Yahoo News What happened to the original cast of Casualty?
It's been keeping you entertained on Saturday nights for 32 years, but what happened to the original cast of Casualty?
After three decades of gut-wrenching, blood-spurting, heart-wrenching drama, only two of the golden oldies are still around to tell the tale (and no prizes for guessing who they are).
It turns out there is actually life after the bright lights of the ED – with several Casualty alumni going on to great things (one even winning an Oscar). We've been doing some digging and this is what we've found out…
1. Derek Thompson (Charlie Fairhead)
Often described as the lynchpin of the ED, Charlie has been a mainstay since 1986 and it's pretty much impossible to imagine Casualty without him. Derek is the only cast member to have appeared in all 32 series and was rewarded for his loyalty in the show's 30th anniversary celebrations, where Charlie played a pivotal role.
2. Cathy Shipton (Duffy)
Duffy appeared in the first eight series of the BBC medical drama as dependable nurse Duffy. After leaving in 1993, Duffy returned again 1998 – this time staying for a five-year stint, which also saw her make a guest appearance in Holby City.
Cathy reprised the role in 2006 as a part of the show's twentieth-anniversary celebrations, and for two more episodes in 2015 to coincide with the show's thirtieth series.
She made another guest appearance in the show's thousandth episode, before returning to the show as a regular cast member.
Duffy is now married to the show's longest-running character, Charlie, although they have recently split up.
3. George Harris (Clive King)
George played the role of alcoholic nurse Clive King in the first series and later returned to the show as an entirely different character. That's right. George appeared in an episode in 2004 as Neville Newton, who was the father of murdered paramedic Fin.
George's other notable roles include playing Kingsley Shacklebolt in three of the Harry Potter films and Captain Simon Katanga in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
4. Lisa Bowerman (Sandra Mute)
Sandra can be credited for two significant moments in Casualty history : as the show's first ever female paramedic and also the first regular to die. Like George, the actress later came back to the ED in another guise, when she returned for a guest role in 2007.
These days, Lisa is probably better known for her work in Doctor Who and its assorted spin-offs, where she starred as companion Bernice Summerfield in the Big Finish Productions' Doctor Who audio plays. Lisa is also a professional photographer.
5. Robert Pugh (Andy Ponting)
Robert played paramedic Andy Ponting in the first series, with his most memorable storyline involving his affair with colleague Sandra – who we mentioned above.
After leaving the show in the second series, Robert has gone on to add a number of high-profile roles to his CV. His most recent TV credits include Game of Thrones, Doctor Foster and Mr Selfridge.
6. Bernard Gallagher (Ewart Plimmer)
Bernard played Casualty's first ever consultant – Ewart Plimmer – in the first three series of the show, before his character was killed off.
After that, Bernard went on to star in ITV drama Crown Court, where he played Barrister Jonathan Fry. He also had roles in a number of well-known shows, including Bad Girls, Midsomer Murders, EastEnders and Downton Abbey. He passed away in November 2016 at the age of 87.
7. Julia Watson (Baz Wilder)
Julia's character Baz Wilder is probably best-remembered for playing Charlie's love interest and being the mother of his son, Louis. Julia returned for a longer stint between 1995 and 1998, which saw Baz marry Charlie and have his baby.
Baz made another return in 2003, but was killed off in an accident less than a year later, leaving Charlie to bring up Louis on his own. Since departing the show, Julia has worked consistently both on stage and in TV, with appearances in Doctors and Midsomer Murders.
8. Brenda Fricker (Megan Roach)
Brenda is actually one of the biggest success stories out of the Casualty alumni, having gone on to win an Oscar after leaving the show. In 1989, Brenda became the first Irish actress to win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, thanks to her work in the film My Left Foot.
Brenda returned to Casualty in 2010 for a memorable euthanasia plot, which ultimately saw Megan get killed off.
9. Christopher Rozycki (Kuba Trzcinski)
Christopher played Polish porter Kuba Trzcinski in the first three series of Casualty, eventually bowing out in 1989. After leaving Casualty, Christopher starred in a number of TV shows including The Royal and The Bill – before going on to feature in the film Truly Madly Deeply alongside Alan Rickman.
He died in 2015 after suffering a fall. One of his last TV credits was Downton Abbey.
10. Debbie Roza (Susie Mercier)
Debbie holds the accolade for saying the first ever words on Casualty when it launched in 1986. Debbie starred as receptionist Susie for two series, before leaving both the show and the acting world behind her.
Following her big career change, Debbie now lives in Canada and has over 22 years' experience in marketing.
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