Casualty viewers were left in tears as iconic character Charlie Fairhead bowed out from the BBC series after 38-years and 900 episodes on Saturday.
The Senior charge nurse, played by Derek Thompson since the show’s inception in 1986, had been left with his life hanging in the balance after being brutally stabbed in last week’s cliffhanger.
As Charlie lay in a coma and his colleagues battled to save his life a flashback was shown of his early career as he dealt with the tragic aftermath of a nail bomb in 1980s London.
It was also revealed that during his earlier days as an ambitious nurse he saved the life of colleague Stevie Nash’s father when she was a young girl.
Inspired to become a doctor herself by the incident Stevie (Elinor Lawless) performed life-saving surgery on Charlie, leaving fans at home ‘sobbing’.
Casualty viewers were left in tears as iconic character Charlie Fairhead bowed out from the BBC series after 38-years and 900 episodes on Saturday
The Senior charge nurse, played by Derek Thompson since the show’s inception in 1986, had been left with his life hanging in the balance after being brutally stabbed in last week’s cliffhanger
As Charlie lay in a coma and his colleagues battled to save his life a flashback was shown of his early career as he dealt with the tragic aftermath of a nail bomb in 1980s London
Charlie was mentored in his youth by gruff Matron Shirley, played by EastEnders’ Anette Badland, who was every inch the dedicated nurse he would become, before he was left devastated when she died shortly before her retirement.
After coming round, Charlie was joined at his bedside by his best friend and paramedic Josh Griffiths (Ian Bleasdale) who quit the show in 2007.
Telling his pal, he ‘deserved a rest’ before Charlie concluded it was the right time to hang up his stethoscope and later left the hospital to cheers from his colleagues.
Charlie and pal Josh then drove off in a yellow Beetle, along with cans attached to it and a sign in the back window that said: ‘Just retired.’
Taking to X, formerly twitter, one viewer wrote: ‘It’s the way I’m sobbing right now. I love this show so much’.
While a second added:”Charlie Fairhead has retired from Holby ED. the perfect exit for him! At least we know he can visit the ED again at some point in the future’.
And: Oh god I’m crying now’.
Someone else asked: ‘What is casualty going to be like now without Charlie?’.
It was then revealed that Charlie Inspired had Stevie to become a doctor and she then performed life-saving surgery on him, leaving fans at home ‘sobbing’
After coming round, Charlie was joined at his bedside by his best friend and paramedic Josh Griffiths (Ian Bleasdale) who quit the show in 2007
Telling his pal, he ‘deserved a rest’ before Charlie concluded it was the right time to hang up his stethoscope and later left the hospital to cheers from his colleagues
Charlie choked back tears as he said his final goodbye to Holby City Hospital
Charlie and pal Josh then drove off in a yellow Beetle, along with cans attached to it and a sign in the back window that said: ‘Just retired’
Another gushed: ‘Incredibly good and moving episode. Glad Charlie is ok’.
While another viewer agreed: ‘I am so pleased Charlie wasn’t killed off’.
It comes after ‘s Katie Hind reported that actor Derek Thompson’s fate was sealed because his salary – between £349,999 and £399,999 a year – was too high for BBC chiefs to justify after axing Casualty spin-off Holby City and Doctors.
With the BBC now turning to the popular Barney Walsh to fill the void left Charlie.
Emotional viewers took to social media following Charlie’s exit
Bradley, the son of actor and presenter Bradley Walsh, joined the show last year, playing hapless staff nurse Cameron ‘Cam’ Mickelthwaite.
Bosses believe they can cash in on his high profile. He presents Gladiators on the BBC, and has appeared on ITV productions Breaking Dad and The Larkins alongside his father. In Charlie’s absence, Cam would have bigger storylines and, executives hope, he would pull in younger viewers. Walsh, 26, is also in talks to star in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.
A BBC insider said: ‘Charlie was a bit of a rubbish nurse when he first arrived, as is Cam, which is why this makes it all such a lovely idea from the bosses. They think that turning Cam into the ‘face of the nurses’ in lieu of Charlie is a no-brainer. His popularity has soared so much since Gladiators so it would mean he would be given bigger storylines and he would be used more, to stop anyone else grabbing him.’
Charlie pictured during the BBC medical drama’s first series in 1986