Charlie hangs up his scrubs

Saturday, 9.25pm, BBC One and BBC iPlayer

CASUALTY after 38 years of playing nurse Charlie Fairhead, Casualty’s longest-running star derek Thompson is bidding farewell to the hit medical drama.

And he’s certainly going out on a wave of emotion after his shock stabbing by a patient.

With viewers waiting to find out if Charlie survives, the 75-year-old actor – the only remaining member of the original cast, which began in September 1986 – said his final scenes mark the end of an era.

Derek said: “Charlie gets it wrong and makes a mistake that he pays a dreadful price for. I don’t want to spoil it by saying whether or not he survives but everything felt heightened when I filmed my last scenes. It felt like one of those big emotional moments in your life.”

The attack is part of an ongoing storyline that Derek hopes will shine a light on the increasing level of violence faced by NHS staff.

And while he is proud of his final scenes, he said his departure is tinged with sadness.

He met his second wife, Dee Sadler, on the set. They married in 1989 and went on to have a son.

Did Derek ever imagine that he would stay so long? “No, I never envisaged I’d stay 38 years,” he smiled. “I originally signed up for three years.”

Not surprisingly, he finds it difficult to pick out his favourite storylines. The death of Charlie’s long-time sidekick and eventual wife, Duffy (played by Cathy Shipton), however, is one Derek will always be proud of.

So, as Charlie hangs up his fictional stethoscope for good, is Derek planning to retire? “Definitely not!” he replied. In fact, he revealed he has landed a new role in BBC police show Blue Lights. He said: “I’m busier than ever and I’m working on some musical projects at the moment.”