Derek Thompson and George Rainsford are returning to the BBC medical drama Casualty to mark its 40th anniversary. Thompson will reprise his role as nurse Charlie Fairhead, and Rainsford will return as medical consultant Ethan Hardy.
The world's longest-running medical drama will commemorate the milestone in September with a two-part story. This special will feature a "high-stakes major incident" that causes chaos at Holby City Hospital, pushing the emergency department team to their limits.
Thompson, 78, debuted as Charlie in Casualty's first episode in 1986 and appeared in nearly 900 episodes before his character retired in 2024. Rainsford, 44, joined the show in 2014 and left in 2023 when his character resigned to focus on raising his son.
Both parts of Casualty's 40th anniversary special are scheduled to air on September 5 on BBC One, starting at 8pm.