{"id":47906,"date":"2024-03-16T23:10:50","date_gmt":"2024-03-16T22:10:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=2010427"},"modified":"2024-03-17T01:51:38","modified_gmt":"2024-03-17T00:51:38","slug":"casualty-airs-charlie-fairheads-exit-with-a-big-blast-from-the-past","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/casualty-airs-charlie-fairheads-exit-with-a-big-blast-from-the-past\/","title":{"rendered":"Casualty airs Charlie Fairhead\u2019s exit with a big blast from the past"},"content":{"rendered":"

Charlie bid farewell to Holby. <\/p>

By Helen Daly\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Saturday, 16 March 2024 at 22:10 PM<\/p>

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After an incredible 38 years on Casualty, it was time for Charlie Fairhead (played by Derek Thompson) to say goodbye, in what was an emotional episode.<\/p>\n

Last week on the BBC running series, Charlie was dramatically stabbed while trying to stop a criminal stealing pharmaceutical drugs.<\/p>\n

Tonight\u2019s episode (Saturday 16th March) was all about Charlie\u2019s fight to survive, with his beloved colleagues rallying around him to make sure he pulled through.<\/p>\n

As Charlie battled, he took viewers back to the 1980s in a dream sequence where he reflected on the very early days of his career.<\/p>\n

There, a nail bomb explosion had caused a A&E to be overrun with very sick patients, echoing the situation Charlie had just managed in his own hospital, following last week\u2019s road traffic accident.<\/p>\n

\"Annette\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Annette Badland stars as Nurse Shirley in Casualty.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

A young Charlie (played by Jack Franklin), is being coached by Charge Nurse Shirley (Annette Badland) in his early career days, and as she approaches retirement, she offers Charlie some words of wisdom.<\/p>\n

She wanted to retire and go and do whatever she wanted \u2013 but in a cruel twist, she passed away during her final shift.<\/p>\n

Before the end of the moving episode, Charlie also revealed his special connection to Stevie (Elinor Lawless).<\/p>\n

Her father was saved by Shirley and Charlie\u2019s team, and his young daughter clearly remembered how incredibly the health service was; it was Stevie and it inspired her to become the medical marvel she is today. She was also the one who eventually saved Charlie\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

Charlie\u2019s final episode also saw the return of Josh (Ian Bleasdale) who wanted to see his friend in his time of need. This followed the return of Zoe (Sunetra Sarker) last week, too.<\/p>

Thankfully by the end of the episode, Charlie had recovered fully because of Stevie\u2019s quick-thinking, and he announced he would be retiring, having been inspired by Shirley\u2019s story.<\/p>\n

As Charlie quietly walked out of the hospital, seemingly with no farewell, he was surprised to see all of his colleagues stood outside Holby with his parting gift: an old yellow car, just like the one he had in the 80s.<\/p>\n

The entire bunch of characters were overwhelmed with emotion, with Josh joining his old friend once more as they rode off in the car, ready to enjoy their retirement together.<\/p>\n

Casualty\u00a0<\/strong>is available to watch on\u00a0BBC iPlayer<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong>Check out more of our\u00a0Soaps<\/a>\u00a0coverage or visit our\u00a0TV Guide<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Streaming Guide<\/a>\u00a0to see what\u2019s on tonight.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only \u00a310 \u2013 <\/strong>subscribe now<\/strong><\/a>. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to\u00a0<\/strong>The Radio Times Podcast<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div> <\/body><\/html>\n
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