to BBC1 with Maddy’s debut as Ruby Sparks on Saturday 14 July.
