Holby City favourite joins Casualty cast for VERY special reason

Holby City Logo
A Holby City favourite is heading to Casualty this weekend. (Image credit: BBC)

There are exciting times ahead for Holby City fans as a show favourite joins Casualty for a very special episode set to air this weekend. 

The milestone episode, airing on Saturday, July 15 at 8.25 pm on BBC One, is a special standalone episode commemorating 75 years of the NHS — and as well as contributions from real-life medics, there is also a familiar face joining the Casualty cast. 

Davood Ghadami will return to his role as Holby City heart surgeon Eli Ebrahimi this weekend when the Holby medical team do everything they can to save motorcyclist Amartya Das.

Stevie talking to Eli.

Stevie calls Eli for help in this weekend's Casualty.  (Image credit: BBC)

Helping Amartya from the first 999 call until he goes into surgery are fan favourites, Iain Dean, Jan Jenning, Teddy Gowan, Rash Masum, Dylan Keogh, Donna Jackson, Jodie Whyte and Ryan Firth.

But when a CT scan reveals that Amartya has life-or-death heart problems Stevie calls in Eli Ebrahimi who quickly mobilises a team to operate on Amartya… But will they be able to save him?

Holby City

Davood Ghadami as Holby City heart surgeon Eli Ebrahimi. (Image credit: BBC)

Fans will remember Davood Ghadami played Darwin Ward's consultant cardiothoracic surgeon from 2021 until the show came to an end last year. 

Speaking of his character when he joined Holby, Davood told us: "He’s an incredibly talented cardiothoracic surgeon at the top of his game. He’s passionate about what he does and happiest in his workspace. It’s almost his entire focus. 

"That can sometimes make him quite socially awkward! But he isn't someone that can be bullied and pushed around."

In this week's Casualty nurse Cam Mickelthwaite (Barney Walsh) prepares the body of a deceased patient on his own, so that the man’s shocked and heartbroken family can spend time with their loved one.

Meanwhile, Jodie Whyte is also having a bad day when she is attacked by patient Jade Morton (Zoe Molyneux) and we see another side to Ryan Firth (Eddie-Joe Robinson) when he keeps up the spirits of elderly patient Dorothy Bevan (Gillian Axtell, After Life), who is stuck on a trolley in a hospital corridor.

This Casualty episode is called How to Save a Life and will air on BBC One at 8.25 pm on Saturday, July 15, 2023. 

Claire Crick
Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch

Claire is Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch and has been a journalist for over 15 years, writing about everything from soaps and TV to beauty, entertainment, and even the Royal Family. After starting her career at a soap magazine, she ended up staying for 13 years, and over that time she’s pulled pints in the Rovers Return, sung karaoke in the Emmerdale village hall, taken a stroll around Albert Square, and visited Summer Bay Surf Club in sunny Australia. 

After learning some tricks of the trade at websites Digital Spy, Entertainment Daily, and Woman & Home, Claire landed a role at What’s On TV and whattowatch.com writing about all things TV and film, with a particular love for Aussie soaps, Strictly Come Dancing and Bake Off

She’s interviewed everyone from June Brown — AKA Dot Cotton — to Michelle Keegan, swapped cooking tips with baking legend Mary Berry backstage at the NTAs, and danced the night away with soap stars at countless awards bashes. There’s not a lot she doesn’t know about soaps and TV and can be very handy when a soapy question comes up in a pub quiz! 

As well as all things soap-related, Claire also loves running, spa breaks, days out with her kids, and getting lost in a good book.