After 38 years, Charlie Fairhead (Derek Thompson) has left Casualty.

Arriving in the very first episode way back in 1986, nurse Charlie has

spent a huge portion of his life watching people come and go through the doors at Holby ED.

From the dramatic storylines right through to his relationship with

the wonderful Duffy (Cath Shipton), it’s been quite the journey for

Charlie and suffice to say things at the ED won’t ever be the same again.

‘When I first read the script, I didn’t have to think about it at all, because it’s just great storytelling’, actor Derek Thompson said, discussing his reaction to his last storyline.
‘How Michelle Lipton wrote these episodes, comes across like she’s written eight plays. Taken from so many points of view. They all belong so well; they belong to the characters. I don’t think there’s another writer who could have done it. I think my final two episodes are some of the best episodes of my career.’

Last week, Charlie’s life was put in danger when he was stabbed by a patient who was trying to steal medicinal supplies. He was found by Stevie (Elinor Lawless) and Faith (Kirsty Mitchell) and then rushed into the ED where his friends and colleagues tended to him.

While the team tried to save Charlie, we were treated to a look back at the early years of his nursing career.

As Charlie (played by Jack Franklin) tended to patients, he came across a young girl in a corridor. She seemed scared and lost so the nurse sat her down and distracted her with a music player.

Eventually, Charlie found the young girl’s dad and they reunited. As he glanced at the notes and the dad mentioned ‘Stevie’, it was confirmed the young girl was in fact the Stevie Nash we know and love in the present day.

Back at Holby, after surgery and a risky moment that looked like we were about to lose him, Charlie recovered in a ward room.

When Stevie arrived, Charlie revealed that he’s going to retire.

And what’s he going to do? Whatever he ‘bloody well wants’, of course.

Charlie then packed up his things and to everyone’s surprise, he didn’t actually have a great deal of stuff to take home after nearly 4 decades in the same job.

When Dylan approached, he gifted Charlie the leaf he had given his colleague back in 2022. It came from Hippocrates’ tree in Greece and Charlie picked it up on a holiday there. He gave it to Dylan after another difficult shift in the hospital, with the pair agreeing that between them and the leaves, things would work out in the end.